In a 2013 final replay and the Brumbies came out blazing this time to take a 22-3 lead before the Chiefs wound them in to level the scores in the second half.
A yellow card in the fourth minute to centre Tim Nanai-Williams definitely hurt the away side with two tries coming to the Brumbies with him off the park.
A converted try to the Brumbies gave them the ascendency though and, in what proved a pivotal moment, Gareth Anscombe’s try wasn’t convered by All Black Aaron Cruden with three minutes on the clock.
Nic White’s Wallabies spot is in no doubt at all after his outstanding showing, scoring the first try from a wily bit of work and leading the Brumbies around the park with aplomb.
Jessie Mogg should take plenty of the credit for Robbie Coleman’s five pointer that came soon after to give the hosts a 14-3 buffer inside 10 minutes.
Mogg then crossed himself after a sustained period of attack for a 19-3 lead after 20 minutes.
Christian Lealiifano was on target with the boot to kick at penalty but Bundee Aki’s tries kept the New Zealanders in it.
A tense second half saw both sides knock over penalties before Speight was shown a yellow card in the 49th minute.
There was just five points in it when Chiefs fly-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow crossed before Nanai-Williams made amends with a try to level the match.
A penalty miss from Lealiifano kept the Canberra crowd on the edge of their seats, but it didn’t matter after Jarrad Butler got the final touch after a rolling maul.
It wasn’t over though with Anscombe crossing in the corner giving Cruden a chance to be a hero – he missed and the Brumbies were through to the semis.
South Africa’s Sharks were the other team to go through to the final knock-out matches of the Super Rugby season after they beat the Highlanders in another tight one, 31-27.
Sharks now meet the Crusaders while the Brumbies take on the Waratahs on Saturday for a place in the Super Rugby final on August 2.
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