The NSW Waratahs will face an injury-depleted New Zealand side for the second week in a row after Highlanders star Jimmy Cowan was ruled out of Friday's Super 14 clash in Sydney.

It continues a run of luck for the Australian sides after the Waratahs encountered an understrength Chiefs last week and the Brumbies downed a Crusaders side missing three stars, including captain Richie McCaw.

Skipper Cowan has succumbed to an elbow injury sustained during his side's opening round loss to the Brumbies, while All Blacks prop Jamie Mackintosh is out with a knee injury.

It leaves Adam Thomson as the struggling Dunedin side's only current All Black for the Sydney Football Stadium clash with unbeaten NSW.

Despite the loss of Mackintosh and, in recent years, the foundations of the Highlanders pack in Carl Hayman and Anton Oliver, NSW are still expecting the traditional strength up front, plus some new-found sparkle out wide.

"They're pretty direct, they've got a big forward pack and there's no doubt that we'll have to win that battle up front before we can play some footy," Waratahs coach Chris Hickey told reporters on Wednesday.

"In saying that, in both games that they've played so far they've scored some good tries and they've shown that they're not just a forward pack, they've got some backs and they can play some expansive football as well."

Meanwhile, the Waratahs were skirting around the issue of centre Timana Tahu's naming on the bench after the backline misfired in the unimpressive 11-7 win over the Chiefs.

Tahu's benching has been explained away as merely player management to ensure no recurrence of his hamstring problems.

"The hamstring's fine, we just want to make sure it stays that way, that's all," Hickey said.

Asked whether Tahu's replacement Tom Carter would give the midfield more confidence, the coach said: "You learn from those experiences and I'm sure that in the future where we're bound to encounter that sort of defence again that we'll have a better idea of how to cope with it and some better strategies to deal with that rushed defence."

Prop Al Baxter also offered an explanation.

"I guess rotation is a tough word, it's more where the coaches have seen issues that they've dealt with, physical issues and fatigue issues," he said.

"These guys that have been brought back in, they're good players, they have been pushing the squad.

"It's not one of those things where there's been any rotation, any resting, it's more that they've seen opportunities to give other guys a go and taken them.

"It certainly doesn't weaken the team, it probably strengthens it because these guys are fresh."

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