Bodies are as yet unbroken, hamstrings taut and terrific rather than torn, and tissue is firm of purpose rather than soft and injury-prone.

On a balmy Melbourne evening that old historic rivalry in its newest guise once more took shape when NSW and Victoria met in the second round of Super Rugby and the questions, as ever at this time of the year, hung in the air.

Could the relative newcomers capitalise on their stirring start to the season, that shock win over the Crusaders in Christchurch, and finally bring some hope of finals football to their patient fans?

Would the New South Welshmen, who began their title defence with a loss to the Western Force in round one, bounce back and show their class, as champions are expected to?

Of course, different teams have different goals when any new campaign kicks off.

For the Waratahs, dramatic last-gasp winners of the 2014 Super Rugby title, the mission is straightforward; a repeat of last year. Anything else will, perforce, be seen as a failure.

For the Rebels the feast is moveable. The bar in individual games is set just as high as it is for the defending champions. But the end of season passmark cannot be as exacting.

The Melbourne team has yet to make the finals after four seasons in the international competition and that must surely be a first priority, anything else a bonus.

The Victorian side has had plenty of stirring nights at AAMI Park in those four years and claimed numerous big scalps.

But they have been highlights rather than regular events, dazzling solos from an otherwise inconsistent ensemble who have never been able to sustain those flights of fantasy for weeks at a time. Still, the grit they displayed in New Zealand was a promising sign. Was it a harbinger of things to come?

The Waratahs were physical, tough and committed – as were their rivals in a game of high intensity, a real arm wrestle in which the titleholders had to battle, scrap and show plenty of character to ultimately take their victory.

They had big names all over the place, including several familiar with this terrain. Kurtley Beale has spent time as a Rebel, so has scrum half Nick Phipps and Beale, in particular, seemed to relish the return to his old stomping ground.

His chip kick off the outside of his boot, after a move in which the Waratahs had recycled the ball on multiple occasions early in the first half to set up Stephen Hoiles for the visitors first try, was tremendous.

It put the Sydney side in the lead in a see-saw battle in which they had their noses in front most of the time but could not quite see off their dogged opponents, who always managed to find a try and conversion to stay in touch.

The Waratahs led 3-0, 10-7, 13-7, 16-7 and looked to be establishing their superiority but still the Victorian side kept coming, closing to within two points (16-14) at the break.

When the visitors stretched the advantage to 23-14 the Melbourne side dug deep, Luke Burgess going over to narrow the gap to two points again.

Even when Taqele Naiyaravoro grabbed his second try of the night the champions could not shake off the rugged Rebels, who, in the manner of a challenger determined to go the distance in a title fight, kept taking the batle to the champion, determined to inflict maximum damage even if they were to go down in the final round.

When Sefanaia Naivalu finished off a sweeping move and Mike Harris converted, scores were level at 28-apiece with some 12 minutes to go.

This was the testing time. Who wanted it more? Who could lift tiring limbs for one more effort, who had the determination to keep going?

Which side would keep their nerve in the clutch moments when any mistake could make the difference between defeat and victory?

Rebels fly-half Jack Debreczeni pushed a penalty wide with 10 minutes left on the clock as the tension mounted. The Rebels, who seemed to have the momentum, then surrendered possession. Were nerves taking their toll?

It was Beale who ultimately made the difference, finding the time and space to put the Waratahs back in the driving seat after Bernard Foley's line break had opened up the Rebels defence. Foley then sealed it with a penalty three minutes from time.

Thus the champions showed their steel and quality. But the vanquished Rebels can take plenty from this performance. They have beaten one of last year's grand finalists on their turf in Christchurch, and then all but matched the defending champions a week later.

Rebels Rising? The signs are certainly there.