NSW Waratahs have blown the inaugural Super Rugby AUS tournament wide open after smashing Queensland Reds 47-19 in Round Two.
James Hendren was the star for NSW with four tries while local junior Sid Harvey kicked six from seven off the tee to spearhead their bonus-point victory.
Watch every second of Super Rugby AUS free via Rugby.com.au's YouTube Channel.
It took just two minutes for the Waratahs to open the scoring at Dangar Park via Hendren, who latched onto an Isaac Kailea offload and sent the Narrabri crowd wild with a solo chip-and-regather try.
Queensland were quick to respond with Seru Uru and Kalani Thomas joining forces to put another Narrabri fan favourite - Joe Brial - over the chalk and equalise.
A Joey Fowler 50-22 in the 12th minute swung momentum back the Waratahs way and Jamie Adamson cashed in on a Reds error shortly after for NSW’s second try.
Again, Queensland responded – this time through Jock Campbell – with the Reds skipper storming upfield and generating quick recycle for an unmarked Lachie Anderson down the right wing.
Leading 14-12 with the lion’s share of territory and possession, NSW set about strangling their rivals with Hendren eventually breaking through two tackles and crossing from close range.
The Randwick flyer almost had a third shortly after but couldn’t control a bobbling Harvey grubber after Lawson Creighton found his wingers in space with a sharp cross-kick.
Queensland’s Heremaia Murray prevented further damage before oranges with a try-saving tackle on Jacques, leaving NSW ahead 21-12 at the break.
Wallabies hooker Matt Faessler gave the Reds an immediate boost upon his entry, scoring a controversial 43rd-minute try down the left edge to narrow the gap, but Hendren wasn’t done yet and struck a fatal blow shortly after.
With Queensland hot on attack in NSW’s 22m and 30 minutes remaining, Hendren pounced on a Will Cartwright error and scorched 80m downfield for his hat-trick try.
The Waratahs needed a spark to stretch their 26-19 lead and found one in Teddy Wilson, who shifted gears upon entry, cranked up NSW’s ruck speed and found space for Creighton to put centre partner Jackson Ropata over untouched in the 58th minute.
Things went from bad to worse for Queensland with Clem Halaholo charging down Kalani Thomas from the ruck base and dotting down NSW’s sixth try before Hendren took his personal tally to four – and the Waratahs to seven – with a late runaway set up by Aussie Sevens flyer James McGregor.
There'll be further concern for Reds duo Campbell (hamstring) and winger Anderson (head knock), both of whom left the field.
NSW WARATAHS 47 (Hendren 4, Ropata, Halaholo, Adamson tries; Harvey 6 cons) def QUEENSLAND REDS 19 (Brial, Anderson, Faessler tries; Campbell 2 cons)
