Will Jordan scores the winning try for the Crusaders against the Blues. Photo: Photosport
The Crusaders recovered from 14 points down to beat the Blues 21-14 and book a home final, following an intense Super Rugby Pacific semi-final in Christchurch.
Fullback Will Jordan crossed for the second of his two tries with 10 minutes remaining, before his team held out waves of Blues attack to complete a grinding win.
The result scuppers the Blues' late-season bid to defend their title and puts the home side in pole position to secure a 13th crown.
Unbeaten in 31 home playoff matches, the Crusaders will want to make it a perfect 32, when they stage next week's decider against either the Chiefs or ACT Brumbies, who will meet in tomorrow's second semi-final in Hamilton.
The men in red and black may need to show the same fortitude, after conceding the first two tries against the Blues, who later bore down on the Crusaders tryline for more than six minutes, after the final hooter had sounded.
The Blues were down to 14 men at that stage, with No.8 Hoskins Sotutu in the sinbin, but threatened to send the match into extra time.
Their late stand nearly mirrored the end of last week's qualifying final, when Blues lock Josh Beehre crossed late to upset the top-qualifying Chiefs.
The dramatic closing stages encapsulated a contest in which both teams belligerently turned down penalty shots at goal in the pursuit of tries.
Early tries
The Blues grabbed an early lead, when winger Mark Tele'a crossed in the right corner, following a cut-out pass from Beauden Barrett, who then landed the sideline conversion.
Tele'a turned provider in the 21st minute, when his pass put centre Rieko Ioane over from a slick scrum move to double the lead.
Ioane's 56th career try for the Blues was the most by any player, one more than former winger Doug Howlett.
The Crusaders resurgence began shortly afterwards, when flanker Tom Christie burrowed over from close range, and the scores were level soon before the interval, when Jordan danced across.
Each of the teams capitalised, while holding a one-man advantage.
Ioane's try came while centre counterpart Braydon Ennor was off the field, shown a yellow card for a head-high tackle on Sotutu.
Likewise, Jordan's try came while Blues prop Joshua Fusitu'a was sidelined for his high shot on Scott Barrett.
The Blues dominated for a period after the break, but paid the price for repeated indiscipline midway through the second spell.
At one stage, they conceded seven straight penalties, including a blatant barge from Sotutu to the back of Ethan Blackadder, after play had been halted.
The impressive Jordan powered over close to the ruck for his ninth try of the campaign and his 47th in 65 games for the Crusaders, setting them on course for a 22nd win in their last 24 matches against the Blues.
The visitors' hopes of a late fightback appeared to nosedive, when Sotutu then copped a late yellow card, when his head collided with that of Crusaders winger Chay Fihaki.
See how it unfolded:
