Tasman will face Canterbury in next weekend's Mitre 10 Cup final after stunning regular-season winners Taranaki 30-29 at Yarrow Stadium.
The game will take place in Christchurch following Canterbury's victory over North Harbour in the other semi-final played earlier on Saturday.
The Yarrow Stadium fixture was 17-17 at the break after an entertaining first half that swung one way then the next in terms of dominance.
The Makos struck first with two Mitchell Hunt penalties but Marty McKenzie hit back with one before a third from Hunt made it a 9-3 buffer.
Taranaki though then crossed via a good finish from Declan O'Donnell down the right wing before inside centre Charlie Ngatai's crossing on 34 minutes put the hosts into a handsome 17-9 advantage. Tasman though responded through Tima Faingaanuku and Hunt's boot to level.
After the break the Makos started brightly with a breakout try seeing Hunt finish off before he also added a penalty goal to his conversion.
27-17 became 27-24 though when Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi crossed from a short carry on 53 minutes for Taranaki, setting up a grandstand finish.
When the powerful Seta Tamanivalu finished off down the left sideline, suddenly the 'Naki had their noses in front. But Tasman re-took the lead with a Hunt penalty on 65 minutes after a scrum offence. That made it 30-29 to the Makos, who did enough to hold on for the away win.
The scorers:
For Taranaki:
Tries: O'Donnell, Ngatai, Tahuriorangi, Tamanivalu
Cons: McKenzie 3
Pen: McKenzie
Yellow Card: Tamanivalu
For Tasman:
Tries: Faingaanuku, Hunt
Con: Hunt
Pens: Hunt 6
Taranaki: 15 Marty McKenzie, 14 Declan O'Donnell, 13 Sean Wainui, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Seta Tamanivalu, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 6 Pita Sowakula, 5 Leon Power, 4 Kane Thompson, 3 Angus Ta'avao, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Mitchell Graham
Replacements: 16 Donald Maka, 17 Jared Proffit, 18 Reuben O'Neill, 19 Fin Hoeata, 20 Adrian Wyrill, 21 Kylem O'Donnell, 22 Johnny Fa'auli, 23 Jackson Ormond
Tasman: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Tima Faingaanuku, 13 Levi Aumua, 12 Alex Nankiville, 11 James Lowe, 10 Mitchell Hunt, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Jordan Taufua, 7 Pete Samu, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Shannon Frizell, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Andrew Makalio, 1 Tim Perry
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Tom Hill, 18 Siosiua Halanukonuka, 19 Vernon Fredericks, 20 Braden Stewart, 21 Benjamin Finau, 22 Timothy O'Malley, 23 Trael Joass
Referee: Nick Briant
Assistant referees: Jamie Nutbrown, Jamie Bell
TMO: Aaron Paterson
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