Wallabies No.8 Wycliff Palu was cleared of a stomping charge as the buzz continued about the NSW Waratahs in the wake of an impressive opening round Super 14 rugby win over the Hurricanes.

Palu was cited for an incident in the 69th minute of the sometimes heated clash between two competition heavyweights which NSW won 26-22 in Wellington on Saturday.

However SANZAR judicial officer Bruce Squire QC found Palu had actually stepped over Hurricanes forward Jeremy Thrush after viewing TV camera angles which weren't available to citing commissioner John Wootton.

Squire ruled on Sunday that any contact by Palu was accidental and occurred as Thrush attempted to get up.

It was good news for Palu, who played just under half an hour off the bench after missing the Waratahs' entire pre-season campaign following shoulder surgery.

Hurricanes skipper and No.8 Rodney So'oialo will appear before Squire on Monday after being cited by Wootton for allegedly stamping of trampling on Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh. Waugh required six stitches in a head wound following the incident.

That was one of the few negatives in what was a largely positive match for the Waratahs.

The bonus point victory provides them with a perfect platform heading into a schedule which will see them play eight of their next nine games in Australia, seven of them in Sydney.

There was pre-season speculation the Tahs, finalists in 2008, could struggle following the loss of some key forwards.

However, a strong set piece showing, the performance of the blossoming backline and a heroic defensive effort were other positive factors to emerge.

The trio of exciting young backs, centre Rob Horne 19, five-eighth Kurtley Beale, 20, and winger Lachie Turner, 21, were all prominent as NSW maximised their few offensive opportunities.

The incisive Horne scored one try and set up another, Beale had a hand or foot in all four of the Waratahs' tries and Turner sprinted 90 metres for one four-pointer and combined with Beale to set up Horne's.

"He (Horne) is going to be a superstar," Waugh said.

However, Waugh emphasised NSW still had things to work on heading into next Saturday's home clash with the Chiefs.

"We played a lot in our own half, our kicking game wasn't up to scratch, but we will regroup," Waugh said.

"We've got a six day turnaround now. Hopefully we can go back to Sydney and play a lot better than that."

New coach Chris Hickey and Waugh were both pleased with the Waratahs scrum and lineout efforts.

"There were big question marks over our tight five after we had a few players leaving and from what we saw tonight, the lineout went pretty well and the scrum was okay," Waugh said.

Hickey said he was really happy with the Waratahs scrum and felt their own throws to the lineout was strong and they had been able to mount pressure on the opposition's.

"I suppose the biggest thing to take out was the defensive effort in the second half, they kept turning up and making tackles on the back of a very low percentage of possession," Hickey said.

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