Super Rugby Pacific: How playoffs picture unfolds during regular season final round

Over the next three days, Super Rugby Pacific playoff match-ups will be decided across the regular season's final round.

We already know one post-season fixture will see the Chiefs host Queensland Reds - those two cannot improve their fates this weekend.

On Friday, the champion Crusaders can put a season of disappointment behind them against Moana Pasifika at Christchurch. 

Here's how results over the next 48 hours affect the standings...

Latest standings

1st Blues 51 points (points difference +241)

2nd Hurricanes 51 points (points difference +172)

3rd ACT Brumbies 48 points

4th Chiefs 43 points

5th Queensland Reds 36 points

6th Highlanders 28 points

7th Melbourne Rebels 26 points

8th Fijian Drua 21 points

9th Western Force 19 points (four wins)

10th Crusaders 19 points (three wins)

11th Moana Pasifika 18 points

12th NSW Waratahs 12 points

Friday, May 31

7pm Crusaders v Moana Pasifika

Both these teams lurk just outside the top eight and can enter the playoffs, albeit temporarily, with victory at Christchurch.

Just as importantly, they need Melbourne Rebels to topple Fijian Drua at Lautoka on Saturday.

TAB Odds: Crusaders $1.02, Moana Pasifika $12

 

9:30pm NSW Waratahs v Queensland Reds

Undoubtedly the least significant fixture of the weekend, with the Waratahs already doomed to finish bottom of the table and the Reds locked into a road quarter-final against the Chiefs.

TAB Odds: Reds $1.27, Waratahs $3.50

Saturday, June 1

2pm Fijian Drua v Melbourne Rebels

Drua need to win to secure their playoff position - they could conceivably still progress on points difference, if they lose with a bonus point, Western Force lose and Moana Pasifika win without a bonus point against the Crusaders.

If they win with a bonus point, they would also leapfrog the Rebels into seventh.

A Rebels win - a long shot at Lautoka - could see they leapfrog the Highlanders in the standings and opens up the final playoff spot for the pursuing teams.

TAB Odds: Drua $1.20, Rebels $4.20

 

4:30pm Hurricanes v Highlanders

The Hurricanes can take top spot on the table, but must hope the Blues can't at least match whatever result they produce against the southerners. Defeat could see them caught and passed by the Brumbies, slipping to third.

Victory wouldn't help the southerners improve their lot, but it would defend their position against the Rebels. 

TAB Odds: Hurricanes $1.04, Highlanders $9

7pm Blues v Chiefs

Blues can secure top sport by matching the Hurricanes result earlier in the afternoon, but defeat could see them passed by the Brumbies too.

The Chiefs are locked into a home quarter-final against the Reds, so they can only play spoilers at this stage.

TAB Odds: Blues $1.45, Chiefs $2.60

 

9:30pm Western Force v ACT Brumbies

The Force can sneak into the playoffs with a win, depending on the outcomes of Crusaders v Moana Pasifika and Drua v Rebels.

The Brumbies can finish atop the standings, if the Blues and Hurricanes both stumble at the last hurdle.

TAB Odds: Brumbies $1.50, Force $2.50

 

Join Newshub next weekend for live updates of the NZ Super Rugby Pacific fixtures

Over the next three days, Super Rugby Pacific playoff match-ups will be decided across the regular season's final round.

We already know one post-season fixture will see the Chiefs host Queensland Reds - those two cannot improve their fates this weekend.

On Friday, the champion Crusaders can put a season of disappointment behind them against Moana Pasifika at Christchurch. 

Here's how results over the next 48 hours affect the standings...

Latest standings

1st Blues 51 points (points difference +241)

2nd Hurricanes 51 points (points difference +172)

3rd ACT Brumbies 48 points

4th Chiefs 43 points

5th Queensland Reds 36 points

6th Highlanders 28 points

7th Melbourne Rebels 26 points

8th Fijian Drua 21 points

9th Western Force 19 points (four wins)

10th Crusaders 19 points (three wins)

11th Moana Pasifika 18 points

12th NSW Waratahs 12 points

Friday, May 31

7pm Crusaders v Moana Pasifika

Both these teams lurk just outside the top eight and can enter the playoffs, albeit temporarily, with victory at Christchurch.

Just as importantly, they need Melbourne Rebels to topple Fijian Drua at Lautoka on Saturday.

TAB Odds: Crusaders $1.02, Moana Pasifika $12

 

9:30pm NSW Waratahs v Queensland Reds

Undoubtedly the least significant fixture of the weekend, with the Waratahs already doomed to finish bottom of the table and the Reds locked into a road quarter-final against the Chiefs.

TAB Odds: Reds $1.27, Waratahs $3.50

Saturday, June 1

2pm Fijian Drua v Melbourne Rebels

Drua need to win to secure their playoff position - they could conceivably still progress on points difference, if they lose with a bonus point, Western Force lose and Moana Pasifika win without a bonus point against the Crusaders.

If they win with a bonus point, they would also leapfrog the Rebels into seventh.

A Rebels win - a long shot at Lautoka - could see they leapfrog the Highlanders in the standings and opens up the final playoff spot for the pursuing teams.

TAB Odds: Drua $1.20, Rebels $4.20

 

4:30pm Hurricanes v Highlanders

The Hurricanes can take top spot on the table, but must hope the Blues can't at least match whatever result they produce against the southerners. Defeat could see them caught and passed by the Brumbies, slipping to third.

Victory wouldn't help the southerners improve their lot, but it would defend their position against the Rebels. 

TAB Odds: Hurricanes $1.04, Highlanders $9

7pm Blues v Chiefs

Blues can secure top sport by matching the Hurricanes result earlier in the afternoon, but defeat could see them passed by the Brumbies too.

The Chiefs are locked into a home quarter-final against the Reds, so they can only play spoilers at this stage.

TAB Odds: Blues $1.45, Chiefs $2.60

 

9:30pm Western Force v ACT Brumbies

The Force can sneak into the playoffs with a win, depending on the outcomes of Crusaders v Moana Pasifika and Drua v Rebels.

The Brumbies can finish atop the standings, if the Blues and Hurricanes both stumble at the last hurdle.

TAB Odds: Brumbies $1.50, Force $2.50

 

Join Newshub next weekend for live updates of the NZ Super Rugby Pacific fixtures

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