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Lopeti Timani finds the line after a Waratahs mistake
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Reaction: Once bitten, Waratahs won't be twice shy

Matches: Rebels 28 - 38 New South Wales Waratahs

A couple coach killer mistakes from the Rebels has resulted in the Waratahs claiming their first win of the season with the Tahs claiming a seven-pointer and a penalty in the final ten minutes to go up 38-28. But despite the loss the Rebels will go away with their first four try bonus point at home in the eight try derby.

After a massive win against the Crusaders last weekend, the Rebels were ready to take on the defending champions and brought pace and physicality to the match and applied the pressure to the Tahs. But it was the Waratahs with Kurtley Beale in a stand out performance that put the Waratahs back into the winning circle in the with a match winning try.

Big hits were a theme throughout the match with several players from either side leaving the field for concussion tests, including Kurtley Beale, who quickly returned to the pitch and made his presence felt with a chip kick over the top to regather and send onto Stephen Hoiles to cross over in his 50th match for the Waratahs.

The Waratahs continued to add the points with a long range penalty from Beale and a second penalty from Foley to put the Tahs ahead 16-7. But a lapse in concentration after the half-time siren saw the Rebels pounce with a loose recovery from Nick Phipps at the back of the scrum which saw Lopeti Timani recover the ball and crash over the line to close the half-time gap 16-14.

Neither teams took a step back in the second half, with the physicality taking it's toll on several Waratahs players with the whole front row as well as Jacques Potgieter, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Will Skeltonsubstituted, however, it was the Waratahs to claim first points with new recruit Taqele Naiyaravoro scoring a double, while the Rebels remained in contention after half-back Luke Burgess snuck through with a try. However, any of Naiyaravoro's good work was undone by a brain explosion that saw him slap the ball dead, leading to a yellow card.

With a one man advantage, the Rebels were quick to put the pressure back onto the Waratahs with the side hammering the Tahs wayward scrum, resulting in reserve wing Sefenaia Naivalu adding to the Rebels score with Harris converting to tie the match up before the Tahs stole the match back in emphatic fashioin.