The Waratahs were out-bustled and out-hustled 32-12 by the Auckland Blues at a rain-drenched McDonald Jones Stadium in the Super Rugby clash on Saturday night.

The Blues led 8-7 at half-time and stretched the margin to 20-7 before a spirited fightback by the Waratahs.

Wing sensation Mark Nawaqanitawase scored a spectacular try in the corner to close the gap to eight with 20 minutes remaining.

But any hopes of a storming finish were squashed with three minutes remaining when the Blues swooped up a loose pass and released Mark Telea down the left touch line. The winger crossed again in the final minute to make it three for the game and blow the scoreline out much to the angst of the 7491 fans.

Saturday's loss followed a 31-29 defeat to the Sunwolves in Newcastle last season.

The Blues asserted their authority at the scrum and were more physical at the tackle contest.

Again, the Tahs were guilty of making too many fundamental errors.

It was a mixed night for Newcastle prop Harry Johnson-Holmes. He won a penalty at the breakdown in the opening minute, was involved in a try and competed hard at the scrum before replaced in the 53^rd minute.

The win was the Blues' fifth straight against the Waratahs and their first win outside of New Zealand since accounting for NSW in 2018.

Waratahs coach Rob Penney said before kick-off "there will be moments where we can play a bit and there will be moments where we have to dig deep".

And that is how the first half panned out.

The visitors struck first in the 11^th minute through breakaway Blake Gibson.

After an initial bust by No.8 Hoskins Sotutu, they shifted the ball to the right and fly-half Stephen Perofeta threw a pass out the side for Gibson to surge over.

Will Harrison missed a chance to open the Waratahs account in the 17^th minute after he was on the end of a high shot from TJ Faiane. But the fly-half missed the relatively easy penalty attempt.

The Blues stretched the lead with a penalty to Perofeta in the 25^th minute.

As they did in the 43-25 loss to Canterbury, the Tahs paid the price for ill discipline and poor accuracy. Two of the five penalties they conceded came at the breakdown after they missed clean outs.

It it took until the final five minutes of the half before the Waratahs were able build pressure and they were rewarded with a try to outside centre Lalakai Foketi.

On the back of a penalty, the Tahs forward pounded away at the Blues' line.

Once they had sucked in enough defenders, they went wide to Beale who split two defenders and sent Foketi over in the left corner. Harrison converted to trail 8-7 at the break.

The revival was short-lived. The Blues came out firing after the break and took control with two tries in four minutes.

English centre Joe marchant ran a great line to crash over in the 42^nd minute and then Sotuta grubbered in goal for Mark Talea to touch down and blow the lead out to 20-7.

The Blues introduced two new front-rowers at half-time and they made an immediate impact. The Tahs took a scrum from a penalty five metres out and the Blues went straight through the middle of them.

The visitors were reduced to 14 men in the 56^th minute when Sotutu was given a yellow card for a high shot on Karmichael Hunt.

Penney introduced Jack Maddocks for Harrison in the 61^st minute and switched Beale to fly-half.

They hit back two minutes later when Jack Dempsey put Nawaqanitawase down the left touchline. The wing sensation produced a spectacular dive to score in the corner but landed awkwardly. He laid prone on the ground for several seconds but he eventually got to his feet but had to be replaced.