Will Miller will play alongside Michael Hooper in the Waratahs’ starting lineup in Tokyo, as NSW prepares for an unpredictable Sunwolves side.

Miller, who starred in the NRC and Shute Shield in recent years, will play at blindside flanker, alongside Hooper as the Waratahs opt for a dual openside structure, in what coach Daryl Gibson expects will be a high-velocity, intense contest.

“We see Will’s selection as an opportunity to play two genuine fetchers,” he said.

“We believe the game’s going to be played at a high intensity because of the way the Sunwolves like to play.

“Ball in play, they like to play fast, so we’ve opted for what we consider a really fast loose forward trio.

“Will’s been excellent for us in the last five games.

“So, it’s a really good opportunity for him to see what he can do for an extended period. He’s been an excellent Shute Shield player, he’s stepped up to this level and he’s someone we want to give that opportunity to.

“We believe in tandem with Hooper in this game, it can be something a bit different for us.”

Hooper has close to the heaviest workload across any player in Australian rugby and though Gibson admitted it would be nice to be able to give the flanker a rest at some point, stringing consecutive wins together on the road was more important.

“I think it’s a luxury the coach would like to have. part of our trip to the north is making sure we continue our momentum,” he said 

“It’s something we spoke about as a team, getting away victories in this competition, crucial, and so we want to make sure we go up there and we perform.”

Gibson said they were preparing for the Sunwolves as though they were a ‘sixth Kiwi team’, such has been the influence of ex-Highlanders coaching staff on the Japanese club.

One of their opponents’ biggest threats, though, is their mystery quality, Gibson said, with the Sunwolves changing their side often.

“The Sunwolves have been a team that have been changing their roster a lot and trying to analyse them that’s been the difficulty,” he said.

“They’ve been comfortable in playing a large number of their squad, so that’s been difficult for us.”

Alex Newsome will replace Israel Folau in the starting line up, impressing Gibson in his 75 minutes on-field against the Brumbies.

Taqele Naiyaravoro will retain his starting spot, and Gibson simply wants more of he same from Naiyaravoro, with an emphasis on the ‘more’

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“The longer we can keep him out there, the more destructive he can be,” he said.

“Certainly finished very well for us in the last two games, something different that he brings to our back three.

“Certainly (I’m) talking to him around wanting more out of him around that, getting more touches, getting ball carries and being far more threatening. He’s definitely someone we want more out of.

“I think part of his transformation is in losing that weight and keeping on top of that.

“It’s been well-documented, he was 136kg last year and too heavy, can’t move.

“Whereas at 124 he’s scoring the tries he is scoring and looking far more threatening. part of the equation for him is his physical condition and learning to play more minutes.”

The Waratahs take on the Sunwolves on Saturday afternoon, kicking off at 2:15pm local and 3:15pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS.

TEAM

IN: Cam Clark:

OUT: Israel Folau

1. Tom Robertson (32)

2. Damien Fitzpatrick (36)

3. Sekope Kepu (112)

4. Ned Hanigan (20)

5. Rob Simmons (3)

6. Will Miller (4)

7. Michael Hooper (85, captain)

8. Michael Wells (20)

9. Jake Gordon (36)

10. Bernard Foley (92, vice-captain)

11. Taqele Naiyaravoro (37)

12. Kurtley Beale (115)

13. Curtis Rona (5)

14. Alex Newsome (5)

15. Bryce Hegarty (17)

Reserves

16. Hugh Roach (34)

17. Harry Johnson-Holmes (5)

18. Paddy Ryan (96)

19. Tom Staniforth (5)

20. Jed Holloway (28)

21. Mitchell Short (2)

22. Lalakai Foketi (5)

23. Cameron Clark (12)

The Waratahs’ new sense of desire will be put to the test in the first three weeks of the season.

A home game against the Stormers before a trip to South Africa and Argentina could set their season up, or put it on the edge, by the time they return to Sydney to play the Rebels in round four.

South African success has been a springboard for the Waratahs in the past – they last won there in 2016 against the Stormers – but few Australian teams have found joy in Africa in recent seasons.

The Brumbies and Force clinched wins in Buenos Aires in 2017, strategies the Waratahs have drawn on in their planning.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson, coming into the last year of his contract, admitted the pressure was on for immediate results in 2018.

“Performance is critical this season,” Gibson said.

“We’re conscious that people have stuck with us, our memberships, our ticket sales, so we know people want to support winners and they want to see people who are willing to get out there and die for their jersey.

“At times last year we didn’t have that fight in us.

“It’s something we’ve spoken about as a team, we want to make sure when we do play at home, that our fans see how much that means to us.”

Gibson said they had learned from their South African struggles last year, when they had a near-identical start.

“We got things wrong there (last year),” he said.

“Through the experience we’ll plan differently, we know that’s coming, we’ve emphasised and prioritised other areas, to make sure we’re ready for those challenges.

“It’s a difficult start and we’ve known that for a while, players know that and know what we need to know and do to be ready.”

Captain Michael Hooper said their performance overseas would potentially set the tone for the rest of their year, though they couldn’t let that preoccupy them.

“It changes the way opposition teams think about you on the way into the season,” he said.

“There’s two hugely opposing situations it could be in and teams instantly think differently about you and watch your games differently, (they’re) more nervous about you entering a season but that’s a hindsight type of thing or a suck it and see when we get there.”

When it comes to desire, Hooper has been the least likely to have his questioned, but his challenge has been bringing the rest of the team along.

“He leads from the front. As a leader that’s what you want,” he said.

“Hoops is a world-class developing leader.

“He’s 26 with [79] caps for Australia, five seasons on the bounce for the Waratahs where I don’t believe he’s missed a game and he’s been the best player for the last four years, voted by his peers.

“He’s got a hell of a record and the boys follow him.

“Our challenge is to not only have him leading the charge but the 14 others as well.”

And it’s a challenge Hooper wants to accept.

“I’m learning a lot every day, it’s never a finished thing or a finished product,” he said.

“I’m a year on, a year further into where I’ve been and I feel like I’ve learned a lot and I’m still keen to learn more and try and improve on how I’m going in that sort of area.”

The Waratahs take on the Stormers on Saturday February 24, kicking off at 7:45pm AEDT. Buy tickets here.

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Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle has revealed plans to target public schools and capture Australia’s best schoolboy talent as pressure from the nation’s two major football codes intensifies.

Castle penned an op-ed piece in The Australian on Friday, detailing a plan to rebuild the identity of rugby in Australia.

In the piece, Castle highlighted the recent poor performances of Australia’s Super Rugby clubs as a major front facing issue which has long dominated the narrative and left many fans disheartened.

And while all parties involved in the top level of Australian rugby are desperate to snap the trans-Tasman streak, reclaim the Bledisloe Cup and generate some much needed positivity as a result, Castle pointed to the nation’s talent pool as an area which the code must immediately address in order to ensure long term success.

“For rugby to remain relevant in a congested sporting market, it is important there are multiple ways that people can engage with the game and there are participation options for new entrants picking up a rugby ball for the first time,” Castle said.“Where we are targeting these new entrants is public schools, where our Get Into Rugby (formerly Game On) program has seen more than 70,000 kids experience rugby for the first time since the beginning of 2017, including no less than 5000 indigenous children.

“Significantly, 68 per cent of these students have been from government schools, and 40 per cent are girls.”

Castle also highlighted the need to strengthen the relationship between clubs and schools.

“To support this, we are investing further in growing our development workforce to connect these school participants with clubs,” she said.

“Rugby is facing aggressive competition in this area from other footy codes, so it is important that our product is appealing and the message to students about our game is a positive one.”

Queensland’s AIC schools announcing that they will be trialling AFL and rugby league competitions for the next two years underlined the need to capture the best talent from rugby’s traditional heartlands, a topic Castle is passionate about.“The challenge of keeping our most talented schoolboy players in the game is not a new phenomenon but is an area of focus given the increased pressure from well-resourced rival codes,” she said.

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“We are reviewing our contracting system specifically to address this issue and will announce some changes in this area shortly, all designed to ensure our top-priority talent remain in our game after school and have opportunities to experience off-field development and on-field success.”

Castle finished by pointing to a few positives which, she hopes, will provide a platform for sustainable success moving forward.

“We are taking advantage of the global strength of rugby through a new international strategy to capitalise on the fact that our national teams spend more time out of Australia, playing in our major trade and export hubs,” she said.

“We will bid aggressively to win the rights to host the 2021 Women’s World Cup and 2027 Rugby World Cup. Securing these pinnacle events will drive participation, engage new fans and importantly, create new revenue for our game.

“And we will work harder at developing and keeping our most talented players through the implementation of the national schools strategy and new contracting initiatives.

“The challenges rugby faces are well documented and widely debated but I believe there is much to be positive about and many of the building blocks are in place to take these challenges head on.”

Rep. Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffSchiff says Trump intel chief won’t comply with subpoena over whistleblower Sunday shows – Guns dominate after Democratic debate Schiff: Diplomacy with Iran ‘only way out of this situation’ MORE (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday that acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire has refused to comply with a subpoena regarding a whistleblower complaint. 

“The [Intelligence Community Inspector General] determined that the complaint is both credible and urgent, which is why the Committee must move quickly. The Committee’s position is clear – the Acting DNI can either provide the complaint as required under the law, or he will be required to come before the Committee to tell the public why he is not following the clear letter of the law, including whether the White House or the Attorney General are directing him to do so,” Schiff said in a statement to The Hill. 

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“He has yet to provide the complaint in response to the Committee’s subpoena, so I expect him to appear on Thursday, under subpoena if necessary,” Schiff added.

Politico was the first to report that Maguire declined to comply with the subpoena.

Schiff first filed the subpoena to Maguire last week, saying he illegally held the “credible” whistleblower complaint that he said regarded a matter of “urgent concern” from the intelligence panel.

“As Acting Director of National Intelligence, you have neither the legal authority nor the discretion to overrule a determination by the [Intelligence Community Inspector General]. Moreover, you do not possess the authority to withhold from the Committee a whistleblower disclosure from within the Intelligence Community that is intended for Congress,” he wrote in a letter to Maguire. 

Schiff said last week that Maguire’s apparent unwillingness to provide the complaint violated a law requiring him to provide Congress with any whistleblower complaint considered urgent by the intelligence community’s inspector general and hinted that the complaint could involve President TrumpDonald John TrumpJimmy Carter: ‘I hope there’s an age limit’ on presidency White House fires DHS general counsel: report Trump to cap California trip with visit to the border MORE or other top administration officials.

“The Committee can only conclude, based on this remarkable confluence of factors, that the serious misconduct at issue involves the President of the United States and/or other senior White House or Administration officials,” Schiff wrote. 

Jason Klitenic, Maguire’s general counsel, said the whistleblower statute applies only if a complaint involves a member of the intelligence community and maintained that the specific complaint in question did not. 

“We will not permit the complainant to be subject to any retaliation or adverse consequence based upon his or her communication the complaint to the [inspector general],” Klitenic wrote, according to a copy of the letter reviewed by Politico. “We also believe at this juncture that it would be premature for the DNI to appear on Thursday at a congressional hearing.”

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Rep. Hank JohnsonHenry (Hank) C. JohnsonThe United States broken patent system is getting worse Why target Tucker Carlson? It’s part of the left’s war on the right The Hill’s Morning Report – How will Trump be received in Dayton and El Paso? MORE (D-Ga.) compared former Trump campaign aide Corey LewandowskiCorey R. LewandowskiThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump heads to California The Hill’s Morning Report – What is Trump’s next move on Iran? Democrats headed for a subpoena showdown with White House MORE to “a fish being cleaned with a spoon” during Lewandowski’s Tuesday testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. 

“Mr. Lewandowski, you are about like a fish being cleaned with a spoon, it’s very hard to get an answer out of you,” Johnson said at the start of his questioning of the former campaign aide. 

He then went on to ask Lewandowski about a 2017 Oval Office meeting with President TrumpDonald John TrumpBusiness, ballots and battling opioids: Why the Universal Postal Union benefits the US Sanders supporters cry foul over Working Families endorsement of Warren California poll: Biden, Sanders lead Democratic field; Harris takes fifth MORE in which Trump asked Lewandowski to convince then-Attorney General Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsDemocrats headed for a subpoena showdown with White House House Democrats seeking Sessions’s testimony in impeachment probe McCabe’s counsel presses US attorney on whether grand jury decided not to indict MORE to say that the president was being treated unfairly due to former special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerFox’s Cavuto roasts Trump over criticism of network Mueller report fades from political conversation Trump calls for probe of Obama book deal MORE‘s probe.  

The hearing Tuesday became chaotic during Chairman Jerrold NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerGraham promises Kavanaugh will not be impeached over ‘scurrilous’ allegations Judiciary Committee chairman Nadler dismisses Kavanaugh impeachment calls Nadler: Trump impeachment needed ‘to vindicate the Constitution’ MORE‘s (D-N.Y.) attempts to question Lewandowski. 

The former aide, who is still close to the White House, first insisted that he be given a copy of the Mueller report to follow along with excerpts read by Democrats. He also said at one point that he did not remember an Oval Office meeting with Trump. 

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Partisan debate also broke out as to whether the clock should be stopped during Lewandowski’s pauses in answering questions. 

Lewandowski’s appearance comes as Democrats investigate possible obstruction of justice by Trump. 

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister says that the country expects to return to full oil production by the end of the month following drone attacks on the supply chain over the weekend. 

Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman also said Tuesday that more than half of the crude oil production stopped by the strikes had been restored, according to The Associated Press. 

“Where would you find a company in this whole world that went through such a devastating attack and came out like a phoenix?” he said, referring to the state-owned Aramco firm.

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A Saturday attack took out 5.7 million barrels of oil production each day, amounting to about 5 percent of the daily production globally. The energy minister said the country will be back to 11 million barrels daily by the end of September. 

Oil prices spiked Monday following the attack but calmed somewhat on Tuesday. 

Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed responsibility for the attack, though U.S. officials including Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump heads to California Pence says US is ‘locked and loaded’ to defend allies US-Iran next moves — Déjà vu of Obama administration mistakes? MORE have blamed Iran directly, an accusation Tehran denies. 

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Saudi King Salman appointed Prince Abdulaziz, his son and the half brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to lead the energy ministry earlier this month.

Leading Senate Democrats on Tuesday demanded that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHillary Clinton: Voter suppression has led to ‘crisis in democracy’ in the US New York Times authors blame Kavanaugh correction on editing error: ‘There was zero intent to mislead’ The Hill’s Morning Report – What is Trump’s next move on Iran? MORE (R-Ky.) negotiate spending allocations to exclude as much as $12 billion in funding for President TrumpDonald John TrumpBusiness, ballots and battling opioids: Why the Universal Postal Union benefits the US Sanders supporters cry foul over Working Families endorsement of Warren California poll: Biden, Sanders lead Democratic field; Harris takes fifth MORE’s border wall.

“Democrats have long made clear that we will not support appropriations bills that include these funding allocations,” said a letter to McConnell spearheaded by Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerSchumer, Pelosi push Trump to back universal background check bill Sinema says she would back Kennedy in race against Markey Democrats threaten to withhold defense votes over wall MORE (D-N.Y.) and top Democratic appropriators.

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“At a time when the majority of Americans who need and seek opioids treatment cannot get it, we should not be wasting money on an ineffective border wall,” the letter continued.

Democrats contend that Republicans siphoned $5 billion in direct funding for the wall from a bill that deals with health, and have added another $7.2 billion to military accounts that Trump has reprogrammed for the wall.

They are demanding restrictions on the funds to block Trump from redirecting them toward the wall under a state of emergency.

On Thursday, Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee voted against the GOP-proposed plan to divvy up the funds, as well as the defense spending bill, signaling that the bills would not be able to move on the Senate floor.

McConnell is mulling bringing the defense bill to the floor to force Democrats into a tough vote.

“Whatever rationale my colleagues across the aisle may offer for these new disruptions, let’s get one thing straight: holding defense funding hostage for political gain is a losing strategy,” he said Thursday morning.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Richard ShelbyRichard Craig ShelbySenators struggle to get spending bills off ground as shutdown looms Congress set to ignore Trump’s wall request in stopgap measure Overnight Defense: Dems grill Trump Army, Air Force picks | House chair subpoenas Trump Afghanistan negotiator | Trump officials release military aid to Ukraine MORE (R-Ala.) seemed to endorse the strategy.

“Put them on record voting against defense,” he said. “I would be very reluctant as a Democrat to vote against a motion to proceed on defense.”

Amid the discord, the House was set to take up a stopgap funding measure to keep the government running in the new fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. 

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The House Education and Labor Committee has called off plans to vote on legislation this week to protect patients from “surprise” medical bills because of divisions among lawmakers on the panel, according to House aides and lobbyists.

The panel had been planning to hold a markup on legislation to protect patients from getting massive medical bills when they go to the emergency room and one or more doctors treating them turn out to be outside of their insurance network, a problem that lawmakers in both parties say is a top priority. 

But the push has hit fresh obstacles amid a fierce lobbying push from doctors and hospitals and disagreements about the best way to address the problem. The delay in the markup is another sign of those divisions. 

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The markup had not been formally scheduled, but the plan to hold it this week has been called off. It is now unclear when it will be scheduled or when lawmakers will reach an agreement. 

The committee, which oversees employer-sponsored health insurance, had been planning to vote this week on legislation that was largely similar to a bipartisan bill that already passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee, the sources said. But some lawmakers are pushing for a different approach, one that they argue works better and that treats doctors and hospitals more fairly. 

“The Chairman is committed to advancing bipartisan legislation to protect patients from out of pocket medical costs,” an aide to Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby ScottRobert (Bobby) Cortez ScottTen notable Democrats who do not favor impeachment Critics fear widespread damage from Trump ‘public charge’ rule Democrats: Trump plan could jeopardize 500,000 children’s free school meals MORE (D-Va.) said when asked about the delay. 

The dispute is centered on how doctors and hospitals will be paid once patients are protected from these massive bills. The bipartisan Energy and Commerce legislation essentially sets the payment rate that an insurer would pay the doctor. 

Doctors and hospitals are lobbying hard against that approach, including by spending millions of dollars in ads, warning it would lead to damaging cuts to doctors’ pay. 

Doctors are pushing instead to have an outside arbiter help set the price. Lawmakers backing that approach, which has been employed in New York, include Reps. Donna ShalalaDonna Edna ShalalaHouse panel delays vote on surprise medical bills legislation Republican Salazar seeks rematch with Shalala in key Miami House district House passes temporary immigration protections for Venezuelans MORE (D-Fla.), Joe MorelleJoseph (Joe) MorelleHouse panel delays vote on surprise medical bills legislation Push on ‘surprise’ medical bills hits new roadblocks MORE (D-N.Y.) and Phil RoeDavid (Phil) Phillip RoeHouse panel delays vote on surprise medical bills legislation If Trump wants to stay popular among veterans he has to do more Want to solve surprise medical bills? Listen to patients MORE (R-Tenn.).

Adding to the complications for passing legislation, a third panel, the House Ways and Means Committee, is also working on legislation, which sources say they expect to be more favorable to doctors and hospitals than the Energy and Commerce approach. 

It is also unclear when Ways and Means will be able to reach an agreement or hold its own markup. 

“We’re continuing to work with the minority on a bipartisan solution to this enormous problem for patients, and we’re making progress,” said a Ways and Means Democratic aide. 

The Senate also has bipartisan legislation, similar to the Energy and Commerce approach, but there is no clear path forward for the upper chamber to pass that measure either.

The Waratahs are far from satisfied with their showing in claiming a bonus point win over the Reds, conscious of an immediate need to improve for a blockbuster clash with the Lions.

NSW is enjoying its best start to a season since 2016, returning to the top of the Australian conference for the first time since that same season with Saturday’s win.

As they prepare to face last year’s runner-up side, though, coach Daryl Gibson said they had to strive to deliver more than they had at the SCG.

“We’re really chasing that 80-minute performance,” he said.

“We felt at times we lacked that ball control that we’ve been striving for and also that ball control that leads to pressure on ourselves.”

That they could still finish with a bonus-point win in spite of their patchy skills was a major positive, skipper Michael Hooper said.

“It’s a really pleasing aspect within that negative not being able to finish our passes,” he sad.

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“I think there would have been two or three tries that we just would have ran in under the sticks.

“The real pleasing thing is we were able to come back from that.

“That can sometimes get you down, when you create a really nice opportunity, turn it over and sometimes  we’d turn it over and the Reds just started galloping away and then we were able to come back into it, refocus, (That) was a really pleasing aspect out of that negative.”

A trim Taqele Naiyaravoro again stood out, with the winger picking up a double, increasing his run of scoring to four consecutive matches, the most in his career

Naiyaravoro is going to England at the end of this season, but for now Gibson is making the most of his incredible form.

“He’s continuing to be the difference for us out on that left flank,” he said.

“When we give him the ball in the right moments, with a bit of space, he’s finishing well.

“(He was) talked about a lot during the week, he’s lost his weight, he’s performing. It’s a pretty easy equation for me.”

The win left NSW with a big injury toll, with Rob Simmons (sternum), Michael Wells (shoulder) and Will Miller (shoulder) under injury clouds.

The Waratahs take on the Lions at Allianz Stadium on Friday, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.

The Waratahs put some pristine second half football together to belt the Rebels on Sunday.

Here’s what we learned from the 51-27 result.

1. Izzy best suited on the wing?

Israel Folau filled the unfamiliar role of a right winger on Sunday and it allowed both Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale to repeatedly kick to his wing, Folau duly claiming each kick that came his way.

That added another layer to a Waratahs attack which has struggled to find its groove and in the second half, NSW ran in five exhilarating tries.Folau admitted post match that he finds life easier on the right hand side of the field and it showed, as he racked up 42 metres, four tackle busts, two line breaks and three offloads from his eight runs.

Bryce Hegarty also played well from fullback, which was a large factor in the decision to shift Folau from fullback.

Whether Folau stays on the wing will be a welcome selection headache for Daryl Gibson and if he does, it will be an interesting proposition for Wallabies coach Michael Cheika to consider come June.

2. Rebels fail first test

As impressive as Melbourne have been in starting the season 3-0, they had each of those three wins all their own way.They had not been challenged by a team playing the quality of rugby the Waratahs produced in the second half and when pushed, they floundered.

Melbourne struggled without consistent gain line ball and while the Waratahs were devastating with each attacking raid, the Rebels found little in defence.

A five day turnaround before hosting the Sharks represents their next challenge.

3. Haylett-Petty hit hurts

The loss of Dane Haylett-Petty to a sickening head knock on Folau’s hip signalled an early end to his afternoon and the Rebels struggled for clarity in the 67 minutes that followed.

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They led 20-10 at half time – and were unlucky to not be leading by more – but coach Dave Wessels spoke this week about the role Haylett-Petty plays in steering the side from behind the line and Melbourne looked lost without him.

Rebels fans will be hoping their star fullback can bounce back but he could be touch and go to face the Sharks, considering the five day turnaround.

4. Foley, Beale click

One of the Wallabies 10-12 pairing had a key hand in each of the Waratahs tries, such was their influence on this match.

It helps when the forward pack wins the battle up front but this pair were borderline unstoppable with front foot ball in the second half.

5. Buckle up, Australia

The Tahs displaced the Brumbies in third with their second win of the season and that leaves all four Australian clubs with at least two wins through their first four matches.

The Rebels are still clear on top of the conference with 15 points but the Reds, Brumbies and Tahs are all nipping at their heels.

Each conference win is worth its weight in gold.