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Sydney - Defending Super rugby champions the Waratahs bounced back to form with a brutal 28-13 mauling of the Brumbies in Sydney on Sunday.
The Waratahs hit back after a muddling start to the season with a fiercely combative win over the Australian conference leaders, outscoring their rivals three tries to one before 27,243 fans at Allianz Stadium.
The Sydneysiders won the contact skirmishes and Wallaby fullback Israel Folau was outstanding in attack, scoring one try and having a hand in the other two scored by Bernard Foley and hooker Silatolu Latu.
The Waratahs fell behind 13-6 after 24 minutes but led 20-13 at half-time following Foley and Folau's tries.
The Brumbies took a physical battering with Wallaby centre Tevita Kuridrani coming off late in the second half with his right arm in a sling and scrum-half Nic White led off looking dazed.
Matt Toomua scored the Brumbies' only try in the third minute but despite plenty of possession in the second half they were unable to get anywhere near the Waratahs.
Winger Henry Speight looked certain to score in the right corner as the Brumbies pressed the Waratahs' try-line only to be knocked into the corner post by a desperate covering tackle from Wallaby flanker Michael Hooper.
The Waratahs have now won nine of the last 10 meetings with the Brumbies in Sydney and have moved to within six points of the Brumbies in the Australia conference.
Folau was outstanding in attack and broke a six-match run without a try when he scored late in the first half.
The Waratahs killed off the Brumbies when Latu dashed over wide out for his first Super Rugby try after Folau was involved twice in a passing move.
"It's always physical against the Brumbies and we felt we needed to be to win the match," Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis said.
"We scored some really good tries and that's how we like to play rugby and we've got to be better at that."
Brumbies counterpart Stephen Moore said the Waratahs played with a lot of momentum.
"I thought the Brumbies were excellent around the contact, we were a bit disappointing there and that was pretty telling in the game, and Izzy (Folau) carved us up a bit out wide."
