With both teams' finals hopes on the line, 18,021 fans saw plenty of aggression in a game without many highlights but dominated by defence.

A bullocking try from Brumbies hooker Jeremy Paul gave the home team a narrow 8-6 lead at half-time. Penalty goals took the score to 11-9 before the game sparked to life in the last five minutes, with former Brumby Matt Giteau nearly stealing the show.

Brumbies winger Mark Gerrard gave away a silly infringement for offside and moments later Giteau calmly potted a pressure penalty to silence the parochial crowd and put the Force in front by a point, 12-11 with just three minutes remaining.

However, Gerrard redeemed himself but winning back possession from the kick-off, and then stepping up to take over goal-kicking duties from the injured Julian Huxley, and slotting the winning penalty goal in the final minute of the game.

After coming off consecutive floggings in which they conceded a combined 17 tries, the Force came out with a point to prove and while the Brumbies dominated possession, the visitors produced a remarkable defensive effort, twice with 14 men, to restrict the two-time Super champion to just one try.

The game's opening stanza was a mixture of tight, scrambling defence and handling errors that prevented both sides from converting good opportunities to cross the line.

Brumbies halfback George Gregan handed the Force a gift in the fourth minute, giving Giteau a welcome home push in the back, resulting in a penalty in front which Giteau converted.

After continued attack, Huxley levelled the scores in the 15th minute. An offside Jone Tawake then enabled Giteau to put away another easy penalty five minutes later, for the Force to lead 6-3.

The Force lost their captain Nathan Sharpe to the sin bin in the 26th minute, after repeated offside infringements by both teams, giving referee Stuart Dickinson no option but to reach into his pocket.

The Force's scrambling defence lifted to denying repeated Brumbies runs the Force then had to lift again when outside centre Ryan Cross was also binned for 10 minutes, just as Sharpe returned.

The Brumbies then seized the opportunity with three minutes left in the half, as hooker Jeremy Paul somehow grounded the ball out wide in a sea of bodies. Huxley failed to convert to leave his side leading 8-6 at half-time.

In the second half, the Brumbies extended their lead with a penalty in the 49th minute, only for the Force to reply against the run of play in the 60th minute.

A brilliant cross-field run by Brumbies winger Mark Gerrard got the crowd on their feet, but the flashy winger nearly gave away a try to just a few minutes later when his attempted chip and chase kick was marked by Force centre Ryan Cross.

The rugby league convert sprinted into the clear before dishing off Cameron Shepherd, who was cut down 15 out from the tryline by a great cover defending tackle by Gene Fairbanks.

The Force lost their leading try-scorer Cameron Shepherd with 16 minutes remaining, helped from the field with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

Brumbies 14
Tries: Paul
Conversions: Huxley 0/1
Penalties: Huxley 2/2, Gerrard 1/1

Force 12
Penalties: Giteau 4/4
Crowd: 18,021

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