The Highlanders have secured the eighth and final spot in the Super Rugby playoffs after the Bulls beat the Lions 48-27 at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday morning (NZ time).
Aaron Mauger's side had to play the waiting game after their resounding 49-12 win over the Waratahs on Friday night as their spot in the playoffs hung in the balance.
Luckily for the Highlanders everything went their way, meaning they will travel north to face the Crusaders in the quarter-finals on Friday night.
They had to wait anxiously until the final game of the season, as the Lions just needed a bonus point from their match against the Bulls to leapfrog the Highlanders in the standings, but that never eventuated.
The Bulls outscored the Lions by seven tries to two, ending a run of three successive trips to the final where they finished runners-up on each occasion.
In the other knockout games next weekend, the Bulls will travel to New Zealand to face the Hurricanes, while the Chiefs will travel to Argentina to face the Jaguares and the Brumbies will host the Sharks in Canberra.
Super Rugby quarter-final schedule (All New Zealand time)
Friday, June 21: Crusaders v Highlanders, Christchurch Stadium Christchurch 7:35pm
Saturday, June 22: Jaguares v Chiefs, Jose Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires 10:05am
Sat, June 22: Hurricanes v Bulls, Westpac Stadium, Wellington 7:35pm
Sat, June 22: Brumbies v Sharks, GIO Stadium, Canberra 10:05pm
Super Rugby standings
P W D L +/- Pts
Crusaders 16 11 3 2 240 58
Jaguares 16 11 0 5 109 51
Brumbies 16 10 0 6 64 48
Hurricanes 16 12 1 3 87 53
Bulls 16 8 2 6 41 41
Sharks 16 7 1 8 8 37
Chiefs 16 7 2 7 -14 36
Highlanders 16 6 3 7 49 36
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