There are some who may think the Waratahs should get themselves a framed copy of the Super 14 rugby standings after eight rounds of the competition this season.
The Waratahs head the standings entering their ninth round match against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night, their advance more than a mild surprise to the New South Wales team's detractors.
They may even suggest the Waratahs should make the most of it because their time at the top will be fleeting, but the worthiness of that argument will become clear on Saturday when they play the third-placed Crusaders.
The Waratahs have a wretched record against the Crusaders and especially in Christchurch where their only success was in 2004 when rugby league convert Mat Rogers contributed 28 points to their 43-19 win. Their previous visit in 2002 resulted in a record 96-19 drubbing.
They have clashed on 16 occasions, with the Crusaders having won 12 of them, including the last seven which also embraced the 2005 and 2008 finals in Christchurch.
Not that Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder will take them lightly.
Blackadder said the Waratahs had earned their top spot on the points table.
"They're the most patient team with the ball in hand," he said today after making two changes to his starting 15 from the side who let an 18-0 lead slide before snatching a 26-26 draw with the Hurricanes last week.
"They've created the most phases out of all the teams and they end up scoring tries," he said, adding that the Crusaders had to increase their intensity to compete with the Waratahs.
Blackadder has named former All Blacks lock Chris Jack to make his first start for the Crusaders in three years while halfback Kahn Fotuali'i takes over from Andy Ellis, who suffered was concussed against the Hurricanes.
Jack, 31, had a slow start to the season after having a wrist operation, but he came off the bench in the last two games.
"He's ready for a start. Sam (Whitelock) has been going great guns for us, but it's time to give Chris Jack a crack at the whip and mix it up a bit and we believe he's ready for a good 80 minutes," Blackadder said.
"Everything is on the line this Saturday and we feel he's up to it. We've got a lot of experience there with (lock) Brad (Thorn) and Chris and we now want to see it unleashed.
"Chris Jack has been hounding me for the last three weeks about getting start. It's such a big game and we hope that experience will come through."
The Crusaders are one of three New Zealand teams in action on Saturday, with the Highlanders looking to arrest their slide against Western Force in Queenstown and the Blues wanting to maintain winning momentum against the Stormers in Auckland.
The Highlanders are already out off playoffs contention but the Blues remain very much alive and have a bounce in their stride again after inflicting the first loss on the Bulls last weekend.
The Chiefs are wary of the wounded Bulls ahead of their match in Hamilton tomorrow night.
Liam Messam, standing in as captain for Mils Muliaina, whose Super season has ended due to a broken thumb, said there were lessons in the Blues' performance.
"I thought the Blues played awesome against the Bulls," the blindside flanker said.
"They got stuck into them. They were physical in the contact area and we're looking to do that on Friday night."
While the Blues did offer some pointers on how to combat the Bulls, coach Ian Foster suggested the Chiefs' approach might vary slightly.
"Probably our pack is in a little bit of a different phase then the Blues are at. We're going to come up with some slightly different ways, but we will learn a few lessons from looking at that game."
In Muliaina's absence and with fellow All Black Sitiveni Sivivatu sidelined with a knee injury for another week, Foster has plumped for rookie Tim Nanai-Williams, 20, in the No 15 jersey.
Mike Delany has been retained at first five-eighth, where he impressed against the Highlanders last weekend, with Stephen Donald in the No 12 jersey.
In others matches, the Brumbies are at home to the Cheetahs on Saturday night and the Lions play the Reds in Johannesburg on Sunday morning (NZT).
