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A CAPTIVATING display of end-to-end rugby, a monumental comeback, and an unbeaten home record kept intact.
The Waratahs prevailed over the Hurricanes in a scintillating contest at Allianz Stadium last night, winning one of the games of this Super Rugby season 39-30 to keep their top-two finals hopes alive.
NSW outplayed the Canes at their own game, running the ball around and through their rivals in an eight-try thriller to remain unbeaten in Sydney in 2014.
MATCH CENTRE: Full scores, stats, video highlights
It's hard to know what was most surprising; that Israel Folau couldn't score one of NSW's five tries, or that the Hurricanes, the competition's leading try-scorers, could not manage a five-pointer in the second half, missing out on valuable bonus points.
Waratahs winger Adam Ashley-Cooper takes on the Hurricanes defence at Allianz Stadium. Source: Getty Images
What was clear is that the royals messed up their tour dates. Instead of watching the stinker against the Bulls a fortnight ago, Will and Kate should have been in the stands for this one.
In the 23rd minute, the score was 7-7.
By the 27th minute, the Hurricanes led 24-7.
By half-time it was 24-24.
It was a frantic game full of hits, spills, breaks, audacious passing and skilful finishing.
"I appreciate the way the Hurricanes play the game, it's how I think the game should be played, I hope we might meet somewhere down the track again," NSW coach Michael Cheika said.
"We will never change (our playing style) regardless, this is the way we play.
"If the trend is against attacking rugby, we have made a conscious decision, as the Hurricanes have as well, to go against the trend."
Israel Folau was surprisingly not among the tryscorers for the Waratahs. Picture: Mitch Cameron Source: News Corp Australia
Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett added that he had no intention of changing his team's risky, attack-first approach if they made the finals, where defence often prevails.
Seven minutes after coming off the bench midway through the second half, backrower Stephen Hoiles scored NSW's fifth try by crossing out wide. Bernard Foley's conversion attempt hit the post, leaving the score 36-30 with the threat of a late Canes seven-pointer looming.
But they blew it with dissent; halfback TJ Perenara penalised by referee Steve Walsh for backchat after his side had fumbled the ball in their own half with four minutes remaining.
Foley's successful penalty gave the Tahs a 39-30 lead and they held it.
As they've done regularly at home this season, NSW scored a try in the opening minutes.
This time it was winger Rob Horne finishing a strong break by Adam Ashley-Cooper, who fended off Canes flanker Jack Lam with ease before drawing fullback Andre Taylor and feeding his teammate who crashed over in the corner.
Horne narrowly missed a double just before half-time when he raced on to Foley's grubber into the in-goal only to have the ball bounce unexpectedly high, beating his grasp and hitting his head.
In between those two events, it was brilliant chaos.
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen celebrates a try with his Hurricanes teammates. Source: Getty Images
NSW conceded a soft try when Canes prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen bumped off rival Paddy Ryan and halfback Nick Phipps from close range in the 13th minute.
Canes playmaker Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty goal 10 minutes later, and the ball must have hypnotised the NSW players as it sailed over the post because the Canes scored back-to-back tries from the ensuing kick-offs.
First, Barrett capitalised on a horror mistake.
The Canes broke through the line and managed to get within inches of the tryline before NSW turned it over.
However, they tried to run it out of their own in-goal and Folau passed to backrower Wycliff Palu, who spilt the ball into Barrett's hands.
Still in shock, the Tahs watched TJ Perenara stroll through their defence at the next kick-off. Another series of passes saw Julian Savea cross in the corner, leaving the majority of Allianz Stadium speechless.
Skipper Dave Dennis gave his side a wake-up speech, and minutes later crashed over for a try to get NSW back in the contest.
Five minutes before the break, Foley spun and twisted close to the line and forced the ball down for the fourth try in 10 minutes, bringing NSW within touching distance.
A penalty goal by Foley just before the half-time siren had the teams level again, capping off a memorable opening 40 minutes.
Kurtley Beale runs into a strong Hurricanes tackle. Source: Getty Images
Matt Carrarro opened the scoring in the second half, also earning NSW the four-try bonus point, when he crossed from a scrum move.
Foley took on the line before passing inside to Carrarro who slid through a gap, tussling and rolling over to plant the ball on the line.
Man-of-the-match Michael Hooper continues to mount a compelling case for the Wallabies' captaincy with another mesmerising display.
His last-ditch try-saving tackle on Perenara early in the second half was typical of his effort.
In a weekend where Australian conference leaders the Brumbies were pummelled by the Crusaders, and Western Force had a bye, the result was a huge boost for NSW's finals aspirations.
They had been held to five tries in their previous five games, sparking questions about their attacking capacity.
"It is very satisfying, we talked about how we weren't going to go away from how we want to play, and we won the game on the back of that belief," Dennis said.
NSW WARATAHS 39 (Matthew Carraro, Dave Dennis, Bernard Foley, Stephen Hoiles, Rob Horne tries Foley 4 cons 2 pens) bt HURRICANES 30 (Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen tries Barrett 3 cons 3 pens) at Allianz Stadium. Referee: Steve R. Walsh. Crowd: 17,221.
