In front of a record crowd of 52,113 at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium, Genia rose from an hour of harassment by the hell-bent Crusaders forwards to deliver the pivotal play for an 18-13 final triumph.

The Test halfback inspired the thrilling victory with a bewildering solo 65m try from nothing in the 68th minute to break a 13-all deadlock in a tense encounter.

Genia grabbed a turnover ball and backpedalled before shooting through the middle of the field and then outwitting Crusaders wingers Sean Maitland and Zac Guildford to score.

Playmaker Cooper, his partner in crime, was there beside him in support as he scored to cap the Reds' amazing transformation from competition laughing stocks just two years ago.

"He didn't need me in the end and I was just there to congratulate him so what a fitting end to be right there by him when he scored the match-winning try," the freakish five-eighth said.

"It pretty much sealed the game from there."

Reds skipper James Horwill picked up Genia and told him "I love you".

His players then gamely hung on to win the fairytale decider between the two regions who suffered natural disasters at the start of the season.

The Reds players, coach Ewen McKenzie and a parochial home crowd celebrated wildly at the final whistle, delivering the first Super Rugby crown to an Australian side in seven years.

In a highly-entertaining spectacle where it was 0-all after 30 minutes and 13-all after 55 minutes, the Reds scored two tries to one to defy the possession statistics.

The seven-time champion Crusaders dominated for large periods and it seemed only flashes of brilliance from Genia and Cooper, some Crusaders spills and the Reds disciplined defence kept them in the contest.

It was a free-for-all at the breakdown as Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence gave both sides plenty of latitude counter-rucking, which the Crusaders took most advantage from.

The Reds pack was also smashed by the best scrum in the business but their lineout was a tower of strength, scoring a number of crucial second-half steals as hooker Corey Flynn had an off night.

The turning point came early in the second half when Brad Thorn ignored a four-man overlap and went himself only to be held up by No.8 Radike Samo.

From the ensuing scrum, the Crusaders gained a penalty and, to the Reds' relief, opted to take the three points.

Two minutes later, Cooper put Reds winger Digby Ioane through from a kick return and he celebrated his momentum-shifting try with an in-goal dance.

"It was a massive turning point," Cooper said.

It took until 32-minute mark for points to be registered with Cooper slotting a long-range three-pointer after Dan Carter was penalised at the ruck.

But Carter immediately made amends by showing his class with a grubber and regather to cross and then plant the ball under the posts for an easy conversion after Cooper inexplicably pulled out of a tackle on the line.

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