NSW coach Michael Cheika expects Hurricanes to be very physical Michael Cheika wants his players to outmuscle the Hurricanes. NSW Waratahs coach Michael Cheika suspects the Hurricanes might consider his players are "soft" and will attempt to outmuscle them in their Super Rugby game in Wellington tomorrow night. Cheika said the Waratahs would have to "bring a little bit of edge" to combat the Hurricanes' anticipated physicality. They've got good, hard runners. They might think we are a little bit soft," Cheika said. They'll take us on there and see how we respond. If you are going to win in New Zealand, you are going to need a bit of edge. We have to make sure we bring that. Cheika has made only two changes to the Waratahs' side that ran on for their 23-19 win against Western Force in Sydney last Sunday and they are both in the front row. Sekope Kepu has regained his place at tighthead ahead of Paddy Ryan, while John Ulugia has replaced injured hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau. "In the games he has come on, he has brought a lot of dynamism," Cheika said of Kepu. That's what he was lacking and the reason he got left out in the first place. If I've told him that's what I want and he comes and brings it, I can't not put him back in the team. Paddy maybe lacked a smidgen of concentration in last week's game. Didn't get the involvements he would have liked. He knows that. In the front row, it's tight-going in our team. One slip up and you could be on the outer. This is Keps' chance. Polota-Nau was ruled out with concussion he suffered in the Force game. He is not playing this week. That's very disappointing for me," Cheika said. Wallabies number eight Wycliff Palu will make his return from a hamstring injury via the reserves bench. Meanwhile, assistant coach Daryl Gibson will have a fair idea of what to expect from the Hurricanes, having played and coached alongside the team's head coach Mark Hammett at the Crusaders. He has made some really bold decisions and is making positive changes. A couple of years ago he exited Ma'a (Nonu) and Piri Weepu from the team. At the time he was heavily criticised. He was chastised in the media and the Wellington area. The Hurricanes have always been a team that can really surprise with a lot of threat and X-factor-type players. What he has done over the last few years is give them a lot of structure, particularly at set piece, and tightened up their play. Furthermore, Gibson said it was "only a matter of time" before the Waratahs' high-profile recruit Israel Folau made a successful conversion to rugby after playing rugby league and Australian football. "Every week he gets better and better," Gibson said. He is feeling more comfortable at this level. Every week he is learning more about the game. He is a very exciting player and Australia is lucky to have him. If Israel keeps performing, he is going to keep putting his hand up (for the Wallabies). It's only a matter of time before he really cracks it and transfers what we see at training to the real stage. At training, no one can tackle him. If we find it difficult to stop him, sooner or later . . .