The NSW Waratahs have blown away the Western Force 34-10 to remain unbeaten in 2025.
The Waratahs were dominant from the opening whistle as Max Jorgensen crossed for a double for a 15-5 lead at the break.
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They refused to let up after the break, with fellow winger Darby Lancaster getting in on the try-scoring action.
Andrew Kellaway sealed the win with minutes left as the ill-disciplined Force were left on the back foot all night.
It vaults the hosts into the top two as one of two unbeaten teams left in the competition.
Even without prized signing Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii the Tahs had too much firepower for the Force, who had also won their first two games in their best start to a Super season.
McKellar won't be getting carried away, though, knowing full well his charges have been presented with - and capitalised on - a dream draw to start their 2025 campaign.
The Waratahs' scalps thus far have been the Highlanders, Fijian Drua and now the Force, three teams not expected to make the finals, with all the wins coming on home turf.
Sterner tests are still to come, starting with a blockbuster derby next Saturday in Brisbane against the Queensland Reds before four more clashes with New Zealand heavyweights the Hurricanes, the ladder-leading Chiefs, Crusaders and defending champion Blues.
McKellar will be sweating on Jake Gordon and Langi Gleeson not joining Suaalii (foot) in missing the Reds showdown.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt also watched anxiously at Allianz Stadium as Gordon iced a knee before Gleeson limped off soon afterwards with a leg injury of his own.
Force and Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch also failed to see out the game, replaced midway through the second half with an apparent knee problem in another potential concern for Schmidt.
A try-scoring double from electric winger Max Jorgensen, including a thief-in-the-night intercept to put the Tahs up 15-5 at the break, punctuated an otherwise dour forward battle in the opening 40 minutes.
Blindside flanker Rob Leota crashed over for the Waratahs' other first-half try, with powerhouse openside Carlo Tizzano further enhancing his Wallaby claims with his sixth try of the season for the Force.
Tizzano remains the competition's leading try-scorer after crossing for a fifth straight match stretching back to last season.
But there wasn't much else for Force fans to cheer about.
Their only other five-pointer came after the fulltime siren had sounded - and after the home team had racked up three more tries in the second half through Darby Lancaster, Andrew Kellaway and Felix Kalapu.
Flyhalf Lawson Creighton enjoyed a mixed debut for the Waratahs, setting up Jorgensen's first try with a beautiful double cut-out pass, but landing only two conversions from six shots at goal.
It's the first time the Waratahs have started their year with three straight wins since 2009.
Tries: Jorgensen 2, Leota, Lancaster, Kalapu, Kellaway
Cons: Creighton 1/4, Edmed 1/2
Tries: Tizzano, Coxon
Cons: Donaldson 0/2
WARATAHS (1-15): Angus Bell, Dave Porecki, Taniela Tupou, Hugh Sinclair, Ben Grant, Rob Leota, Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon (c), Lawson Creighton, Darby Lancaster, Joey Walton, Henry O'Donnell, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway
Replacements: Mahe Vailanu, Tom Lambert, Siosifa Amone, Felix Kalapu, Leafi Talataina, Jack Grant, Tane Edmed, Triston Reilly
FORCE (1-15): Marley Pearce, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Tom Robertson, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Sio Tomkinson, Harry Potter, Mac Grealy
Replacements: Tom Horton, Ryan Coxon, Josh Smith, Josh Thompson, Reed Prinsep, Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, Reesjan Pasitoa
Referee: Angus Mabey
Assistant Referees: Graham Cooper, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Brett Cronan
