Brisbane - Centre Kurtley Beale scored two tries as the New South Wales Waratahs beat inter-state rivals the Queensland Reds 34-3 on Saturday for their 12th win of the Super Rugby season and moved confidently toward their first semifinal appearance in four years.
Fullback Jono Lance and scrumhalf Nick Phipps also scored tries as the Waratahs posted a club record seventh-straight win on a streak which clinched first place in the Australian conference, then cemented first place on the overall championships ladder.
The Waratahs' form on Saturday didn't quite reach the heights of recent wins over the Highlanders (44-16), the Brumbies (39-8), the Chiefs (33-17) or the Lions (41-13).
But in its physical and scrappy nature the match was typical of clashes between New South Wales and Queensland. - Sapa-AP