The playoff mix wasn't determined until late in the last regular season game at Durban this morning when the Sharks powered clear of the Chiefs. Their 47-25 bonus point win lifted the Sharks to third place on 42 points, one point below the Waratahs and one above the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes scraped into the last qualifying spot on points differential, leaving them to face the top-qualifying Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday night.
Just three points separated positions two to six, with fifth-placed South African side the Stormers and the sixth-placed Blues unlucky to miss out. The Stormers' differential was 48 points worse than the Hurricanes.
There were four key games over the weekend, starting with the Blues beating Hurricanes 19-17 at Auckland in the round-opener in Auckland on Friday.
That left both New Zealand teams in limbo and the Blues were eventually squeezed out by subsequent results.
The Hurricanes would have secured a home semifinal with victory but instead that prize went to the Waratahs, who beat the Queensland Reds 18-11 in Brisbane last night.
The onus fell on South African sides the Stormers and Sharks to force their way into the semis this morning.
The Stormers were 22-13 winners over the Lions in Cape Town but the lack of a bonus point left them vulnerable and they were tipped out by last year's runners up the Sharks.
The Crusaders and Hurricanes both go into their game off losses, with the Crusaders upset 26-14 by the Highlanders in Christchurch last night.
