NSW Waratahs captain Michael Hooper wants his side's new Wallabies squad members to make their mark on the do-or-die Super Rugby match against the Chiefs.
The Tahs' faint finals prospects will be extinguished if they lose in Hamilton on Saturday and the Brumbies beat the Rebels in Melbourne a few hours later.
Hooper believes the energy of Wallaby squad tyros Ned Hanigan and Jack Dempsey could spark his side.
Both are contenders for the No.6 Test jersey, with Hanigan starting for the Tahs on Saturday and Dempsey coming off the bench for his first Super game since suffering a foot injury in round four.
While the Chiefs will be looking to avoid posting back-to-back home defeats for the first time since 2011, they have lost their last three and six of their last seven to the Tahs.
"It's a team that we've had a good history with, but a team that's also doing very well," Hooper said.
"It's a really tough challenge for all the guys, good matchups potentially positionally.
"Having some stuff for some of us through the week, particularly some new guys getting picked in the Wallabies squad, which is fantastic.
"We're looking for them to really make a mark on the game and show what they can put out."'
Primarily a lock before this year, Hanigan has capitalised on the vacancy caused by Dempsey's injury.
"His trajectory has just gone way up," Hooper said of Hanigan.
"He's found something within himself that's getting him right and he puts in really good performances.".
Hooper stressed the Tahs were looking to eradicate disciplinary lapses that have blighted their campaign.
"Eight yellow cards this season makes it really tricky for us, 14 men for 80 minutes of the season," he said.
"Foolish things, to a large extent avoidable things, that we can take out of our game."
New Zealand 2011 World Cup hero Stephen Donald will play his 100th game for the Chiefs.
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