Otago dispatched Bay of Plenty 41-17 in the NPC semifinal at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night.
It was arguably their best performance yet and there is some very healthy competition for that title.
The second half was stunning. Otago continued to play a lot of rugby when they could have shut down shop, having scored either side of the break to seize control of the game.
Nearly 11,000 fans poured into the venue and Brown was thrilled Otago was able to give them a good show.
"It was a great occasion, so I'm glad that we were able to put on a performance that matched what the event became," he said.
"You've got to earn the right to play like that, but we've got a system where we stick to that and that creates opportunities and once the opportunity is there the boys just back themselves and have a dig."
Otago scored five sparkling tries and Bay of Plenty played some pretty good rugby as well. Ultimately, they could not stick with Otago and the pace they played the game at for long enough.
"It was a bit of a blur," Brown said when asked if the second half was the best 40 minutes his team had played all season.
"It was like a train station with injuries and subs, so I'd have to re-look at it but it was pretty satisfying."
That is a hell of an understatement.
Fullback Finn Hurley, who has only just returned from a long injury break, limped off the field with his left ankle strapped with ice.
And first five Cameron Millar got poked in the eye and went for an HIA. He had played every minute of the campaign until he left the field with about eight minutes left.
"It's a bit early but [Hurley] just went over on it, so it is just a rolled ankle.
"All [Millar] got was a poke in the eye, so it's a little bit annoying that our general gets pulled off for that, but that's the way it goes."
