The Waratahs maintained their unbeaten status over the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby with a 30-21 victory in Sydney.

The Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels have now played each other four times and the Waratahs have won all four matches.

The Waratahs provisionally went to the top of the Australian Super Rugby conference as the Brumbies still have to play the Bulls in this round.

The result moved the Waratahs from tenth place to third and the Brumbies dropped from third to eighth place as they are no longer their conference leaders.

Both teams scored three tries each and Rebels hooker Ged Robinson became the first Rebels player to score a try against the Waratahs as their only previous tries were penalty tries.

The Waratahs had looked like inflicting another huge win over the Rebels and gaining a bonus point for four tries when they skipped out to a 30-7 lead midway through the second period.

But the Rebels never gave up and scored two converted tries to give themselves some hope with 10 minutes to go.

The Waratahs held on and were unlucky not to score a fourth try in the closing stages when giant lock Sitaleki Tomane was held up with eight seconds left on the clock.

"We started well and strung a few good phases together but in the second half we let it get away from us," Waratahs captain Benn Robinson said.

"The boys played really well especially when the Rebels came out strong in the second half, but we still can't get away from the fact that we gave away too many penalties."

The Waratahs got the best possible start when they regathered the ball off the opening kick-off and spun it wide, fullback Bernard Foley crossing next to the posts from an inside pass from Adam Ashley-Cooper after just 26 seconds.

McKibbin converted the try then made it 13-0 with two simple penalties.

The Rebels hardly touched the ball in the first 20 minutes, but when they finally got hold of it they scored with hooker Ged Robinson barging over at the back of a driving maul after a line-out five metres out.

McKibbin kicked another penalty to put the Waratahs out to a 16-7 lead but the later stages of the first period belonged to the visitors, who hammered the Waratahs tryline and were only held out by some resolute defence.

Any momentum the Rebels may have had going into the break was soon snuffed out by a well-taken Waratahs try, outstanding hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau crossing from a move at the front of the line-out.

McKibbin converted from the sideline to make it 23-7 to the home side.

They went to 30-7 when outside centre Rob Horne scored next to the posts with 20 minutes to go, but Horne was shown the yellow card for a dangerous tackle soon after and while he was off the field, the Rebels scored a converted try with flanker Tim Davidson crossing the line.

Kurtley Beale moved to flyhalf for the Rebels in place of Danny Cipriani and looked like sparking an unlikely win when he put winger Lachlan Mitchell over, however the Waratahs regrouped and held on for the win.

Rebels skipper Gareth Delve conceded inconsistency had cost his side dearly.

"It was a really slow start, but then we seemed to pick it up towards the end of the first half, then maybe went to sleep a little bit at the start of the second, but we finished strongly."

Final Score Waratahs 30 (16) Rebels 21 (7)

Waratahs
Tries - B.Foley, T Polota-Nau, Rob Horne
Pen - B. McKibbin 3
Con - B. McKibbin 3
Drop -
Cards - R Horne (yellow 59th min)

Rebels
Tries -G. Robinson, T. Davidson. L. Mitchell
Pen -
Con -J O'Connor , K Beale, J Huxley
Drop -
Cards -

Match Officials
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Assistant Ref 1:James Leckie
Assistant Ref 2:Francisco Pastrana
TMO:Matt Goddard

Teams

Waratahs

15. Bernard Foley, 14. Tom Kingston, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Tom Carter, 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10. Berrick Barnes, 9. Brendan McKibbin, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Chris Alcock, 6. Dave Dennis, 5. Kane Douglas, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Sekope Kepu, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson.

Replacements: Rocky Elsom, Daniel Halangahu, Jono Jenkins, Sarel Pretorius, Paddy Ryan, Lopeti Timani, Sitaleki Timani, John Ulugia

Melbourne Rebels

1. Nic Henderson,2. Ged Robinson,3. Rodney Blake,4. Luke Jones,5. Hugh Pyle (vc),6. Jarrod Saffy,7. Michael Lipman,8. Gareth Delve (c),9. Nick Phipps,10. Danny Cipriani,11. Mark Gerrard,12. James O'Connor,13. Lloyd Johansson,14. Lachlan Mitchell,15. Kurtley Beale

Replacements: 16. Luke Holmes,17. Jono Owen,18. Al Campbell,19. Tim Davidson,20. Richard Kingi,21. Julian Huxley,22. Cooper Vuna