Watch out Brumbies, watch out Crusaders.

The improving NSW Waratahs believe they will hit their straps just in time for their blockbuster round five and six showdowns in Canberra and Sydney.

New coach Chris Hickey's mantra this week has been "five or six weeks", the time he believes it will take for his side to click under his new regime.

It was a slogan he repeated after Friday night's 34-16 victory over the Highlanders which continued the Waratahs' unbeaten start to the Super 14 campaign.

Patchy though it was, it was a vast improvement on the ugly win over the Chiefs the week before and it came with an important bonus point.

"It probably was (patchy)," Hickey told reporters.

"I think that our game's still developing. We thought that it might take five or six weeks before we really started to play the way that we'd like to.

"To still keep winning and to perhaps have your best footy in front of you is a positive."

Week five will have the Waratahs travelling down the Federal Highway to face the side many tipped to be Australia's best in 2009, the Brumbies, while week six shapes as a chance for revenge over the side which beat them in last year's final, the Crusaders.

NSW showed some positive signs at the Sydney Football Stadium, with man of the match Kurtley Beale's passing and kicking skills instrumental, but captain Phil Waugh was sober in his assessment of what was his 100th Super rugby game.

"I still think we're well off being consistent," he said.

"We are dangerous when we control the ball and we play with a little bit more discipline.

"We've just got to control the ball a little bit better, probably play a little bit simpler in a way.

"We're probably trying to be a little bit too elaborate and at times that's hurting us.

"I think every time we were under pressure was probably down to our errors more than anything else so we've got to look at that.

"We are improving three weeks into the comp and the tough stuff's in front of us."

One pleasing aspect for the Tahs is the emergence of their lesser known players to plug the holes left by departed stars Dan Vickerman, Rocky Elsom and David Lyons.

Elsom's replacement at blindside flanker, Ben Mowen, impressed with a 25m gallop to the tryline during the first half on Friday night.

"There was probably some question marks in a number of positions but blokes like Ben Mowen and Will Caldwell have really stepped up and I think Sam Norton-Knight has probably played his best football," Hickey said.

"It's really pleasing when you see young blokes step up, take their chance and it was important to us that those players actually were able to fill those positions."

In further good news for NSW, prop Benn Robinson was cleared of any serious knee injury after being replaced early in the second half.

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