NSW Waratahs must travel to their Eden Park bogey ground in Auckland to meet the Blues in the first week of the Super Rugby finals, after finishing fifth on the ladder.
The Waratahs (57 points) qualified for next Friday’s game after recording a 41-7 bonus-point win over domestic rival the Brumbies at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.
That left them level on points with the Sharks, but New South Wales secured fifth on a superior points for and against differential.
The Waratahs have an atrocious record at Eden Park, where they lost 31-17 in mid-April and have won just once, in 2009, in just over 80 years.
New Zealand will also host the other qualifier; the third-placed Crusaders (61) playing the sixth-placed Sharks in Nelson on Saturday.
The Sharks clinched sixth spot with a 26-23 victory over the defending champion Bulls (54), who they eliminated in a thrilling winner-take-all South African derby in Pretoria.
The Crusaders, who topped the New Zealand conference, beat the Sharks 44-28 at Twickenham in England in their regular season clash.
Queensland (66), who clinched top spot with a 19-11 win over the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday, will have a bye in the first week of finals along with the South African conference winners and overall second-placed Stormers (63).
A 44-34 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in the competition’s last regular season game enabled the Stormers to leapfrog the Crusaders.
In the semi-finals, the Reds will host a game against the lowest ranked qualifier in Brisbane on July 2, while the Stormers will stage the other semi against the highest ranked qualifier early on July 3.
Jerry
Guest
That was specifically meant for Kovana - he's pretty open about the fact he simply doesn't like NZ rugby. As to the 'man up' comment - how about you grow up? Aussies whinged about every ref in every test of that 10 match losings streak. Does the name "Kaplan" have any meaning to a Wallaby fan?
Rugby Diehard
Guest
Mate - no one's bagging Kiwis, just the fact that you and a number of other posters to this site can't take losing without making incessant complaints about ref decisions as though kiwi teams are the only ones who ever cop a bad call. I'm with Kovana - man up.
Jerry
Guest
And you were being a prize idiot and blindly siding against NZ well before anyone had even considered conferences in Super Rugby.
brendo
Guest
OK... but you know, Brad Thorn WAS an Australian rugby league rep, and Quade was a 12 year old kid. Saying that, the idea that the saders should be punished for developing AND attracting the best is nuts, but I can only assume that's why Johnny-boy posted it!
kovana
Guest
Just remember that its the Kiwis who whined first about 'weak conferences' jerry. Man up.. You play whats in front of you. Dont look for excuses.
Wal The Hooker
Guest
The Tahs to win the comp too easy
Wal The Hooker
Guest
Isn't that Manly JB! hmm think you need to pull your head in mate and do some research... BTW the Reds are the best team on the planet at the mo IMO...
Wal The Hooker
Guest
The Saders have no chance and are bloody useless actually and so are the Blues, no chance at all. Here's to the Reds because they deserve it and if the Stormers are in the in the mix they may cause an upset, maybe just. If the Tahs go to Brissy they'll probably give the Reds a good stoush.... Reds No 1 no way anybody can beat them. That's been the season get over it.
Jack Petro
Guest
Sorry Damo - I've read the previous threads and understand where you're coming from ... unfortunately, BOREDs are the same wherever you go, although I think in NSW it has been very closed without a thought for "the good of the game" - i.e. "grassroots rugby". Therefore, I do hope that supporters such as yourself don't walk away from a team that has showed it deserves it's place in the Sydney sports-culture and, I think, from the 28,000 or so at ANZ that there is a little more respect for the team. Let's hope so!
Rugby Diehard
Guest
Sorry JB - I understand your point but I feel you gotta win the cup in rugby - soccer she ain't - I love the fact that you've still got to be able to get up for one last magic performance to take the title. And I am a Reds fan.
Cattledog
Guest
There's lies, damn lies and statistics. Get off your high horse and accept where we are at present. It's now boring.
ralph
Guest
Seems your dislike of the SA referee is clouding your view. The Kaplan incident was as a result of the assistant referee not his. You should re-frame your comment to reflect the truth a bit more, instead you seem intent on fanning the flames of miss-truth. The sad fact is that all referees have made some risky discussions this year, from all 3 unions. Perhaps the association needs to include for additional processes to take care of this. Or maybe you should get behind the whistle for a while and then comment.
johnny-boy
Guest
Somebody's gotta say it - and it depends how much beer you've had
katzilla
Roar Guru
"Auckland ain’t special and it’s just across the ditch. The beer’s good and the women are beautiful." Wrong on 2/4 points there pal. Yes it is just across the ditch and it aint special.
p.Tah
Guest
That’s one thing about Burger that floors me. He looks like a bad guy from a James Bond movie and I expected him to be a monosyllabic Neanderthal, but he is well spoken and courteous in all post match interviews.
p.Tah
Guest
that's what they said on Fox.
Bayboy
Guest
I think you will find that McCaw, Carter and many other Crusaders did allude to the poor officiating in the NZ media post match. So don';t even try and play the sportsman card Diehard. It is a known fact that had he said something post match he would have been heavily fined.
Bayboy
Guest
They did manage to get a road win however the Tahs did not nor did the Brumbies, Correct me if I am wrong but are the Brumbies and Waratahs the only teams who did not win outside their country this year during pool play?
Jerry
Guest
Not so sure about Genia's sportsmanship. While he may well be humble in post match interviews (I've no idea, I can't recall any he's done msyelf) I've seen him completely lose it on the pitch when things aren't going his way. He's also a prime offender when it comes to that dick move of mock congratulating an opponent who's conceded a penalty (that's just a personal bugbear of mine).
Cattledog
Guest
Well put, Diehard. You're so right, some just don't get it.