Then there were three.
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The Queensland Reds and the Melbourne Rebels will fight for the right to meet the ACT Brumbies in the Super Rugby AU decider at Canberra Stadium on September 19.
The Reds will ride a wave of confidence into the semi-final clash next week after toppling the Brumbies 26-7 at Lang Park on Saturday night.
The Rebels have booked their ticket to the finals for the first time in the club's history with a stunning last-minute victory over the Western Force in Newcastle.
A try seconds before the final siren paved the way for Matt Toomua to knock over a conversion to secure a 34-30 victory on Saturday afternoon.
MORE RUGBY UNION
A four-point margin was all they needed to creep into the top three and send the NSW Waratahs packing from the domestic competition.
The Rebels are the only team to have beaten the Brumbies this season, scoring a 30-12 win over the ladder leaders in Sydney a month ago.
WILL HE OR WON'T HE?
It's the question that will hover over Brumbies headquarters for the best part of a fortnight: will McKellar roll the dice and pick Noah Lolesio for his first match in two months?
Lolesio has not played since injuring his hamstring against the Waratahs on July 18 but the Wallabies hopeful is on the cusp of a return for the grand final.
Bayley Kuenzle has gone from strength to strength at flyhalf in Lolesio's absence, but he had a tough night against Queensland. Now 20-year-old Lolesio could yet be called in to start or as cover from the bench.
A host of positions are up for grabs with McKellar's eventual team announcement days out from the decider set to be a source of intrigue over the coming 10 days.
Nic White impressed in his first start since returning to Canberra, while Joe Powell watched from afar after being shuffled out of the match day 23.
INDIGENOUS ROUND
Allan Alaalatoa and Liam Wright led their teams onto the park in jerseys representing more than a Brumbies or a Reds logo on the chest.
These playing strips told stories of the Brindabella Mountain Ranges, club greats, families and wild Brumbies.
The clash marked the first time two Super Rugby sides had worn Indigenous jerseys in the same game, making it one to remember for more than a scoreline.
"When we played the Reds in our first Indigenous round, it was a great opportunity to acknowledge our ancestors and the Indigenous community," Alaalatoa said.
"When [Andy Muirhead] got up and spoke in front of the team, it was really special from his end to make sure we understood what it meant to Drew and the Indigenous community.
"Every opportunity we get to wear the Indigenous culture patterns on our shirt, it's always a privilege and an honour."
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
