Few players can say they've taken Folau's spot but Hegarty will when he lines up in the NSW No.15 jumper in the Waratahs' Super Rugby match with the Melbourne Rebels in Sydney.

Hegarty's blistering form has been too much for coach Daryl Gibson to ignore, with Folau shunted to the wing for the first time in five years as the Waratahs look to end a two-game winless run.

Hegarty will line up and fullback and hopes his combination with Folau can wreak havoc at Allianz Stadium.

"He's a great player, one of the greatest players in the game, so I'm very excited and humbled to be in a position to play in the 15 jersey this week," Hegarty said on Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to building that combination.

"We have different styles and sometimes it works quite well playing together.

"I will bring another kind of playmaking model to the side and I will look to combine with Izzy, with him running off me. We've got a few ideas of how we want to play and hopefully we can execute."

Injuries, Folau and Wallabies midfield maestros Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley have restricted Hegarty to just four starts for the Waratahs since the 25-year-old linked with the franchise from the Rebels in 2016.

Now he's finally earned a crack at fullback, Hegarty hopes to make the position his own.

"I've come to this club and then missed the whole of 2016 with an injury and then came back in 2017 and now building into 2018," he said.

"That's definitely my goal to cement that 15 spot and play well and create those combinations on the field with your Bernards, Israels out wide and Kurtley as well."

Australian Associated Press