As it happened: Waratahs v Crusaders

Fairytale endings are just that. For story books and bedtime, not the brutal cut and thrust of real life, let alone the rugby pitch.

But the Waratahs have ignored every convention of rugby and real life for six brilliant months and on Saturday night, in front of a 61,800 Super Rugby record crowd, snapped a decade-long losing streak to the most successful province in SANZAR history to claim a maiden title and banish the ghosts of cynicism in Sydney and NSW.

An Adam Ashley-Cooper double and a cold-as-ice penalty goal from five-eighth Bernard Foley with a minute left sealed the win, but only after a bone-crunching, blow-by-blow battle with the seven-time champions.