Flyhalf Bernard Foley scored a brilliant late try and kicked 11 points to fire the New South Wales Waratahs to a 26-8 victory over the ACT Brumbies and into their third Super Rugby final.
Foley finished off a breakaway move that started deep inside the Waratahs own half four minutes from time to seal the win and a home final next weekend against the Canterbury Crusaders, who beat South Africa's Sharks 38-6 in the earlier semi-final.
The Waratahs, who lost both their previous finals to the Crusaders in 2005 and 2008, had been set on the path to victory by opportunistic tries from winger Alofa Alofa and centre Kurtley Beale at the start of each half.
The Brumbies, beaten finalists last year, played a full part in a hugely physical contest but were only able to cross once through winger Henry Speight in the 31st minute and failed to score after the break despite dominating possession.
"Fantastic," said Waratahs captain Michael Foley. "We spoke before the match about taking our chances but we had to make them tonight.
"They are a tough team but we're in the final and I'm psyched. It's new territory for us but very exciting territory."
The Brumbies were still pounding away at the home defence in the 75th minute when the Waratahs snapped up a wild inside pass from winger Joe Tomane about 15 metres from their line.
Hulking second row Will Skelton came into the move in midfield and bulldozed 20 metres through the defence with tacklers hanging off him before offloading to Foley, who took the ball at pace to touch down and delight most of the 38,800 crowd.
It was a sparkling finish to an all-Australian semi-final that had promised attacking flair but delivered crushing tackles and dogged defence.
With less than three minutes on the board, winger Alofa seized on a loose Brumbies pass and raced 60 metres to touch down despite fullback Jesse Mogg's despairing tackle.
Foley extended the lead with the first of his penalties after 21 minutes but the malfunctioning New South Wales lineout ensured the Brumbies would have plenty of possession and Speight had them right back in the contest after half an hour.
The Brumbies kicked for the corner from penalties three times in four minutes and the pressure ultimately told with the big winger able to score in the corner on the overlap.
Brumbies centre Christian Lealiifano and Foley traded penalties in the minute before halftime and the teams turned around with the Waratahs 11-8 ahead.
Lealiifano should have levelled up the scores two minutes after the break but screwed his penalty kick wide from in front of the posts.
The big hits continued from the big men on both sides but it was the wrestling skills of one of the slightest players on the park that produced the next score after 46 minutes.
Mogg safely gathered an Adam Ashley-Cooper grubber kick inside his own half but Beale stripped the ball off him and raced away to score in the corner.
Brumbies winger Robbie Coleman should have replied immediately but spilled the ball with the line at his mercy and that proved to be the last clear-cut chance the Waratahs allowed.
"We had more than enough opportunities down in their half but you have to give credit to the New South Wales boys, they held on," said Brumbies skipper Ben Mowen.
