Waratahs 24 Brumbies 17

The Waratahs are still a long way from being potential Super 14 champions, but last night they showed they are proving to be the wet-weather kings by overcoming the Brumbies in a monsoon.

Under torrential rain and before a soggy crowd of 32,371, NSW came from behind in a three-tries-to-two effort to finish 24-17 winners.

The Sydney Football Stadium win was their third from the four rounds, of which the past three have been played in wet weather. Their one loss, to the Chiefs, was in the dry.

In a sometimes fiery and bone-crushing affair, the Waratahs' fought to keep in tact their unbeaten record against the Brumbies at home.

The Brumbies had looked set to apply the pressure early in the second half, with the Waratahs 10-17 down, but the game changed dramatically with a try to winger Lote Tuqiri against the run of play in the 48th minute when a loose ball bounced into his hands.

Scored under the posts, Tuqiri's try made for an easy conversion for Kurtley Beale, whose kick brought the game alive at 17-17.

NSW regained the lead since the 31st minute when second-rower Dean Mumm - who came on after half-time - scored NSW's third try in the 61st minute with a charge-down of a kick by Brumbies No.10 Christian Lealifano.

With ball safe in hand, Mumm had space and room to unleash his famed speed to score under the posts. With the conversion, NSW moved to 24-17.

The first half had been a fiery affair that ended with the Waratahs going to the break behind 10-17, despite having led 10-0 until the 31st minute.

NSW displayed some good moves early with Super 14 rookie Alfi Mafi and Wycliff Palu breaking through the ACT defence, and both sides used their kicking game well in the battle for territory.

Just before the rain started to fall, Beale missed his first crack at goal with a penalty kick 35 metres out awarded for a high tackle. The Brumbies had their chances soon after as they pressed NSW's line, but they failed with some poor passing options when they had the numbers.

Beale showed he was ready to prove wrong critics of his defence in the 11th minute when he forced the ball from the hands of Brumbies No.8 Stephen Hoiles as the former Waratah charged into him.

The young five-eighth sought every opportunity to make the NSW attack work, and produced some magic after a defining break by Tuqiri by coming in at first receiver down the blindside in the 18th minute.

Soon after that phase and with NSW 25m out from the Brumbies' line, Beale took the ball and dummied to the left as if he was about to take a drop goal. But then magically he shimmied through Brumbies No.12 Tyrone Smith, gained open space and was heading for the line at full pace.

Before being tackled, Beale passed neatly to Waratahs No.12 Tom Carter, who charged over to score the first Super 14 try of his career.

With Beale's conversion, NSW were 7-0 up in the 20th minute.

The fireworks then started, with several altercations between players that led referee James Leckie to warn the two captains in the 24th minute.

Not everyone listened - and the first villain was Tyrone Smith. At the 28th minute, the younger brother of Brumbies captain George Smith - who at the time was off in the blood bin - was yellow carded for a shoulder charge on Beale just 25m out from the Brumbies' line.

Beale's successful penalty kick put the Waratahs ahead 10-0.

But even with a man down, the visitors were far from broken. They soon pushed back into NSW's 22m and then right onto their line, and never let the momentum off their push.

With nine minutes to go before the break, Hoiles took the ball from the back of the maul, passed to reserve forward Julian Salvi, who barrelled over to score their first points.

Converted by Mark Gerrard, the Brumbies were then only 10-7 down.

The ledger was made even in the 35th minute when Gerrard potted his first penalty attempt to bring the score back to 10-10.

Then, with their full complement of players, the Brumbies turned the screws on NSW right on half-time as winger Peter Playford charged into the corner with ball in hand and with Rocky Elsom on his back.

Referee Leckie called for the TMO George Ayoub to deliberate on the try, which was awarded. And with Gerrard again on song with the boot, the Brumbies walked off with a 17-10 half-time lead.