The NSW Waratahs have secured their first Super Rugby minor premiership with a 44-16 rout of the Highlanders in Sydney.

The Waratahs overpowered the New Zealanders at Allianz Stadium on Sunday to book a precious home semi-final with a six-try romp and club-record sixth consecutive Super win.

The Australian conference champions face the Queensland Reds in the last round on Saturday before enjoying the opening week of the finals off, a huge advantage to have over their rivals.

If NSW win their semi-final, the Waratahs will host the August 2 grand final at their Allianz Stadium fortress, where they are unbeaten since last year.

Fittingly, superstar fullback Israel Folau and playmaking five-eighth Bernard Foley were among the stars on Sunday as the Waratahs ran roughshod over their fourth-placed rivals.

With his side clinging to an 11-9 halftime lead, Folau, the competition’s leading tryscorer, gave the Tahs breathing space when he powered over for his 12th five-pointer of the season in the 43rd minute.

Foley earned his own slice of history as the Waratahs’ highest pointscorer in a single season when he slotted the conversion.

The Wallabies star’s 199 points – from five tries, 39 conversions and 32 penalty goals – eclipses Peter Hewat’s previous record set in 2006.

A 51st-minute try to prop Sekope Kepu had the Waratahs in command before halfback Nick Phipps clinched victory when he squeezed over in the corner with a quarter of an hour remaining.

Popular lock Jacques Potgieter and replacement winger Taqele Naiyaravoro iced the win with NSW’s fifth and sixth tries to earn the Waratahs a standing ovation from the rapturous crowd of almost 25,000 fans.