This year's battle for the Templeton Cup marked 125 years of Australian rugby's oldest rivalry but it was billed as a wooden-spoon decider with both teams propping up the ladder having failed to win since round one.

As expected, the contest was a dour affair which was littered by errors, and although it was the Waratahs that managed to bring an end to their eight-game winless streak, it was still a disappointing performance.

The Waratahs' third straight victory over the Reds and their first home win of the season restores hope of maintaining their proud record of being the only foundation team never to finish in the bottom three.

The Reds, meanwhile, look condemned to a last-placed finish as they are now seven points adrift at the bottom with three games to go, while the Tahs have moved within four points of the Cheetahs and the Stormers.

Waratahs fullback Peter Hewat opened the scoring in the fourth minute by kicking a 45-metre penalty, which was cancelled out two minutes later by a 42-metre effort from Reds counterpart Clinton Schifcofske.

A dangerous tackle by Hewat in the ninth minute sparked an angry confrontation between both sets of players, but the next 20 minutes was devoid of the same passion.

Hewat restored the Tahs' lead with another 45-metre penalty in the 12th minute, but NSW then showed little imagination with the ball and the home crowd voiced their frustration as their side persisted with a kicking game.

Schifcofske's penalty levelled the scores in the 28th minute after Nic Berry jinked to within five metres of the Tahs line, but the hosts got their noses back in front two minutes later when Hewat kicked a penalty after Morgan Turinui put Lachlan Turner through the Reds line.

NSW then managed to give their fans something to cheer heading into the half-time break as man-of-the-match Josh Valentine snatched the game's first try in the 37th minute.

The Tahs surged down the left before scrum-half Valentine showed the initiative to dart down the sideline and dive in at the corner, with Hewat adding the conversion for a half-time lead of 16-6.

Hewat added another long-range penalty shortly after the restart to open up a 13-point buffer but the Reds got themselves back into it in the 49th minute when Berrick Barnes' chip kick bounced straight into the arms of Schifcofske, who raced clear to score his first try since converting from league in the off-season.

Schifcofske converted his own try to make it 19-13 but Reds prop Tama Tuirirangi handed the initiative back to the home side when he was yellow-carded for dissent.

The Tahs were stopped on the Reds' line from the following scrum and although they failed to score during their one-man advantage, rookie flanker Beau Robinson clinched the points with seven minutes remaining.

NSW broke down the right and fit-again number eight Wycliff Palu - used as a replacement - passed back inside for Robinson to register his first try in Super rugby.

Waratahs 26
Tries: Valentine, Robinson
Conversions: Hewat (2)
Penalties: Hewat (4)

Reds 13
Tries: Schifcofske
Conversions: Schifcofske
Penalties: Schifcofske (2)

HT: 16-6
Crowd 21,872 @ Aussie Stadium, Sydney.

Roy Kinikinilau and Brendon Leonard have nabbed hat-tricks to guide the Chiefs to a dazzling 64-36 demolition of the Western Force in a free-flowing Super 14 clash at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

Squaring off before a small crowd at the unusual local time of 2:30pm, the Chiefs struggled early as the Force, fresh from last week's drubbing at the hands of the Crusaders, looked set to prove a point.

However, after limited possession throughout the early stages of the first half, the hosts finally hit their straps as they ran in four tries to claim a bonus point and take a 29-15 lead into the break.

Scoring first in the second half, the Force temporarily clawed their way back into the contest.

But, after a season of nail-biting losses, the Chiefs were not about to let this match go bagging five more tries in the second half for a crucial victory, while the Force managed to claim a bonus point.

Chiefs 64
Tries: Roy Kinikinilau 3, Brendon Leonard 3, Lelia Masaga, Tanerau Latimer, Tasesa Lavea
Conversions: Stephen Donald 5
Penalties: Donald 3

Western Force 36
Tries: Matt Giteau 2, Nathan Sharpe, Cameron Shepherd, Drew Mitchell
Conversions: Giteau 4
Penalties: Giteau 1

Sportal