The defending champion Crusaders clinched the Super 14 minor premiership and dealt a potentially fatal blow to the Brumbies' semi-final hopes with a 33-3 win in the key match at Jade Stadium.

The Crusaders took until the 72nd minute to breach the Brumbies line but ended up running out three-try winners to skip an unassailable eight competition points clear of the NSW Waratahs, who play their final-round match on Saturday night against the Hurricanes.

The Waratahs and Hurricanes are now assured of clashing again in next Saturday's second sudden-death semi-final, with the victors at Aussie Stadium to gain the all-important home-ground advantage.

The Brumbies, though, may live to rue conceding three tries in the final nine minutes and will have a nervous wait to learn whether or not they qualify for the semi-finals for the fifth time in six years.

South African teams the Sharks and the Bulls both have the opportunity to steal fourth spot with bonus-point victories over the weekend.

The fifth-placed Sharks host the last-placed Western Force early Saturday morning (AEST) in Durban and need to score at least four tries and win by 10 points or more to overtake the Brumbies.

The sixth-placed Bulls meet the 10th-placed Stormers in Cape Town early Sunday morning (AEST) and can also leapfrog the Brumbies with a victory by 26 points or more.

After clinging to a 12-3 lead until the 72nd minute, the Crusaders ran away with the match with a flurry of late tries to replacement forwards Corey Flynn, Cameron Johnstone and Tanerau Latimer, all of which five-eighth Dan Carter converted.

With the last semi-final berth likely to go down to points differential, the Brumbies may well be cursing themselves for lapsing late after defending so gallantly against the competition's most potent attacking side for the bulk of the match.

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