The NSW Waratahs have come from behind to claim victory in their Super W opener against the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium.
Trailing 10-0 early, the Tahs took over with four straight tries and worked their way to a 31-17 victory on Saturday night.
It took them a while to click into gear, with the Brumbies able to strike first on 16 minutes through persistent driving rain as Ash Hewson produced a perfect pass for Jemima McCalman to score under the posts.
The Brumbies surged on with power running from forward Grace Kemp driving them into attack, before Hewson slotted a penalty to extend their advantage.
The Waratahs would have been disappointed not to take points from the game's opening 15 minutes where strong kicking from Pauline Piliae and Lori Cramer saw them camped deep inside opposition territory, but a sublime chip from the former found her side a lifeline, with Emily Chancellor scoring their first try.
Brumby Siokapesi Palu copped a yellow card early in the second half for a high shot and the Tahs immediately capitalised through a powerful rolling maul, which drove in Piper Dunk for a try and the lead.
And the visitors extended the advantage as they got running through Cramer, with the fullback able to pick out Mahalia Murphy to score in the corner for a 19-10 lead, before the powerful winger doubled up minutes with a solo effort.
The Brumbies gave themselves a sniff late with McCalman able to run onto an inch-perfect kick from Hewson and make it 26-17 with just four minutes to play.
But the Tahs quickly snuffed that out with Murphy able to gather a kick and score in the right corner for a third time to ice the contest.
Piliae was most impressive for the Waratahs with her poise able to pull the strings throughout, although Murphy's hat-trick perhaps challenged her for player of the match honours.
