McKellar targets smart approach to Blues clash after Waratahs keep season alive

Coach Dan McKellar will take his New South Wales Waratahs to New Zealand next week to face Super Rugby Pacific champions Blues looking to unearth a path to victory in a must-win clash for both sides.

The Waratahs kept their campaign alive on Saturday with a 22-17 win over the Western Force in Super Point extra time as McKellar's team moved to within two points of sixth-placed Moana Pasifika with one round left in the regular season.

"You've just got to go over there and be tactically really smart with how you play," McKellar said after wing Darby Lancaster's 90th minute try in Perth.

"They're a quality side and they've got threats across the park, so if you want to try and beat them at their game you'll come second best.

"So we've got to be smart about how we approach it as a coaching group to give the boys the best chance to go over there and achieve something pretty special."

The teams meet on Saturday with both outside the playoff positions, the Blues in seventh on 28 points and the Waratahs two points behind in eighth.

The Waratahs would need to win and for sixth-placed Moana to lose against the Hurricanes to qualify for the playoffs while a bonus point victory could be enough for the Blues to climb into sixth even if Moana win.

MUCH-NEEDED BOOST

McKellar's team maintained their hopes by the narrowest of margins in the rain at Perth Rectangular Stadium as both the Waratahs and the Force squandered opportunities to lock in the win as time ticked down.

Lancaster, however, secured victory with a spectacular dive into the corner in the 10th minute of extra time to give McKellar and his players a much-needed boost after a run of poor results.

"It's massive," McKellar said. "We've had a rough few weeks. You feel for the players.

"Our reviews are always honest, and they have to be because we want to get better, but their attitude has been excellent and we bounced back and we can have a couple of quiet beers and celebrate a good win.

"I'm sure it wasn't pretty, it won't go down as a classic but it's four points in the bank and we're still alive."