The most audacious of snatch-and-grab robberies on Saturday had the desired effect of showing that the Super Rugby titleholders can be vulnerable in an unexpected part of the field.

The Highlanders discovered on Saturday night that there is a perfectly good way to nullify what is supposedly the biggest power, the biggest name, the biggest everything, in Australian Rugby: Israel Folau. Take him on. Don't get intimidated by his presence. Limit his space. Crowd him. Try to out-maneuver him through sheer pace. Persistently confront him. And see what transpires.

Highlanders and All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa is clearly not overwhelmed by Folau. Just before half-time, the Waratahs swept wide in attack, with Folau receiving a slightly high pass from Bernard Foley. Fekitoa knew exactly what to do. Forget about tackling Folau around the legs. You instead charge out of the defensive line, attack Folau's upper body, and see if you can wrestle the ball off him straight after he had received it.

Voila, that's exactly what Fekitoa did, in a split second burgling the ball right out of Folau's mitts, and almost before the Waratahs fullback had realised what had happened, quickly offloading to Highlanders winger Waisake Naholo, who outsprinted all over 60 metres to score one of the best and most unexpected tries of the season.

You can guarantee every other coach in the Super Rugby tournament will be hitting the slow-motion replay of that Highlanders try, and thinking: "Hmmmm. This might be worth pursuing."

The Waratahs' Israel Folau watches on, © Getty Images

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When you're such a notable player, a supposed game-breaker, oppositions persistently work on ways to nullify your existence. You are the ultimate target. Such an intense focus has appeared to be successful so far this season, as Folau has made only minimal impact in the Waratahs' first four games - even suffering a serious case of handling dropsies against the Reds in the previous round. That is bound to change, as Folau is too good a player to be off his food for too long, but opponents until then will be doing whatever they can to restrict his impact.

While Folau has the past few weeks struggled to be a Super Rugby force, the Waratahs have discovered like every other Australian team that has won the competition just how difficult it is to keep up standards the following year. Opponents invariably pick up their act because of the bragging rights involved in beating the defending champions. But the Waratahs haven't helped themselves, often performing as if they are still suffering a massive hangover from last year's title celebrations.

In many areas, their performance level has slipped. For so long, their handling and defence was impossible to fault. But this year, their ball skills have often been sloppy; and the Highlanders showed that sheer pace and smart rebound play from fractured ball can really send the Waratahs spinning.

At a time when All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has received many backers to his call that rugby is currently boring, it was a delight to see both the Highlanders and Waratahs so keen to play fast, expressive football with the plan to have the ball flashing here and there and not tediously stuck at the back of a rolling maul.

But the Highlanders did it so much better, with their acceleration and support skills showing up the Waratahs - who were not quick enough to get themselves back in the right position to properly counter the next wave of marauders.

The Brumbies are in fine form ahead of their trip to Sydney © Getty Images

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The Waratahs' task doesn't get any easier, with the most impressive of the Australian provinces - the Brumbies - travelling to Sydney to play next Sunday, keen to expose what they perceive as certain NSW weaknesses, including up front. The Brumbies are already showing they have the right mindset for a Waratahs tussle, with their captain Stephen Moore explaining after the Reds victory that they were now preparing for "their biggest game of the year".

The Brumbies will arrive hopeful, especially as their scrum is performing so well, while the Waratahs pack lost its way at times in Dunedin.

Out wide, the Brumbies also have the Waratahs' measure - at the moment boasting the more dangerous and settled of attacks. In that backline are numerous powerful players who will be prepared to take on Folau, hoping to provide a Fekitoa-like turning point.

And so a special Waratahs-Brumbies encounter is in the offing, one in which reputations will be further enhanced or broken. You can guarantee it won't be boring.