Cumbria are through to Twickenham and the final of the Gill Burns County Women’s Championship.
The Cumbrians scored a dramatic and nail-biting 24-22 victory over Essex in Harlow to book their place in the June 16 final.
They will play Devon, who won their match against Sussex 44-19.
Delighted coach Ally Ratcliffe said: “It really was tight throughout but we asserted control at the right time.
“We were 17-17 at one point with about 10 minutes left, and that would have been good enough to take us through because we were the away team.
“But we scored a fourth try four minutes from time which was converted, and they then threw the kitchen sink at us.
“They scored late on in the corner and missed the conversion.
“They then won a penalty but instead of going for goal they tapped and made a mess of it with the ball spilled, with the final whistle them sounding.
“We went mental after that because it was a great achievement to go all the way there and beat a side who had won their previous two games as we had.”
Keswick speedster Lily Hodgson was the heroine with a hat-trick of tries while Carlisle’s Kim Fitzmaurice also got over the Essex line.
Lucy Branthwaite, of Upper Eden, landed two conversions, one from the touchline.
