The Waratahs are 2024 Super Rugby Women's champions for a fifth time after putting the Fijian Drua to the sword at Ballymore.
Wing duo Desiree Miller and Maya Stewart scored five tries between them while Wallaroo trio Piper Duck, Atasi Lafai and Georgina Friedrichs were outstanding in sky blue.
Read our rugby.com.au Super Rugby Women's final match report here.
The Drua fought back to within three points shortly after half time but were crippled by ill-discipline with four yellow cards (two of which produced a red to flyhalf Jeniffer Ravutia) proving costly as the Tahs stormed home 50-14.
Here's what we learnt:
It’s been a hell of a ride for the Drua these past two years but it would’ve been a travesty for NSW to miss out on the title this year.
The Tahs racked up an incredible +136 for-and-against record during their unbeaten regular season before putting ACT to the sword 47-27 in a home semi-final last week.
Fiji scrapped hard to reel in 17-14 shortly after half-time but couldn't handle the minor premiers' firepower in a second-half blitz.
The win ends two years of heart-ache for NSW at the Drua's hands following a grand final loss in 2022 and semi final knockout in 2023.
Desiree Miller and Maya Stewart should each have an arm through a gold jersey after producing another match winning turn on the Waratah wings.
Despite receiving a yellow card and conceding a penalty try, Miller’s hat-trick haul capped a stellar season in sky blue with her second try leaving Aletaite Buna eating Ballymore dust.
Stewart’s performance was again exceptional, scoring two tries and threatening with every carry, but neither could’ve been unlocked without a strong showing from halves Layne Morgan and Arabella McKenzie.
Special mention to Georgina Friedrichs, who again stood tall in the #13 jersey with four linebreaks and a try - absolute weapon.
It was a whole squad effort from the Waratahs pack to topple their Fijian foes but Piper Duck and Atasi Lafai deserve special mention.
Duck was devastating with ball in hand and never stopped tackling, including two clutch defensive plays while the Tahs were reduced to 14 women, while try-scorer and Lafai (who was later awarded best on ground by Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp) carried with venom all afternoon.
They were the difference against a vaunted Drua pack spearheaded by skipper Karalaina Naisewa.
Bri Hoy also gets a shoutout after earning two scrum penalties and getting through a mountain of work in a 65-minute stint at loosehead prop.
Take nothing away from the Tahs but Fiji were so often their own worst enemies on Sunday afternoon.
After fighting their way back to trail by just three points, the Drua conceded three second-half yellow cards and were constantly understaffed out wide.
Adita Milinia’s penalty try and card in the 51st minute was closely followed by Jeniffer Ravutia’s high shot as the Tahs piled on three tries in a five-minute blitz, which opened the floodgates.
Any concerns about a no-show crowd in neutral territory were smashed by a sensational turnout to Brisbane’s home of rugby.
Official numbers put the crowd at 2522 but it sounded more like 5000 with the horde of Fijian fans putting their voice to good use.
A healthy turnout of NSW fans smattered along the Paul McLean stand soon found theirs as the clock ticked down to a drought-breaking Tahs title.
