The NSW Waratahs have defeated the Melbourne Rebels 47-5 in both side’s final hitout ahead of the 2018 Super Rugby season.

After a scrappy opening two quarters, the Waratahs gained ascendency after the half time break and scored 42 unanswered points.

The Waratahs dominated possession and territory in the opening quarter but handling errors and lineout inaccuracy cost the home side.

Bernard Foley looked to have put Israel Folau away for his first try of the year with a long looping pass in the 10th minute, but that was ruled to be slightly forward. Minutes later, Foley put Jed Holloway through a tight gap and while Holloway was able to link with Tom Robertson, once again the Waratahs were unable to finish.

The Rebels started the second quarter the better of the two sides and opened the scoring five minutes into the second stanza from a driving maul from close range.

The Waratahs hit back and took the lead when Michael Hooper took an intercept off a Rebels lineout and ran 60 metres untouched to score under the posts against the run of play.

Leading by two, Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson shifted Folau to the wing and it didn’t take Foley long to find him with a well placed cross field kick to extend the Waratahs lead.

Shambecker Vui then scored off a driving maul to put the Tahs further ahead, before the home side scored the try of the match on the stroke of three quarter time.

New recruit Curtis Rona fielded a box kick on halfway and split the Rebels defence. He linked with Kurtley Beale who spread the ball across the field to Folau. The Wallabies fullback held up the defence nicely and put Lalakai Foketi away to score a well worked team try.

With the Waratahs leading 26-5 with 20 minutes remaining, both sides made wholesale changes. The Waratahs scrum gained ascendency and the forward pack soon earned a penalty try from a five metre scrum.

The Waratahs crossed for two more tries in the final 10 minutes, one to Bryce Hegarty off a Mack Mason chip and another to Alex Newsome who scored from long range against the run of play.

The Waratahs open their Super Rugby account against the Stormers in Sydney next Saturday night, while the Rebels play the Reds.