The Highlanders downed the Lions 34-15 but some late consolation tries may come back to haunt them after they missed out on a crucial bonus point.

Bernard Foley's shoulder injury has ruled him out of the Waratahs' semifinal rematch against the Highlanders in Sydney on Friday, meaning Kurtley Beale will get another chance in the No.10 jersey.

Foley hurt his shoulder in a final pre-season trial against the Highlanders on February 19 and was expected to spend three-to-four weeks on the sidelines.

He has been spotted at Waratahs training in recent weeks gradually building his workloads with running and passing drills, but the minimal physical contact at training on Tuesday was a telling sign that he needs another week's rest before a potential return against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on March 27.

MARK METCALFE/GETTY IMAGES Bernard Foley trains with the Waratahs on Tuesday.

Waratahs assistant coach Nathan Grey said Foley - whose time off has been regarded by some as a blessing in disguise after a taxing stint in Japan after the World Cup - was not being held back for precautionary reasons.

READ MORE:

* Brumbies hold off NSW Waratahs in Canberra

* Highlanders tame Lions to top NZ Super Rugby conference

* Former Highlanders rugby player Seru Rabeni dies

* Highlanders ramp up search for Jamie Joseph's successor

* Highlanders defeat Waratahs in final preseason match

ROB JEFFERIES/GETTY IMAGES Waratahs first five-eighth Bernard Foley looks to offload as he's tackled in a preseason match against the Highlanders in a Super Rugby trial match in Queenstown last month.

"If he was good he'd be on [the team] for sure," Grey said.

"He trained pretty well today but he was in the red bib so hands were off Bernard today – no contact – so we've just got to grade that up during the week and see how he goes."

With NSW set to name their starting XV on Wednesday there are still question marks regarding the wing, hooker and No. 8 positions.

The Brumbies end their four-match losing streak against the Waratahs in style with a 32-15 win over their rivals in Round 2 of Super Rugby.

Matt Carraro and Reece Robinson are in a two-way race for the second wing spot with Zac Guildford, while Tolu Latu is understood to have the inside running at hooker ahead of fellow 23-year-old Hugh Roach.

Waratahs veteran Wycliff Palu is also a chance of starting at No. 8 Jed Holloway has a hip niggle that Daryl Gibson said he didn't think would keep him out of Friday's fixture but judging by the team's formation at training on Tuesday, Palu is well within the frame to retain the position he has made his own for years.

As defence coach, Grey has watched a replay of last year's semi-final at least 20 times; a game the Waratahs went down 35-17 to the Highlanders and one that still does not sit well with anyone in the squad.

"You've always got to learn from those experiences and we went into that game really confident and really positive that we could play a style of footy that would earn us the right to play in the final and we were outplayed, so that certainly still stings amongst the players and the coaching staff," Grey said.

Grey pinpointed the Hurricanes' tactical kicking game as a particular strength the Waratahs will need to be prepared for if they are to atone for their most recent loss to the Brumbies.

"They're a smart, well coached side and they play a good, exciting brand of football," Grey said.

"They're going to back their style of footy against out style. I think it is going to be an open game. The opportunities we create we've got to make sure we nail them and then on the other side of the ball anything they try and create from an attacking perspective that we're ready for it."