Bay of Plenty have booked their place in the final four of the National Provincial Championship with a 34-27 over Waikato at Hamilton.
The Steamers advance to face Canterbury at Christchurch on Saturday, where a spot in the final will be at stake. In the first semi-final, Auckland take on Wellington in the capital on Friday.
Anton Lienert-Brown got through 46 minutes of encouraging work in his long-awaited return from injury, which will be hugely reassuring to the All Blacks selectors, who named him in their squad for next month's northern tour just minutes after the game ended.
Unfortunately for Waikato and their supporters, many of his teammates failed to match that energy through a lacklustre second half, when the Steamers - bolstered by some brilliant performances off their bench - took control of the match to streak home comfortably.
Laghlan McWhannell's first-half brace of tries saw the hosts take a 14-10 lead into the halftime interval.
A trio of penalties to sure-footed substitute Wharenui Hawera to open the second half helped the visitors edge back in front with just over 20 minutes to play.
Damian McKenzie's penalty put Waikato's nose back in front entering the final 10 minutes, until the Steamers seized the momentum with a pair of spectacular long-range tries.
Superb flanker Naitoa Ah Kuoi crossed for his second try, after a break by Lalomilo Lalomilo, closely followed by another to wing Leroy Carter.
With ice in his veins, Hawera drove the final nail into the Waikato coffin with a long-range penalty, as Waikato ran in a late consolation try.
Bay of Plenty 34 (Ah Kuoi 2 7 Carter tries; Trask conversion & penalty, Hawera conversion & 4 penalties) Waikato 27 (McWhannell 2 & Sullivan tries; McKenzie 2 conversions & 2 penalties, Lam conversion)
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