NSW Waratahs are the only Australian team in the Super Rugby finals, after the Melbourne Rebels just missed out.
The Australian conference-winning Tahs will host New Zealand’s Highlanders in a knockout quarter-final next weekend, but the Rebels (ninth) and Brumbies (tenth) both fell just short.
The Victorian franchise was edged out of a final eight spot on points differential by South Africa’s Sharks, who scored a 20-10 home win over Argentina’s Jaguares in the last match of the regular season on Sunday (AEST).
Both the Sharks and the Rebels, who lost 43-37 to the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday, finished on 36 points.
Each finished level on wins, the initial tie-breaker, but the Sharks had a -5 points differential to the Rebels -21.
The Sharks will play away to the defending champions and overall ladder leader and New Zealand conference winners the Crusaders.
The Brumbies finished two points off eighth spot after a rousing final round 40-31 away win over the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday night.
The Lions, the losing finalist for the last two seasons, will host the Jaguares after clinching top spot in the South African conference with a 38-12 home win over the Bulls early Sunday (AEST).
The other quarter-final will be an all New Zealand battle with the Hurricanes hosting the Chiefs.
The Tahs dropped to third on the overall ladder after losing to the Brumbies on Saturday, with the Lions later replacing them in second spot.
The match between the Tahs and the sixth-placed Highlanders, who they beat 41-12 in Sydney back in May, is expected to be played next Saturday, with the details to be confirmed later on Sunday.
The Tahs conceded six tries to the Brumbies, whose own slim playoff hopes ended when the Rebels picked up a bonus-point in Dunedin.
NSW coach Daryl Gibson said captain Michael Hooper, who has missed their last three games with a hamstring injury, would not recover in time to face the Highlanders and revealed playmaker Kurtley Beale had been ill in the lead-up to Saturday’s game.
He said his team hadn’t been focused enough in Saturday’s defeat, their first in four games.
“Plenty to work on, but I think a lot of that work is between our ears,” Gibson said.
NSW lost a number of lineout throws and Gibson said they didn’t adapt well to the Brumbies strategy in that area.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
So what? The Rebels only win in their worst season ever came against a stronger performing Brumbies team. 1 result means nothing. The fact the Force only had 1 losing bonus point shows generally they weren't competitive in the games outside the games they won. And the fact they only got 1 winning bonus point shows they weren't dominant in the games they won.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
More worried about the TMO assignments!
Shane D
Roar Rookie
He has a strong pass to the left but his ability to go wide right is poor
Markus
Guest
Yeah gutted that Toomua won't be coming back to Canberra. With Godwin heading overseas and utility Andrew Smith retiring, Brumbies are in real trouble in the inside backs next year if Lealiifano doesn't end up re-signing.
Ex force fan
Guest
TWAS forgot how easily the 2017 Force beaten the Wallaby laden Tahs by he end of the season, the same Tah team that top the conference. The Rebels never had a much to play for as the Force, I am comfortable to state that the Force would have beaten the Tahs the only team other than the Force that could top the conference. Reds and Brumbies were both rebuilding this year.
Fionn
Guest
How do you think we feel in Canberra, Rhys? :P
Connor33
Guest
Cute. Good try. Yet proves my broader point. We now live in a world of player safety, correct? Any benefit of the doubt goes in favor of the player in a perilous position, right? If you’re of the view that it’s no, then don’t bother reading on. In any event, look at what has happened in NZ in the past few months regarding referees refereeing NZ teams: - A French player pulls out of the contest and gets a red when Barrett goes for the ball. - (On your view) a NZ player deserves nothing—not even a penalty—when Koribete goes for the ball and lands on his back caused by a NZ player. The fact that you had to review several times to come to the conclusion that Koribete was purportedly “clumsy” means that you really have not viewed the Koribete incident through the new ‘player safety’ lens we now live in. Nor have you considered where the benefit of doubt now leans. The fact that you’re looking at the Aussie player who was in the better position to catch the ball tends to suggest that your starting point was all wrong. Go watch the incident one more time, take off you NZ hat, look at Koribete, look at where each player was in proportion of the ball, look at the clumsiness of the NZ player, look at the height that Koribete falls from and consider what caused that. I’ve only seen the game once and in real time. And every game I’ve seen this year, Koribete’s fall is at minimum a penalty or likely yellow card. But, I guess, if your a referee in NZ what upshot do you have blowing against the local team but hyper criticicim from a community that’s happy to kill any referee’s credibility that calls against a NZ team.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Kirky, Willie O played & toured for the NZ schoolboys in 1988. He was refused entry back into NZ because he was on a Tongan passport & didn’t have a visa for NZ. That’s why he ended up in Australia. Nothing to do with getting the ‘pricker with NZR’ & he certainly never participated in any AB trials.
riddler
Roar Rookie
i don't mind kirk.. loved the player.. first webb ellis winning captain.. we have a couple of swarmy saffas, kiwis and argies here.. no idea why they need to get their kicks here, but each to their own.. we have some quality kiwis here which i enjoy reading their perspectives.. rt, digger, highlander even tman has grown on me.. apologies for those that i have missed..
double agent
Guest
Hodge is definitely improving at 10. And goal kicking.
double agent
Guest
Is there a NZ Roar?? Maybe you should stick to that Kirky.
double agent
Guest
Rhys I think there is a problem regarding PI juniors in Aust Rugby. They often hit puberty early,become massive as teens and as a result dominate junior footy. Unfortunately they often learn a lot of bad habits. When size evens up in early 20s and it's not so easy to run over the top of puny white boys suddenly a lack of ball skills and game management becomes an issue.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
SA actually produce more refs than NZ they just have to supply refs to the Pro 14 panel.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
'A number of players were released. ' After the Rabble brought over half the Force squad as engineered by the parasites in the RA Ivory Tower.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
One of Auckland's many problems is that they are in an area where league has some presence and the NRL clubs in Australia recruit players when they are around 15 so they leave. A lot of them don't come back to Rugby.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
It will be great to have Toomua back in Oz, but I am devastated that he is going to the Rebels. He is the one player that I really, really hoped the Reds would have been able to bag. Damn.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
"– Make the Australian teams more competitive – Check." Reflecting on our recent conversation on Spiro's last story about the Reds TWAS, it is good to read that you have come around to the view that the Reds got their six wins in a tougher Aussie conference. I'm don't think that beyond the Rebels it had anything to do with cutting the Force, but at least you are now acknowledging Thorn's good work.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
He was passing pretty well during the Reds game. I have heard that criticism and made a specific effort to watch him and I couldn’t see the alleged problem.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
The average weight difference in the early teens had been an issue in Australia, but hopefully the new weight based teams got kids will address that. They have had them in NZ for at least 30 years and they work well. I still think we need to start our kids earlier though.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Disgraceful Mike, every PI person I have met in Australia has been a hard working contributor to our society. Hang your head in shame.