WET weather is not forecast for Saturday's Super 14 clash between the Waratahs and Sharks in Sydney but NSW still expect a heavy downpour - of footballs rather than raindrops.

The Waratahs believe the Sharks will bombard them with high balls at the Sydney Football Stadium.

"They have got an extensive kicking game and it is something we will have to deal with," Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie said yesterday. "We are looking forward to a bright night on Saturday … But, yeah, I think the rain will be replaced by high balls."

McKenzie also believes the Sharks will challenge with some strategic kicking from behind the ruck. And he predicts that their French playmaker Frederic Michalak will be heavily in the fray there.

"They have a high kicking number, but they probably use it to get themselves on the front foot more than other teams," McKenzie said.

"It is in the subtlety in their kicking. They use their nine and the short kicking game from Michalak. It gets the ball in behind quite a bit. They play coming on to that. They are a team that not necessarily uses their forwards to promote the ball in general play.

"They will use the kicking game to do that."

NSW name their side tomorrow, but are unsure if No.6 Rocky Elsom (quadriceps strain) or back Timana Tahu (hamstring) will be available.

After undergoing a gruelling fitness test on Monday, Elsom had another scan yesterday. Tahu ran lightly at Waratahs training but left smiling.

Rupert Guinness