One step, two step, three step. It was the Australian rugby advertisement that had scores of kids saying "I wanna be a Wallaby".

Just like Simone does, again. And he has shown a glimpse of what he is capable of as the ACT Brumbies' held off the NSW Waratahs 27-20 in front of 6273 at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

There was one step, two steps, three steps, enough steps to turn six Waratahs defenders inside out and bring Brumbies fans who braved the wet conditions to their feet with a scintillating try.

It was a timely reminder of what Simone can do, the off-contract Brumbies inside centre determined to impress as he chases a new deal for 2023. He impresses in space and unlocks the men around him, but this time he was lethal after backing himself.

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"I was just talking with [Rod Seib] our attack coach about that, the fact he was nice and square and took the line on himself and wasn't looking for the opportunity on his outside," Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said.

"It was directly in front of him. He was strong tonight. I thought Lenny Ikitau was good defensively as well, he got his whack back which is good, that's a real strength of his game. He certainly put on some dominant shots out there.

"We had some really good passages there, they certainly went for that choke tackle focus, trying to keep us off the ground and force turnover through maul. We adjusted really well within the game.

"We know we've certainly still got some improvement in us but that was a really good contest and it was pleasing to come away with the points."

The Waratahs were so often their own worst enemy. They had chances to narrow the gap but ill-discipline brought their good work undone against a clinical Brumbies outfit still trying to find their best form.

A glance at the scoreboard offers some indication of how far the Waratahs have come under Darren Coleman. But a look at the ladder offers a sobering reminder that for all the improvement, they are still some way off the competition heavyweights.

"I'm proud, I'm really proud of my team," Coleman said.

"Obviously disappointed with the loss but we're trending the right way. To get away with a losing bonus point, and even have the better in the last 20, you could even potentially say we had chances to draw it up, I'm proud of them."

James Slipper [head] and Folau Fainga'a [ankle] sent injury scares through Brumbies camp, but both returned to the park in the second stanza to bolster the home side's bid to retain the Dan Vickerman Cup for another year.

Slipper's early ascendancy in the scrum battle served as the first warning shot. Diminutive scrumhalf Nic White provided the second, bouncing out of rucks and helping the Brumbies win the territory advantage. But devastating flanker Rob Valetini was the first to wound the Waratahs on the scoreboard.

The boot of NSW flyhalf Ben Donaldson kept the visitors within reach but the Waratahs squandered a golden opportunity which would have levelled the scores when Charlie Gamble took a punt on himself and lost.

The fleet-footed flanker overlooked his support and was mowed down short of the line, and the clinical Brumbies made him pay.

Frost is usually a talking point during Saturday night rugby in Canberra - only this time it was towering lock Nick Frost turning heads with his first try in Brumbies colours.

But it was Simone with the highlight reel play, turning six sky blue jerseys inside out as he stepped his way to the line for his first try of the season.

The Waratahs kept themselves in the fight to set up a grandstand finish, but will be left to rue what might have been.

AT A GLANCE

Super Rugby Pacific round three: ACT BRUMBIES 27 (Rob Valetini, Nick Frost, Irae Simone tries; Noah Lolesio 3 conversions; Lolesio 2 penalties) bt NSW WARATAHS 20 (Angus Bell, Will Harris tries; Ben Donaldson 2 conversions; Donaldson 2 penalties) at Canberra Stadium. Crowd: 6273.

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