The Waratahs carved out a no-frills 19-12 Australian derby victory over the Brumbies to keep in Super 14 playoff contention on Saturday.
The Waratahs scored the only try of a slogging match before a record regular season crowd of 40,271 fans at Sydney's Olympic stadium to stay within one point of the top four teams heading into the final three rounds of the southern hemisphere provincial championship.
Wallabies winger Lachie Turner provided the only bright spark of a turgid game when he raced on to a well directed kick from Berrick Barnes to run around and touch down under the posts in the 51st minute.
Flyhalf Daniel Halangahu was in immaculate goalkicking touch, landing four penalties and a conversion from five attempts.
It was a frustrating game, dominated by kicking and messy breakdown skirmishes with referee Steve Walsh whistling up 28 penalties and the scrums proving largely inconclusive.
"It was tough for both teams, who were desperate with a lot on the line," Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh said.
"Both teams threw a lot of players into the breakdown and it was very physical. It was a very important game for us."
While the Waratahs keep alive for next month's playoffs, it is touch and go for the Brumbies, who claimed a losing bonus point to lie seven points outside the top four and facing a must-win game against theReds in Canberra next Saturday.
"It was a real disappointing result for us," Brumbies skipper Stephen Hoiles said.
"We tried to play an expansive game but the Waratahs' defence was great and we just didn't get over the line."
The Brumbies did get over the try-line in the 29th minute but Wallaby back Adam Ashley-Cooper was ruled to have played on in the tackle as he bustled his way over in the corner.
The Waratahs have now won nine of their Australian derbies to the Brumbies’ seven.
The two-time champion Brumbies last won in Sydney in the semi-finals of the 2002 campaign.
Hoiles was frustrated by the amount of scrum penalties from referee Walsh.
"It was a disappointing amount of scrum penalties and gets boring for the fans with the time spent re-packing scrums," he said.
The Waratahs, who were coming off a bye, now have two matches in New Zealand, against the Highlanders and Chiefs, to maintain their finals' push.
