Brumbies & Highlanders get play-offs underway
After 17 rounds and 135 matches of the regular season the quarterfinalists for the 2016 Super Rugby tournament have been determined.
The four conference winners will host the four wildcard teams in the quarterfinals.
The Hurricanes won the hotly contested battle of the New Zealand Conference to finish as conference winner and the tournament's top seed – to secure its home quarterfinal.
The Hurricanes beat the Crusaders 35-10 in Christchurch, while the Highlanders beat the Chiefs 25-15 in Dunedin.
Despite the Lions' 22-34 loss in Buenos Aires to the Jaguares they finished top of South Africa Two conference – to qualify as the tournament's second seed.
The Stormers finished as South Africa One conference winners after beating the Kings 52-24 in Cape Town and enter the quarterfinals as third seed.
The Australian Conference winner is the Brumbies, who beat the Western Force in Canberra 24-10 to qualify as fourth seed, meaning the Waratahs missed out on quarterfinal qualification.
The wild card quarterfinalists are three teams from the Australasia Group – the Highlanders, Chiefs and Crusaders – and the Sharks from South Africa Two, who beat to the Sunwolves 40-29 to claim the one wild card spot from the South Africa Group.
Super Rugby quarterfinal draw:
Friday, July 22:
Brumbies [4] v Highlanders [5] – GIO Stadium, Canberra (18.00 AEST; 20.00 NZ time; 08.00 GMT)
Saturday, July 23:
Hurricanes [1] v Sharks [8] – Westpac Stadium, Wellington (19.35 NZ time; 09.35 SA time; 07.35 GMT)
Lions [2] v Crusaders [7] – Ellis Park, Johannesburg (16.30 SA time; 14.30 GMT; 02.30, Sunday, July 24 NZ time)
Stormers [3] v Chiefs 6] – Newlands, Cape Town (19.00 SA time; 17.00 GMT); 05.00, Sunday, July 24 NZ time)
The semifinals will be determined by the results of the quarterfinals.
The highest seeded winner will play the lowest seeded winner; the second highest seeded winner will play the second lowest seeded winner.
The two highest seeds will host semifinal matches.
