KEY POINTS:
Wellington needed a storming individual display from star wing Hosea Gear to see off Southland and book their place in next weekend's national championship final.
Wellington will host that final thanks to Gear tries at the start of the first half and the end of the second but in between they were given a fearful fright by Southland.
Stags second five-eighths Jason Kawau was a late scratching with a shoulder injury and they suffered further disruption just eight minutes in when centre Matt Saunders departed with a dislocated elbow.
With Southland down to 14 men as Saunders sought treatment, Wellington pounced, Gear carving through and angling his run to the corner to score. The try, his 13th for the season, eclipsed Bernie Fraser's 1981 record for tries in a season for Wellington.
Blair Stewart had opened the scoring for Southland with an early penalty but, when Ma'a Nonu sliced through with his first touch, it seemed more Wellington tries would quickly follow.
Southland snuffed out that move and Willie Rickards, on for Saunders, made a break that put Wellington under pressure for the first time.
But Rickards' impact was short-lived as he was sin-binned soon after when referee Steve Walsh lost patience with the southerners' persistent attempts to slow the ball down in the rucks.
Southland skated close to dropping another man when prop Chris King took Cory Jane out with a late shoulder charge but the damage was limited to a Piri Weepu penalty.
The visitors had shown enough with ball in hand to suggest they could trouble a Wellington defence that has been shaky in recent weeks. But, for much of the half they were content to kick for territory through halfback Jimmy Cowan.
Referee Steve Walsh was forced to retire with a lower leg injury and the first act of his replacement Kelvin Deaker was to award Southland a penalty on halfway. Stewart pushed his shot wide but Weepu was on the mark two minutes before the break to stretch Wellington's lead to 11-3.
Stewart hit back with a penalty shortly after the restart and Southland survived a close call when Chris Masoe's heal hit the line as he dove over in the corner after a sustained Wellington build-up.
Southland got back in it through an inch-perfect Stewart cross kick that was gathered by Dion Bates and fed inside to Pehi Te Whare for a superbly-executed try.
Stewart's conversion miss left the scores tied but he put them in front with a 40m penalty just two minutes later.
Wellington had plenty of time to turn things around but they looked seriously rattled as their line-out imploded and Southland began to get the better of them at scrum time.
Gear got over between the posts from short range only to be held up but moments later he scored.
He then turned provider, popping a pass to Conrad Smith for a try that sealed victory. Matt Holloway crossed for a late Southland try.
Wellington 28 (Hosea Gear 2, Conrad Smith tries; Piri Weepu 3 pen, 2 con)
Southland 19 (Pehi Te Whare, Matt Holloway tries; Blair Stewart 3 pen).
HT: 11-3.
