Sam Carter has played his last game in Canberra but not in Brumbies colours after the ACT side defeated the Sharks in their quarter-final on Saturday night to advance to their first Super Rugby semi-final since 2015.
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A brilliant first half set the 38-13 win up, the Brumbies setting the tone in the opening minute of the game when back-rower Pete Samu received an inside ball from lock Rory Arnold and raced away 35 metres to score.
The Brumbies were on the back foot for a lot of the second half, the Sharks' enjoying 83 per cent of the possession in the first 31 minutes, and were given a scare when the South African side cut the deficit to 11 points midway through the second half.
But they dug deep, Joe Powell dummying from the ruck and scorching the Sharks defence with just under 10 minutes remaining to all but seal the victory. His replacement Matt Lucas finished the job in the final minute as the Brumbies recorded a club record seventh straight win in a season.
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Carter had said heading into the game it felt like they were "just getting rolling", and spoke about how they are working hard for each other.
Saturday night was a perfect example of that as skipper Christian Lealiifano touched on afterwards.
"I'm really proud of the boys. The Sharks threw a lot at us and the way the boys kept digging deep for each other was special," Lealiifano said.
Just over 11,000 fans - the Brumbies' second biggest crowd of the season - braved subzero temperatures to watch their side set up a semi-final match up with the Jaguares in Argentina on Saturday morning AEST, many staying on after the siren to farewell Carter and his fellow departing team-mates.
The Quirindi product is headed to Ireland at the end of the season to play for Ulster.
