Watch: Controversy in the most bizarre way to win a game you'll ever see

Referee Ben O'Keeffe pinged Crusaders lock Quinten Strange for batting a ball dead after Noah Lolesio's penalty attempt cannoned off the upright, awarding the Brumbies a match-winning penalty try at the death.

The 31-24 win boosts the Brumbies' hopes of a top-two finish and leaves the Crusaders' Super Rugby Pacific finals ambitions hanging by a thread after the thriller in front of 8232 fans on Saturday afternoon.

Penney was left "shattered" but offered no comment on the game-deciding call, while Larkham was adamant the decision was correct with Tom Wright and Harrison Goddard charging through in pursuit of the ball.

"Legitimate penalty try. Wrighty was about to grab that," Larkham said. "That's sustained pressure, isn't it? We'd been down there four times in the last 10 minutes of the game trying to get some points."

Not since George Smith and Stirling Mortlock were running around in 2009 had the Brumbies tasted victory against the Canterbury powerhouse, who have reigned supreme in their past 12 meetings.

And they might not have broken the drought without scrumhalf Goddard chasing Lolesio's penalty attempt from the moment it left the tee.

"Godders just being in the moment there and chasing that kick, no one knows it's going to hit the post. You just need to have a crack and chase that," Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa said. "It puts us in the position to win that game."

You might as well have thrown the form guide out the window on your way down Battye Street, where one Brumbies fan was hammering a sign into the ground declaring "Canberra deserves a new stadium".

Because the Crusaders had everything to play for - and they dominated the Brumbies at scrum time to prove it.

The Crusaders pack sent their counterparts reeling backwards, and Sevu Reece split the defence for what looked to be a superb long-range try - only for it to be called back for a forward pass.

How the visitors would have loved to have that moment over again.

Because quicker than anyone could get a pie and find their seat again, the Brumbies had two tries on the board through Andy Muirhead and Tom Wright.

Wright's second minutes before half-time gave the Brumbies some breathing room and left Penney concocting his answer to Al Pacino's Any Given Sunday speech in a bid to put his side back on the edge of the top eight.

Whatever he mustered struck a chord, because the Crusaders looked destined to at least send the match into extra time before Strange was given a yellow card at the death and the Brumbies were awarded the decisive penalty try.

"It's pretty heartbreaking, mate. To go out like that and give ourselves a crack to draw, let alone win the game, it's tough," Crusaders captain Codie Taylor said.

"We'll get around Quin, he'll be feeling it himself. Love the guy, he puts his body on the line every week. He'll get on with his work. He's been pretty awesome this season and we need more of that next week."

AT A GLANCE

Super Rugby Pacific round 13: ACT BRUMBIES 31 (Tom Wright 2, Andy Muirhead, Rob Valetini, Penalty Try tries; Noah Lolesio 2 conversions) bt CRUSADERS 24 (Johnny McNicholl, Sevu Reece, Noah Hotham tries; Fergus Burke 3 conversions; Chay Fihaki penalty) at Canberra Stadium. Crowd: 8232.