Despite playing in torrential rain, the Waratahs opened their 2012 campaign with a 13-try, 83-5 rout of a Samoan selection at Tamworth on Friday.

All dispatches from Tamworth, a city in the New England region of New South Wales and more famously known as the "Country Music Capital of Australia, suggested that South African import Sarel Pretorius was the star of the show.

Although the scrumhalf did not feature on the scoreboard - unlike second-half hooker Damien Fitzpatrick, who scored a hat-trick of tries - Pretorius looked very sharp in a game used as an experiment by new Waratahs coach Chris Foley.

Pretorius was well-supported by Berrick Barnes, as the Waratahs opened up a 38-5 lead by half-time when both teams made wholesale changes at Scully Park.

The biggest concern for the Tahs will be the hamstring injury suffered by wing Lachie Turner, which will be assessed back in Sydney on Sunday.

Apart from Fitzpatrick's hat-trick, there was a brace of tries by Tom Carter.

The Samoan selection featured none of their World Cup stars, who almost all are on duty with their European clubs.

The scorers:

For the Waratahs:
Tries: Carter 2, Karauria-Henry, Turner, McCutcheon, Kepu, McKibbin, Trist, Brown, Fitzpatrick 3, Hodge
Cons: Barnes 4, McKibbin 3, Halangahu 2

For Samoa:
Try: AN Other

Teams:

Waratahs (first half): 15 Brackin Karauria-Henry, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Tom Kingston, 10 Berrick Barnes (captain), 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Pat McCutcheon, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Paddy Ryan, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Sekope Kepu.

Waratahs (second half): 15 Toby Browne, 14 Nathan Trist, 13 Michael Hodge, 12 Bernard Foley, 11 Peter Betham, 10 Daniel Halangahu (captain), 9 Brendan McKibbin, 8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Seilala Lam, 6 Tevita Metuisela, 5 Greg Peterson, 4 Richard Stanford, 3 John Ulugia, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Jeremy Tilse.

Replacements - from: Lotu Taukeiaho, Liam Winton, Jono Jenkins, Grayson Hart, Jesse Leota, Tom Hill.

Samoa: Not announced

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia), Will Houston (Australia)