The NSW Waratahs won back some fans with a hard-earned 23-16 victory over the Chiefs in Friday night's Super Rugby match at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Kurtley Beale proved an instant hit at five-eighth as the Waratahs atoned for their surprise last-up home loss to the Cheetahs with a vastly-improved - if not quite polished - performance.

A crowd of more than 20,000 - almost 5000 more than those who booed the Waratahs off after the Cheetahs debacle - were thrilled to see the home team join the Queensland Reds at the top of the Australian conference with their fourth win from six starts this season.

In the absence of injured playmaker Berrick Barnes, Beale lined up at flyhalf for the first time for the Waratahs in two years and combined well with his outside backs and channel-running forwards.

Powerhouse hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau also had a whale of a game returning from a knee injury, while halfback Luke Burgess and winger Drew Mitchell posed a constant threat to the Chiefs defence.

The Waratahs had to battle hard for the points, though, with the Chiefs dominating the second half and almost pulling off a spirited comeback.

With No.8 Liam Messan delivering an inspirational captain's display and the sizzling back three of Tim Nanai-Williams, Lelia Masaga and Sitiveni Sivivatu running freely, the Chiefs closed to within four points after keeping NSW scoreless after the break until the final minute.

NSW coach Chris Hickey was relieved his side hung on to get the money.

"I think our first-half performance was pretty good, pretty clinical," Hickey said.

"We dominated possession and we did the hard work at the breakdown which enabled us to do that and that gave us game control.

"In the second half, we went away from that ... our kicking was inaccurate, which gave them possession.

"And a team like the Chiefs, if you give them possession and invite them back into the game, they've got too many good players.

"The positive out of that is that our defence and our attitude in defence was strong."

The Waratahs received a standing ovation when they went to the sheds with a 14-point buffer.

The Tahs opened the scoring in the fourth minute when no-frills centre Tom Carter put winger Atieli Pakalini over for a try.

Beale slotted the conversion for a 7-0 lead before Chiefs five-eighth Mike Delany added an eighth-minute penalty goal to make it 7-3.

Beale replied shortly after to restore NSW's seven-point advantage.

In a welcome change for Australian rugby, the NSW scrum delivered the Waratahs their second try after Chiefs prop Nathan White was sin-binned for collapsing the set piece in the 26th minute.

From the ensuing scrum, the Waratahs were awarded a penalty try after South African referee Jaco Peyper had already penalised the Chiefs three times in as many minutes for scrum infringements.

Another Beale penalty goal on the stroke of halftime left the Tahs in control at the break.

But a converted try to Nanai-Williams in the 58th minute set up a tense finale and the Chiefs could have been even closer had Delany not missed two penalty shots.

Beale had the final say with a last-minute penalty to complete a flawless night of goalkicking for the Wallabies star.

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