The New South Wales Waratahs moved into first place in rugby's Super 14 tournament with a 40-17 win over South Africa's Cheetahs on Saturday. The Waratahs are level with the defending champion Bulls from South Africa with 28 points each, but lead on points differential. The Bulls lost their first match of the season after six straight wins when they were defeated 32-17 by the Auckland Blues earlier Saturday. The Waratahs led 23-3 at halftime. Rob Horne, in the 26th minute, capitalized on a clean break by his center partner Berrick Barnes, and prop Benn Robinson scored after the halftime siren had sounded. Flyhalf Daniel Halangahu added both conversions, plus penalty goals in the ninth, 18th and 37th minutes for a five-from-five record in the opening half. Waratahs front rower Al Baxter celebrated his 100th Super match with his first try for his team. Baxter, Australia's most-capped prop with 69 tests, crossed in the 44th minute as the Waratahs scored five tries to clinch a bonus point. 'It's fun to score, but I don't think my main job out there is to be running down the sideline like a winger scoring tries,' said Baxter, whose one and only try for the Wallabies came in his 50th test, against Canada at the 2007 World Cup in France. 'I'm one for milestones. No, I'm a front-rower and tighthead prop, so it's set piece first and foremost, and hard yards around the field.' Replacement halfback Josh Holmes added the final New South Wales try in the 78th minute, which man-of-the-match Berrick Barnes converted to complete the win. The Cheetahs scored two late consolation tries through prop W.P. Nel and reserve Corne Uys. Center Meyer Bosman converted both to add to a first-half penalty goal by flyhalf Naas Olivier. Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske was impressed with the Waratahs. 'They can definitely win this competition, there's no doubt about,' Drotske said. 'They win their close games, and if you want to win this competition, you need to do that. It's not easy to score tries against them and they showed that tonight.' ------ Scores: New South Wales 40 (Alastair Baxter, Kurtley Beale, Josh Holmes, Robert Horne, Benn Robinson tries; Daniel Halangahu 2, Berrick Barnes conversions; Halangahu 3 penalties), Cheetahs 17 (W.P. Nel, Corne Uys tries; Meyer Bosman 2 conversions, Naas Olivier penalty). HT: 23-3. 