The prospect of inclement weather is threatening to thwart the Waratahs' intention to play an up-tempo game against the Highlanders in their Super 14 rugby tussle in Invercargill on Friday.

Rainy conditions limited the Waratahs' opportunity to attack in last week's win over the Brumbies, when NSW were criticised for their conservative play.

Coach Chris Hickey has signalled his intent to play a more expansive style against the struggling Highlanders, who have won just two of their ten games.

However, NSW may be forced to go back into grinding mode against a big Highlanders pack, if forecast showers in Invercargill on Friday prove accurate.

"Against the Highlanders, we hope that we can play up-tempo a little bit, but again, we're aware that the conditions we play under in Invercargill may dictate the game," Hickey told AAP at Sydney Airport on Wednesday before the Waratahs' departure.

"We need to be able to play a couple of different styles of football, depending on the conditions that we end up under."

Waratahs' fullback Kurtley Beale said his team definitely had the desire to try to stretch the Highlanders' defence.

He revealed NSW were likely to try to target the Highlanders' inside backs.

"Certainly, the 10 and 12 channel, so we're going to go at that and then when we see fit, we're going to go wide," Beale told AAP.

"Hopefully, the weather doesn't really take us off our game plan.

"We do have a strong mindset on attacking wide."

Beale and Hickey were aware the Highlanders possessed backline threats of their own in fullback Israel Dagg and winger Fetu'u Vainkolo.

The Highlanders have bracketed Robbie Robinson and Matt Berquist at five-eighth.

Shifted from inside centre to fullback in mid season, Beale was happy with the way his combination with wingers Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner was developing.

He said he had needed to make a few adjustments to his game and was doing more running than in his previous playmaking role.

"What I found out in the first couple of games is the conditioning. At fullback, you run a lot of kilometres, whereas, in the inside backs, you don't really run a lot," he said.

"I've worked on that to condition my body to be able to run everywhere, to re-gather the ball or to run in support lines."

Not surprisingly, Beale regards giving in-form Mitchell the ball as a strong first option and still isn't adverse to the occasional bit of playmaking.

"We (the back three) are starting to gel and to know each other's game.

"Now when I see Drew, I'm just going to give it to him and he's always going to beat the first tackle."

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