Updated May 28, 2026 — 5:19pm,first published May 27, 2026 — 2:00pmWaratahs and incumbent Wallabies winger Harry Potter says he won’t be using the dead rubber against the Force on Saturday as a vehicle to fend off two rivals for his Test jersey, Zac Lomax and Dylan Pietsch.Neither NSW nor the Force can make the top six with a win in the last regular-season game, but the clash still has plenty of significance for both teams – and a host of players pushing for selection in the Wallabies squad to be named in late June.Both sides will watch the finals from afar after inconsistent seasons, though both will be keen to finish with a win to provide momentum, and a sliver of optimism, heading into the off-season.The Waratahs showed potential in victories over the Reds, Brumbies and the Drua in Fiji, but lost three at home – including to the Force, who won just one from their first six games but five of their next seven.The Force’s surge home has been helped by the strong form of Pietsch and the arrival of Lomax to the club in March, following his high-profile code switch.Lomax has been impressive already in his six games, despite his inexperience in top-flight rugby, and Pietsch has been one of the form players in the competition after overcoming a range of injury problems that began last year.Harry Potter getting tackled against the Brumbies.Getty ImagesAfter replacing an injured Potter in the Wallabies’ side, Piestch scored against the British and Lions in the third Test but subsequently broke his jaw in South Africa. He came back but suffered vertigo-style symptoms on the spring tour, then missed the first seven rounds of Super Rugby with a foot injury.Potter’s season has also been rocky, and saw him back playing club rugby at one point.After switching from the Force to the Tahs over summer, the 11-cap Wallaby struggled with niggles and poor form early in the season, and with the likes of Sid Harvey and Triston Reilly stepping up, Potter was ultimately left out and sent back to Sydney Uni in the Shute Shield.But after winning a call-back in three weeks ago, Potter has returned in strong form and he was one of NSW’s best in a first-ever win in Fiji.Dylan Pietsch turned in a memorable performance in the Force’s win over the Waratahs.Getty Images“Not smooth sailing, but ultimately really pleased,” Potter said when asked to sum up his season. “Personally, I feel like I came to a club with outstanding outside backs and at times haven’t been picked … but I am pleased – albeit we are not making finals – that I’m able to play the last game of the season. We have had some frustrating times, but like we’ve got some great outside backs here and I’m pleased that I’m able to play in the final game.“It’s frustrating playing with a few niggles. I probably struggled with that a little bit at the start of the season and not fully hitting my straps.“I kept telling myself I knew what I was capable of doing and I was willing to get better each week and if I can go back to that, rugby’s a little bit simpler.”There is no escaping the Wallabies audition component of Potter’s return to Perth, nor the squeeze on for back-three spots in the squad to meet Ireland, France and Italy in July.Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright and Pietsch can probably be pencilled in already, but Potter will compete with Lomax, Filipo Daugunu, Jock Campbell and Corey Toole for two or three other spots.Asked if the chance to make a statement against Pietsch and Lomax was on his mind, Potter said: “No, not at all. It’s not personal. I want to go out there and, no matter who I’m playing, play better than I did last week. So, that’s what I’ll be focusing on this week.”Pressed on whether he hopes his form in the Wallabies gold last year would help him at the selection table, the 28-year-old said: “I hope so. What will be will be.”If the Reds lose without a bonus point to the Drua on Saturday, the Waratahs could mathematically finish the year equal on points with Queensland, if they pull off a bonus-point win. But they wouldn’t progress due to the Reds having banked more wins in the season.The Force can finish on seven wins, which they have only achieved twice before in their club’s history. Their best is nine, in 2014, but they are still yet to play in the finals.“A win to finish the season,” Potter said of the Waratahs’ motivation. “Things have been tough this year. We haven’t performed to what we think we’re capable of doing, and this is another opportunity that we can show what we’re capable of. There’s been some positive signs in the last couple of weeks.”Look who’s back for the Waratahs, just in time for the Test rugby seasonJoseph-Aukuso Suaalii will return for the Waratahs at outside centre in their final game of the season against the Force, ahead of the Wallabies’ first Test of the season in July.Suaalii has played four games for the Waratahs this year after battling a hamstring injury. Last season, Suaalii was limited to seven games for NSW after suffering a fractured jaw. In contrast, the multimillion-dollar NRL recruit has played 18 Tests for the Wallabies in two seasons.Waratahs star Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii takes the field.Getty ImagesThe Waratahs’ final game of the Super Rugby season on Saturday will be a dead rubber after losing to the Brumbies last Friday.NSW will also farewell several players after the game, including prop Tom Lambert who is moving to the Reds and hooker Ioane Moananu who will return to New Zealand. Triston Reilly drops to the bench in place of Suaalii, but is set to stay at the Waratahs next season after impressing at centre.Waratahs coach Dan McKellar confirmed the decision to play Suaalii was his own, not a directive from Rugby Australia, despite the looming Wallabies’ July Test series against Ireland, Italy and France.“He’s (Suaalii) a rugby player and when he’s fit to play rugby, he plays. It’s good to have him back, he’s fit and available and we get him out there for the last game of the season,” McKellar said.“There’s trust between both groups (Waratahs and RA) and they trust us. We’ve got high-quality people here. There’s been no direction from them to not play him or to play him. It’s just all based on the information that we have within the building here.”Sid Harvey drops out of the match-day squad and is replaced by Andrew Kellaway, who starts on the left wing. Harvey has had an impressive debut Super Rugby season, scoring six tries in 11 games, alongside being the Waratahs’ main goal kicker.The 20-year-old has also made several costly handling errors, but McKellar said this wasn’t factored into leaving him out against the Force.“It’s just management of Sid, he’s been very good, I don’t think he’s started a game of Shute Shield yet,” McKellar said.“To experience what he’s experienced this year across the Super Rugby season, he’s had a fair workload over the last few weeks. I’m really pleased with what Sid’s produced in 2026. He’s got a big role to play here over the next 10 years, hopefully. It’s just around managing his development.”McKellar also said he would not want Super Rugby moving to a conference season next year after the departure of Moana Pasifika; instead, he would want to extend the season, with a home and away fixture against each team.“It’s simple and an easy competition for players, coaches, supporters, fans, stakeholders to follow,” McKellar said.“If you’re in the best top six, top five, top four, whatever it is, then you’re challenged for the end of the season, keep it nice and simple.”Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific live and exclusive on Stan Sport. From our partners