The Brumbies have comprehensively beaten the Highlanders 31-3 in the Super 14 penultimate round at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
Importantly for the Brumbies, they kept their season alive by earning a vital bonus point when flyhalf Matt Toomua dived over with just over a minute on the clock.
The Brumbies showed their desire for the bonus point early, opting for a kick for touch when they were awarded an early penalty.
It paid off eventually, Rocky Elsom taking a line out deep in his attacking half, coming to the ground and pivoting and turning his way over in the 11th minute.
Four minutes later the Brumbies struck again, captain Stephen Hoiles broke the line to get his side forward. It lead to a ruck metres from the Highlanders' line and Salesi Ma'afu picked the ball up from the back and dived with his arm outstretched. Brumbies 14-0.
The Highlanders started to get back in to the game with Ben Smith showing toe on the right wing which led to Josh Bekhuis coming millimetres from scoring, put into touch by an Adam Ashley-Cooper try-saving tackle.
Minutes later they should have gone over, Bekhuis knocked it on when he had Fetu'u Vainikolo loose on the wing.
After 10 minutes defending, the Brumbies finally had some respite when Valentine gained 40 metres with a long kick into touch and Giteau kicked a penalty with five left in the half.
But they ended up giving away a penalty of their own on the half time siren and Israel Dagg converted.
The Highlanders started the second half with some flair, a Bekhuis chip was gathered by James Paterson centimetres from the touchline but in full flight he could only pass forward.
But it was the Brumbies who scored first, Toomua creating something out of nothing, stepping his way through the Highlanders' defence, passing to Ben Alexander who found Giteau who was tackled a metre out but popped up a pass to Valentine to score.
To make matters worse for the Highlanders they lost Dagg to the bin nine minutes in to the half. Moments later Stephen Moore went on a rampaging run to seemingly score a magnificent try, only to be called back for a penalty.
The Brumbies failed to capitalise on Dagg's absence, neither team scored in the 10 minutes and when he came back the Highlanders were near their try line.
With 15 minutes to go the Brumbies wasted a golden opportunity to score their much-needed bonus point, Hoiles knocking it forward off a scrum five metres from the line.
Alexander was again in the thick of it, first he was held up over the line and in the next set he was penalised for a double movement when he came agonisingly close to scoring.
In the last 10 the Brumbies pressed forward in attack but just couldn't seal the deal, Pat McCabe was taken into touch metres out from the line and then Tyrone Smith lost the ball forward five metres out.
After plenty of nervous moments it was Toomua who was the hero, barging his way over out wide.
Brumbies 31
Tries: Elsom, Ma'afu, Valentine, Toomua
Con: Giteau 4/4
Pen: Giteau 1/1
Highlanders 3
Pen: Dagg 1/1
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