The Waratahs overturned a 10-point deficit to beat the Brumbies 31-17 in their Super W season opener at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

NSW stepped onto the field as raging competition favourites. Not once in four seasons had they dropped a game.

The Brumbies entered the clash buoyed by the fact they pushed NSW to the brink in a trial match two weeks ago - and for some time it looked as though they would be the ones to do the unthinkable.

The hosts took a 10-0 lead in the first half before being outclassed in the second stanza by a star-studded Waratahs team chasing its fifth title in as many years.

MORE SPORT

"That's one of the things we spoke about half-time, continual effort throughout the game. We thought in the first half the game plan was working quite well," Brumbies coach Dan Hawke said.

"In the second half they just pinned us down in our own half. Defensively we just let ourselves down in some effort areas.

"That's why they're the champs, in the second half they really showed why they're the reigning champions and they're undefeated for a reason."

Pulling the strings at flyhalf for the Brumbies was Ash Hewson, a jaded ex-Waratah who came to Canberra with a chip on her shoulder, and she was a standout in Hawke's eyes.

Hewson's opportunities with the ball were few and far between in the opening exchanges with the Brumbies battling to hold possession in the midst of a torrential downpour.

That is, until a pinpoint Hewson ball sent winger Jemima McCalman surging through a gap to open the scoring. Just like Hewson, McCalman had a message to send to the Waratahs. She spent two pre-seasons with NSW but never pulled on the sky blue jumper before getting a chance in Canberra.

It was a crucial turning point. The Waratahs had dominated territory for the bulk of the opening 15 minutes via the boot of flyhalf Pauline Piliae.

But Hewson and McCalman's moment of magic was just what the Brumbies needed. Japanese international Mana Furuta soon forced a penalty and Hewson sent the hosts 10 points clear.

The Waratahs were staring down the barrel of a deficit they have so rarely seen at this level, but they were able to slash the margin to three leading into the half-time break after Emily Chancellor swooped on a fortunate bounce from a Piliae kick to open their account.

Whether the Brumbies could maintain the advantage for another 40 minutes was the burning question leading into the second half. The Waratahs needed little more than five minutes to come up with the answer.

Piper Duck crashed over off the back of a rolling maul. Within 10 minutes Mahalia Murphy had a double. McCalman returned serve for the Brumbies before Murphy had the last laugh to cap off her hat-trick.

AT A GLANCE

Super W round one: NSW WARATAHS 31 (Mahalia Murphy 3, Emily Chancellor, Piper Duck tries; Lori Cramer 3 conversions) bt ACT BRUMBIES 17 (Jemima McCalman 2 tries; Ash Hewson 2 conversions; Hewson penalty) at Canberra Stadium.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: