Waratahs playmaker Kurtley Beale has been benched in the wake of last weekend's disappointing Super 14 loss to the Stormers.

The former Australian Schoolboys star, who has played one match for the Wallabies, has been dropped with Daniel Halangahu promoted to flyhalf and Berrick Barnes shifting to the centres to face the Bulls on Saturday.

Since playing every match at No.10 in 2008 and leading NSW to the Super rugby final, Beale has struggled to make the five-eighth position his own.

He played matches at centre and fullback last season and after just two games in 2010, he's been demoted to the reserves.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey has shifted gun Wallabies recruit Barnes out of five-eighth to allow Halangahu to lead the team's backline against the Bulls.

The reliable Halangahu joins lock Dave Dennis as the changes to the run-on side, while 19-year-old back-rower Locky McCaffrey will debut on the bench alongside centre Rob Horne, who returns from a hamstring injury.

Hickey said having Halangahu and Barnes both starting gives the team "good game management", but didn't explain his future plans for Beale.

The talented 21-year-old would like to think he can control a game too, but he'll only have limited game time to prove that this weekend from the bench.

"Daniel's done a really good job when he's come on at the back end of the game," Hickey said of Halangahu, who was used as an interchange player in the first two matches.

"He gives us really good game management and we think that by having Daniel along with Berrick there at 10 and 12, we'll have good game management throughout the whole game."

Wallaby tourist Dennis will notch his first run-on cap at Super 14 level, replacing the benched Will Caldwell.

"He brings aggression, he's got good mobility, good speed around the park and he's an explosive jumper in the lineouts - he covers all those areas which are going to be important in the match against the Bulls," Hickey said.

McCaffrey was Sydney rugby competition the Shute Shield's 2009 rookie of the year.

NSW Waratahs: Sosene Anesi, Lachie Turner, Tom Carter, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Daniel Halangahu, Luke Burgess, Wycliff Palu, Phil Waugh (capt), Ben Mowen, Kane Douglas, Dave Dennis, Al Baxter, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Res: Damien Fitzpatrick, Sekope Kepu, Will Caldwell, Locky McCaffrey, Josh Holmes, Kurtley Beale, Rob Horne.

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