The fixtures for the 2017 Super Rugby quarter-finals have been officially confirmed, and are as follows.
Friday July 21
QF4 – Brumbies vs Hurricanes, GIO Stadium, 7:45pm AEST
Saturday July 22
QF2 – Crusaders vs Highlanders, AMI Stadium, 5:35pm AEST
QF1 – Lions vs Sharks, Emirates Airlines Park, 10:30pm AEST
Sunday July 23
QF3 – Stormers vs Chiefs, DHL Newlands, 1am AEST
The Brumbies will try to become the first Australian team to defeat a New Zealand team this season when they host the Hurricanes on Friday night.
It doesn’t seem likely though – despite being made to travel due to the conference system, the ‘Canes are short-priced $1.26 favourites.
Just a week after copping their first Super Rugby loss of the year the Crusaders will find themselves in an all-New Zealand tussle with the Highlanders.
Meanwhile the Lions, who have finished as first seed thanks to the Saders’ stumble, are heavy favourites to do away with the Sharks.
The fixture will actually mean those two sides meet twice in two weeks – the Lions defeated the Sharks 27-10 on Sunday to close out their season.
Lastly, the Chiefs go in as narrow favourites against the Stormers, but will have to overcome the travel factor to get a win.
The winner of QF1 (Lions vs Sharks) will play the winner of QF4 (Brumbies vs Hurricanes) in the semi-finals, and the winner of QF2 (Crusaders vs Highlanders) will play the winner of QF3 (Stormers vs Chiefs), with the highest-ranked team to host in both matches.
The winners of the semis will then play off in the final for the 2017 Super Rugby championship, again with the highest-ranked team to host.
The Lions, having swooped in to take top spot in the standings in the last round, have a clear path to a home final and potentially a first Super Rugby title.
Odds are they will have to beat both the Hurricanes and the Crusaders to do it, but they’ll have a home crowd on their side in both battles if so.
Sylvester
Guest
In 2016, the Lions lost to the Crusaders, Highlanders, and Canes. The only three games they'd lost until they dropped their bundle in the final round. They did beat the Chiefs and Blues. One away and one at home. http://www.superxv.com/results/2016-super-rugby-results/
Marto
Guest
Bfc Getting thumped by a Tokyo club side forfeits any right you had to play finals footy.... Onya uni-cycle bro...bye byeeeeeeeeee... Choo choooooooooooo
Jacko
Guest
Is Garces the ref ?
Pinetree
Guest
If the Stormers and Sharks win next weekend, then I believe the Stormers would get a home SF (and as a Crusaders fan, I think I could handle that quite nicely). A highlander win over the Crusaders would also result in a home SF in the case of a Stormers win next week. Of course if the Lions and Crusaders both lost......
Harry Jones
Expert
Chiefs are the favourite. But I think we can pull the upset. I really do.
Pinetree
Guest
Harry - The Chiefs have been put under pressure a few times, and the Stormers have scored more points (490) than the Chiefs (433) this season. Defence has been good for the Chiefs in points conceded (292), and the Stormers have been leaky with 436 points conceded. But fair to say that a lot of those conceded points for the Stormers were on their NZ tour. They have been pretty tight at home. I have been quite critical of the Stormers ability earlier in the season, but they have played better than I would of expected, and will be a tough opposition for the Chiefs. Chiefs will need to be on top of their game to win. It will be a cracking contest mate.
Harry Jones
Expert
We got the best NZ team to play at Newlands. This group of Stormers knows the Chiefs can be beaten (as in Round 7) by a fit, attacking team. Line-breakers all over the backline in Lleyds, Kolbe, Senatla, Viljoen, de Allende, Willemse and Vermaak; with bench options like de Jongh. Tackle-breakers like Etzebeth, PSDT, Carr, Notshe, Kolisi, and Elstadt can soften Retallick & Co. up. Should be a real cracker.
Drongo
Guest
It seems that there is general agreement that the SR format sucks. We should revert to three seperate domestic competitions and a champions league at the end of the season with the top teams from each conference playing off. That would be grouse wouldn't it rugby loving bros!
Brent Horstor
Guest
The Lions played all NZ teams last year and beat all except the Hurricanes. This year it is swapped and they play the Aussie conference instead. Conference system is rubbish, but it changes for each team each season, so in that sense, it is fair that the Lions don't play the NZ conference every season.
Spanners
Guest
Agree. I enjoyed watching all the NZ derby matches, but the Aussie teams were horrible. Sad to say rugby in Australia has just about become irrelevant. Disgraceful to see the Brumbies (34 points) get hosting rights over the Hurricanes (58 points), geez it is a poor format that rewards mediocrity. And what gives with the Lions not playing a single NZ team this season? The sooner the Big Bash starts the better...
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Well they got done by the Lions at home this weekend... I'd think 'away' to the same team next week might be tougher still.. Lions at home last year were virtually unbeatable, but stranger things have happened..
R2D2
Guest
I love my rugby and I am sure a lot of Roar fans do as will . The last two seasons leave me with a bad taste. The Canes won last year and probably deserved it .This year is anyones guess ,but the bad taste will remain.Whatever happens, lets hope for a better comp system next year , the players and the fans deserve it.
Jerome
Guest
The blues only won one more game than the brumbies and the brumbies won loosing bonus points in 7 of their 11 losses. They won't win this weekend nor deserve to be in finals but they deserve to be up there.
PB
Guest
Wow, they made the conference playoffs even worse than last year. Hard to do, congratulations. The semifinals are a complete screw up. The Chiefs travelling back from SA, to NZ, then probably back to SA if they win; The Hurricanes going to SA, then back to NZ if they win.
Drongo
Guest
I think the Brumbies just might win. No one in NZ gives tham a hope in h3ll. It could be like the Lions all over again. Geez, imagine the bleating!
Bfc
Guest
Still...the 'guessing' is with the semi finalists...the fact remains that qualifying for the playoffs with 6 wins is a farce. Never said it was the fault of the Brumbies...:)
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Ahhh, good. After Friday we can stop watching.
wyn
Guest
Don't be too surprised if the Shorks upset the apple cart - they did it before in 2012 when they beat the minor premier Stormers in a semi only to go on and get hammered in NZ the following week.
wag
Guest
Get a new record, Bfc ! Something that we haven't read dozens of times before !
Bfc
Guest
Hurricanes (by plenty...), Crusaders, Lions, Stormers for the semis... I now the Brumbies topped the Oz conference...but to qualify with only 6 wins...a farce! The Blues had more wins and finished bottom of the NZ conference...