AUCKLAND: Departing NSW stalwart Dave Dennis doesn't want teammates to "sit around and feel sorry me" if they cannot claim an unlikely win in Auckland and is adamant emotions won't affect the Waratahs' plan to defend their way to a bonus-point victory which may or may not be enough to keep their season alive.
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After a decade of service to NSW rugby Dennis, 30, will depart Australia for the UK as soon as the Waratahs play their last game, be it on Friday night against the Blues or as late as a final on August 6.
A loss to the Blues would spell the end for the Waratahs, while a win might not even be enough should the Brumbies, as expected, beat the Force in Canberra.
Surprisingly, for a man who bleeds blue, Dennis doesn't think he will get sentimental but Nick Phipps isn't so sure.
"Denzie, one of the most emotional boys out there," Phipps joked. "He'll be tearing up a little bit towards the end of the game or after the game. He wears his heart on his sleeve and that's why we love him. Sending him out on the right note is something that's very important to us."
Dennis will start at No.8 against the Blues, a team that haven't lost a home game to an Australian franchise since May 2013.
"Not thinking too much past the game," Dennis said. "It'd be a bit different if we didn't have a chance to make the finals maybe, but we've still got a chance to make the finals so going over there to try and get the five points."
And such is the no-nonsense nature of Dennis, he doesn't want to make the Waratahs' most important game of the year about him in any way.
"I've made the decision to leave, so I can't expect everyone to sit around and feel sorry for me if it doesn't finish the way I want," Dennis said. "I've made the decision to leave and I'm happy with that but there is that small part of me that's going to miss the place. You have to remain focused for the team. Any of that sentimental stuff or emotional stuff I've kept to myself or expressed at home rather than around the boys."
Coach Daryl Gibson said the temptation to chase points from the get-go could be the Waratahs' Achilles heel if they are not careful.
They run the risk of exposing themselves to a potent Blues backline and ruining their chances of creating a three-try buffer and getting into bonus-point territory.
Even though it appears the Waratahs will need to win, and win big at that, Gibson has changed his tune since the Hurricanes loss, saying any victory would make him proud.
"History suggests it's a difficult place for us to win and I'd be content with getting a win," Gibson said. "There's many NSW teams that have gone there and not done that. To go there with a mindset that we're going to play helter-skelter rugby would be foolish. First priority is to win the game and search for the bonus point. Certainly we won't be playing sevens."
Phipps said patience is key, particularly after the strong showing the Blues put in against the Brumbies last Friday.
"If we are going to get that bonus point it'll come in the 80th minute, not the 20th," Phipps said. "You see teams that need points throwing the ball around and then all of a sudden you're just chasing the win. We have to make sure we're sticking to our structures.
"The Brumbies were probably a bit guilty of going into that expecting an easier game but we certainly know that they're a quality team. They're a team on the rise even though they made the finals."
