No backwards steps for Waratahs

Having won their semifinal against the Brumbies on the back of a huge defensive effort, the Waratahs know that they will need more of the same next week.

The Sydney side will host seven-times champions the Crusaders in what will be their first-ever home final next week after seeing off the challenge of Australian rivals the Brumbies on Saturday.

The home side took a slender 11-8 lead into half-time of their all-Australian semifinal, and kept the Brumbies scoreless in the second half to secure their eighth consecutive victory and book their place in the final.

Coach Michael Cheika said: “It was a good win, built on the opposite of what we’re known for, but what we know we need to do – defend strong and produce a big physical effort.

“We hammered each other for 65 minutes and we started getting a few cracks in the opposition’s armour and we were able to get at them," he added.

Cheika was full of praise for the commitment his side showed on defence which will be vital in the final against then Crusaders.

“The defensive effort throughout the whole game was A1. It was physical, we made good tackles, a lot of dominant tackles and the only breaks they made were on the edges. It was a really good defensive effort and shows where the character of the team is at.”

Waratahs captain Michael Hooper, who was also the leader of the defensive effort, welcomed his team's eighth-straight win and their long overdue venture to the final.

Hooper said hosting the tournament decider against the Crusaders was "new territory for us but exciting territory."

"We talked before the game about taking opportunities but we had to make them tonight," Hooper said. "We came up with a few, I won't say lucky tries but tries we built under pressure and we take that … we're in the final and we're stoked.

"Defence wins you games and it was really good tonight, really good to see the big boys doing the hard work," he added.