Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus hailed the NSW Waratahs the real deal after coming off second-best in a Super 14 arm wrestle at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.

One of the most maligned teams in Australian sport - win, lose or draw - the Waratahs found an unlikely ally after escaping with an unconvincing 12-6 victory over the South Africans.

The Waratahs bombed three certain tries and missed five shots at goal, but two spectacular five-pointers from winger and man of the match Lachie Turner were enough for an 11th straight win at the SFS.

Turner did it all himself for the first try, beating two defenders before regathering his own chip kick in just the fifth minute.

His match-sealing second try was even better, with replacement fullback Kurtley Beale piercing the Stormers defence and then producing a delicate chip for Turner to complete the movement and cement the Waratahs' top-four position.

While frustrated that another narrow defeat had ended the Stormers' own playoff hopes, a thoroughly impressed Erasmus lauded the Waratahs as genuine title contenders.

One of the most astute coaches in the game, Erasmus believes the Waratahs - with Beale serving as a match-winning impact player - now possess an x-factor to compliment their workmanlike forward pack and virtual 2008 final backline.

Erasmus says perhaps it's time for the Waratahs' critics to jump on the NSW bandwagon.

"The thing that's really good about them is the thing they're getting a lot of flak for," he said.

"I actually want to compliment them as a coaching staff because sometimes people outside the team and not involved can criticise a team for being too conservative.

"For me, they actually mix it up really well with their kicking game and the way they attack.

"They are actually very unpredictable with Beale coming up and having these little chip kicks ... and then play just the forwards orientated (style) and then their drive and then they take it wide.

"They actually are not as predictable as everybody thinks. It's tough to plan against them.

"That's why they're still in the top four. They're now glued in the top four."

With two more home games against the Bulls on Saturday night then the Western Force before a three-match stint in South Africa to complete the regular season, the Waratahs are content to keep winning ugly as they edge towards a fourth finals appearance in five years.

"We left some points out on the field but the most important thing is we walk away with the four points," skipper Phil Waugh said.

Waugh said Beale deserved special praise for the "superb" way he has bounced back in the past fortnight since losing his starting five-eighth role to Daniel Halangahu.

"People underestimate Kurtley's maturity as a person, the way he's come on over the last 24 months," he said.

"He's fronted up at training (this week) and he knew he was going to get some good time tonight and he came on and provided some spark.

"He's certainly got a lot of poise for a guy who's just turned 20."

Erasmus could only agree.

"He's a good player. Give him credit for that," he said.

"They've got a great team so it's not fair to single out one guy, but he did make an impact when he came on.

"Credit also must go to a guy like Lachie Turner, who had a fantastic game. Scored two tries and I think at the end of the day he was the difference."

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