Waratahs exhibit title credentials

Having made an art form out of flattering to deceive, the Waratahs now loom as the real deal as the Super 12 nears its climax.

The Waratahs clinically dismantled fellow top-four side the Highlanders 41-20 in Dunedin on Saturday night to underline their title credentials.

They did so with ruthless efficiency, out-muscling the vaunted Highlanders pack in front of a parochial Carisbrook crowd to keep their critics silent for another week as the competition heads into the last fortnight of the round robin.

The Sydney-based franchise has only once before reached the Super 12 semifinals after invariably delivering little after promising much.

Some had tipped they would trip up in Dunedin but the Waratahs' outstanding bonus-point victory, fuelled by a 21-point contribution by winger Peter Hewat, saw them return to the top of the table, held for one day by the Crusaders.

It was an important result for coach Ewen McKenzie, who wanted to break the pattern of the franchise's history in the Super 12 when they have traditionally folded at the crunch time of the season.

"It was important for us tonight," McKenzie said. "We had our best game of the season and did every part of our game well."

This was certainly the case on attack, with the Waratahs displaying great skills in scoring five tries.

There was crispness about the Waratahs' passing and they were able to break the advantage line throughout the game.

This allowed their backs to outflank a Highlanders' defence widely rated as the best in the Super 12.

The Waratahs were up fast on defence and hit the Highlanders behind the advantage line. It meant the home side were going backwards for most of the game.

But McKenzie also pointed to the effectiveness of the Waratahs' defence when they withstood a Highlanders' barrage as they put 10 phases together inside the 22m.

Highlanders first five-eighth Nick Evans brought the crowd to life when he scooped up a loose ball on the 22m and ran almost 80m for a try after just 90 seconds.

But a superb try to centre Morgan Turinui midway through the spell took the Waratahs into a 11-7 lead that they never surrendered.

"We were playing a team at the top of their game," Evans said. "We just weren't allowed to get back into the game."