The NSW Waratahs and Western Force set up an all-Australian Super 14 blockbuster, while the Brumbies and Queensland sank further from finals contention in a weekend that defined Australian rugby's haves and have-nots.

The Waratahs' stunning 37-16 win over the highly-rated Blues at the end of a week of turmoil catapulted them back into top-two contention, while the Force's last-ditch 15-14 victory over champions the Bulls kept the West Australians' home semi-final hopes alive.

But the pressure intensified on Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher and Queensland can begin contemplating what might have been in 2008.

The Force are Australia's highest placed team, now fifth on 23 points and equal with the fourth-placed Chiefs, while the Waratahs are just one point behind in sixth.

But the Tahs, Crusaders (first, 33 points) and Sharks (second, 27) are the only sides in the top six who have completed byes, meaning NSW have a game in hand on the Blues (third, 24), Chiefs and Force with six rounds remaining.

The Brumbies are ninth after Friday's 42-28 shellacking by the Chiefs, while the Reds are 10th after handing the Cheetahs their first win of 2008, 29-14 in Bloemfontein on Sunday morning.

But Australian rugby's eyes will be on Subiaco Oval next Saturday when the country's two contenders go head-to-head in what will be one of the most anticipated derbies in recent Super rugby memory.

"It is a game we're looking forward to," NSW coach Ewen McKenzie said on Sunday.

"We have been there before and won, so it's not like we don't know Subiaco. We have won there before."

After a week in which McKenzie was told his contract would not be renewed, off-field cracks at NSW HQ reportedly became gaping canyons and inspirational forward Rocky Elsom went down with injury, the Waratahs seemingly transformed their season in the space of 80 pressure-relieving minutes.

"This is the most difficult one, going from the Blues to the Force, because both those teams are right at the top of the comp," said McKenzie, whose side now has a 5-2 win-loss ratio.

"It's how you play against those teams is the only way you can influence your climb up the ladder. You have to keep knocking off the top teams now."

And the coach believes the headlining match-up between five-eighths Kurtley Beale and Matt Giteau will live up to its billing.

"Yeah, that clash will be important," he said.

"All the clashes will be important. I have written before about local derbies (being overblown) in terms of (Wallabies) selection.

"I don't see that, I see it as a contest. There'll be little head to head contests.

"There are some interesting ones, (Nathan) Sharpe and (Daniel) Vickerman, the backrow scenario is a big one in the context of the game, the halves are important."

NSW will be without reliable centre Ben Jacobs, who suffered a serious knee injury in Saturday night's win and is likely to be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, the Force's win over the Bulls (13th, 10), which had the South Africans conceding their title defence was over, set up the West Australians for consecutive weeks of all-Australian clashes, with a match-up with Queensland to follow next week's game.

"It is just a special couple of weeks, and the fact is Test spots are up for grabs," Force coach John Mitchell said.

"But while there will be media focus on that situation, it is more importantly about what we do."

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