THE Queensland Reds are one game away from becoming one of Australian   sport’s great redemption stories after securing a home Super Rugby grand  final  with victory against the Auckland Blues.

It all came together on the night for Ewen McKenzie’s men as they  outclassed  the Blues  at Suncorp Stadium, setting up the franchise’s  first appearance in a  Super Rugby decider next Saturday that will top  off a mammoth week of football  in the Queensland capital.

Queensland will play either the Crusaders or Stormers, who played overnight  in Cape Town.

The Blues asked some questions, scoring just before half-time to trail  15-7  at the break. But the mesmerising Quade Cooper had more than enough  answers,  spinning a tale of magic as he set up two tries and made up  for an ordinary  night with the boot (three from seven).

It was a Cooper masterclass and backed up McKenzie’s belief that the  bigger  the stage, the bigger the show. The performance  should have  Wallabies fans  licking their lips in anticipation of the World Cup.

“I’m not going to take a lot of coaching credit. It’s pure Quade,”  McKenzie  said. “I’m still trying to work out how he set up [Ben]  Tapuai’s try. He was  everywhere. The bigger the stage, the more he likes  it.”

Winger Rod Davies showed no signs of his hamstring injury, burning the  Blues  with scorching pace to score the first hat-trick for the Reds in  the Super  Rugby era and doing his World Cup prospects no harm.

Burly centre Tapuai scored the other try for the Reds, capitalising on a   piece of Cooper genius in the 31st minute after the Reds playmaker made  a  mockery of Lachie Munro’s defence before breaking down the sideline  and finding  support inside.

The win is a massive tonic for a code that was almost dead and buried in   Queensland. Now it will share centre stage this week with a State of  Origin  decider being dubbed the biggest game in the history of the  interstate  series.

Reds captain James Horwill said the emotions would be kept under control   this  week but conceded it would be a moment of enormous pride to lead  his side  out next Saturday night. “You dream about it,” he said. ”It’s  something  that’s exciting. There’s a job to be done. We have to keep a  lid on it but I’m  looking forward to it already.

“You’ve seen the group put in the effort. We had some darker days and a  lot  of this group was a part of it. To see the organisation as a whole,  to get to a  home grand final, is a massive achievement. But the last  hurdle is the biggest  one.”

McKenzie has been at the helm of the Reds’ turnaround and might find  himself  being sized up for a statue outside the ground if he can get his  side over the  line at the weekend.

The former Waratahs coach has become a cult hero north of the border and    has been a driving force in lifting rugby from the doldrums.

“It’s massive,” he said. ”To have a big crowd tonight and another next   week.  It’s all good for Queensland. These events are great for the  fans.”

Even better news for McKenzie was the fact his side made it through   unscathed. Big No.8 Radike Samo came off with what seemed a neck injury  in the  first half but McKenzie said it was a simple head knock which  would clear up in  time.

REDS 30 (Rod Davies 3, Ben Tapuai tries Quade  Cooper 2 cons pen drop goal) bt

BLUES 13 (Chris Lowrey try  Stephen Brett con Luke McAlister 2 pens)

Suncorp Stadium.

Referee: Jonathan  Kaplan.

Crowd: 44,940.