There's been a lot of reminiscing about finals footy around the Waratahs' team room this week but it hasn't been about the glory days of 2014.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the only game the team's senior players are talking about is the one they lost in 2015, when the Highlanders "ambushed" them in front of 32,600 supporters in the semi‑final at Allianz Stadium.
Club captain Nick Phipps revealed he had never felt anything like the shock of that moment after the buzzer, when the Waratahs realised their quest was over to become back‑to‑back Super Rugby champions.
Phipps says the Highlanders turned up, they were hungry, they wanted it more, and they went on to win the title.
He says this is now do or die.
Defence has been an issue for both teams this season, with the Highlanders leaking an average of more than 40 points across their past three matches and the Waratahs conceding an average of four tries per game so far this season.
The Waratahs are mindful of the attacking threat posed by Highlanders' All Black trio Aaron Smith, Ben Smith and Lima Sopoaga.
Phipps conceded there was no point having on your roster the competition's leading try scorer, Taqele Naiyaravoro, if you leaked as many points as he scored.
The Waratahs, the only Australian team in the Super Rugby finals will host the Highlanders at 10.05pm Saturday.
In other Super Rugby quarter finals, the Hurricanes take on the Chiefs at 7.35pm Friday, defending champions, Crusaders will meet the Sharks at 7.35pm Saturday, while the Lions meet the Jaguares at 1.05am Sunday.
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