Bernard Foley is the Waratahs' clutch man. The Test five-eighth kicked NSW to their maiden title in August last year and nine months later, against the same side, at the same ground, again produced the decisive play to keep the defending champions' title defence alive and end a 13-year run of finals appearance for the Crusaders.

With the Waratahs' defending a ragged three-point lead with minutes left on the clock, Foley doggedly chased a loose ball half the length of the field and pounced on it to score, converting his effort to seal a new era of NSW dominance over the faltering guardians of New Zealand rugby.

The defiant 32-22 bonus point win will not silence questions about the Waratahs' campaign but it will prove beyond doubt they possess belligerence in spades, holding off a 14-point Crusaders fightback to go to the top of the Australian conference and signal that these titleholders will not be as easily usurped as some may hope. 

The Crusaders will travel home with their finals hopes in tatters. The last time the seven-time champions finished any lower on the log than fourth was a 10th-placed finish in 2001. They won the title four more times in the intervening period, but languish at 9th after Saturday's loss, with three games left to play.

The Waratahs built a 17-8 lead at half time and extended it to 25-8 by the 52nd minute, but found themselves within a whisker of disaster after a two-try comeback sparked by Crusaders No.7 Richie McCaw.

The home side's night didn't start well, with winger Taqele Naiyaravoro dropping the kick-off inside the NSW 22m zone. The Crusaders used the error to heap on the pressure, working it through 12 phases before Nadolo scored in the corner inside the second minute.

Carter missed the sideline conversion and the Waratahs got the memo, upping the intensity and producing some of the flair and accuracy that drove their campaign last year.

Fullback Israel Folau made a break and Nick Phipps and Wycliff Palu kept the ball alive. The Waratahs spread it wide to Naiyaravoro, who scored in the corner. Foley converted to put NSW up 7-5.

The Crusaders were denied a try off a rolling maul but handed a penalty, Carter making it 8-7 in the 12th minute.

Beale missed a shot from 42 metres out in the 17th minute and NSW hooker Tolu Latu was sin-binned for his part in a lifting tackle on Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock.

But the Waratahs rallied, Foley nudging the Waratahs two points ahead in the 21st minute, and Rob Horne scooping up a bad fumble from Crusaders No.10 Colin Slade and bolting 45m to score in the 24th minute.

Foley added the extras to give the home side a 17-8 lead, all before the Waratahs could send on replacement hooker Hugh Roach to cover Latu's absence. 

The Wallabies five-eighth made it 20-8 after the break and Naiyaravoro bagged his double in the 52nd minute but Foley found the sideline conversion too much.

McCaw scored his first try of the season to keep the Crusaders in the match at 25-15 after the conversion.

Will Skelton - the other half of Latu's earlier tackle on Whitelock - appeared to be auditioning for the role of incoming enforcer with No.8 Wycliff Palu headed offshore at the end of this season. The monster second rower was scrutinised over two borderline incidents around the 60 minute mark but was saved by the television match official who counselled referee Marius van der Westhuizen against a yellow card on both occasions.

Replacement back rower Matt Todd scored next off a Crusaders maul and Carter converted to put the visitors within three points of the champions.

NSW attacked, eschewing a shot at goal to launch a drive for the line, and McCaw was shown a yellow for repeated infringements inside the Waratahs' 22. But the home side could do nothing with the chance and came away empty-handed.

It was a costly period of inaction and set up a nail biting final 10 minutes. Foley pounced on a loose ball to put the game away - nine months after his grand final crowning glory - with seconds left on the clock.