Trailing 19-17 at half-time but with a spring in their step not seen in previous weeks, the Waratahs were unable to penetrate the Brumbies line despite a number of attempted rolling mauls and multiple phase efforts late in the game which saw them to go down 26-20.

Tomane's hat-trick and Stephen Moore's experience at the scrum against a youthful Waratahs front-row without injured veteran Benn Robinson, who left the field early after copping a knock to his eye, were two major highlights on an evening that proved what many had suspected; NSW are not the team of two years ago.

There were, however, some burning questions that needed to be answered on a pleasant Saturday evening at Allianz Stadium.

Was Michael Hooper, as suggested by former Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer, really the worst No.7 of Australian teams in Super Rugby?

Would Israel Folau really get more ball at outside centre, a position he has never started at during his professional rugby career?

And has Daryl Gibson, with four losses from six starts to his name this year, given credit to Eddie Jones' theory he is nothing more than a "coat-tail" to the brains of his predecessor in Michael Cheika?

The Folau question proved in the affirmative, Hooper was certainly more involved and produced a more complete performance, but for Gibson, who has to be the most emotionless coach in history on game-day, results will ultimately determine his worth.

Poor ball handling and basic errors brought back bad memories of the Melbourne Rebels game a fortnight ago, but Gibson is relaxed personified.

One thing Gibson would have been chuffed at was the Folau outside centre experiment, which initially lasted just 41 seconds.

A head collision with Brumbies new No.8 Jordan Smiler meant the 27-year-old was taken from the field for a concussion test.

Although David Horwitz could not have jumped out of his seat any quicker to get onto the field, natural order was restored when Folau returned in the ninth minute.

Despite the result, Gibson's outside centre selection was more than justified and the potential relationship forming between Folau, Beale and Foley has real potential to blossom into the Waratahs trump card.

Folau was part of the Waratahs' first try before scoring one himself down the left edge which drew him level with Lote Tuqiri's NSW try-scoring record.

Kurtley Beale's return from injury was tested early as he landed awkwardly on his troublesome arm, but adding two on his back has proved successful.

His vision to spot a gap in the Brumbies line and break a tackle before offloading to Kellaway and then the try-scorer Folau could have been a match-defining play had NSW's second half been more clinical.

A Nick Phipps knock-on and missed tackle minutes later from the Wallabies No.9 gifted Joe Tomane opening points of the night and his first of three tries.

Even before kick-off there was an unmistakable feeling of restlessness as both sides warmed up.

The Waratahs have had to wait 13 days to make amends for an error-riddled loss to the Rebels, while the Brumbies were also itching to turn their fortunes around after succumbing to their biggest ever home defeat, against the Chiefs.

"Pressure is what we want," were Michael Hooper's words before the game and Waratahs succumbed to it quicker than most had anticipated, despite their success against the Brumbies at fortress Sydney Football Stadium - a ground they had not lost at against their Canberra rivals since 2002.

Hooker Hugh Roach has struggled to perfect his line-outs at training this week, which culminated in a shaky showing in front of a 25,319-strong crowd.

Hot potato passes from Folau to Skelton to Holloway eventually ended up in the hands of Reece Robinson, who crossed for his first Super Rugby try to reduce the deficit to five points, but an inability to capitalise on plenty of possession has NSW with a mountain to climb in the west and then South Africa in the coming weeks.