Rod Davies and Quade Cooper will get the accolades for propelling the Reds into the Super Rugby Final, but it was defence that won the day.

Reds' skipper James Horwill said. the pressure created through defence is what set up the scoring opportunities in their convincing 30-13 win over the Blues in Brisbane on Saturday.

Horwill said it was a "great thrill" to know they will play in the Final, at the same venue, next week.

"It is reward for the great effort the boys had put in [throughout the season]," the Reds' captain said.

"We have one more game to go, but we are really please with the effort [in this game]."

Asked about the team's second-half effort - after leading 15-7 at the half-time break, they raced clear in a dominant second 40 - he pointed to a great defensive effort.

"We knew our conditioning was good for this game and the week off [in last week's qualifying round] probably proved beneficial," Horwill said.

"We just had to back our defence and that is where we got points in the first half ... through the pressure that our defence in was putting on.

"We went back to that in the second half and came away with some good points."

Asked about the team's set pieces, which had come in for criticism in the past, Horwill said he was happy.

"We weren't too happy with out line-out, we probably let a couple of opportunities slip. But overall we are pretty happy - the scrum held up pretty well."

Asked about next week's Final in Brisbane, the Reds captain said they will stick to their tried and trusted approach.

"The excitement is there and it was certainly there this week, but we are not going to go away from what has worked for us all year.

"We are going to control that emotion, to build towards playing the Final here next Saturday," the Reds' skipper said.