Super Rugby Pacific: Playoff fixtures locked in as five Kiwi sides seal quarter-final spots

Super Rugby Pacific's quarter-final seedings have been finalised, with all five New Zealand sides represented in the first round of the playoffs.

Unbeaten since the second week of the competition, the table-topping Blues will host the Highlanders at Auckland's Eden Park on Saturday in the only all-Kiwi affair.

The Highlanders can count themselves fortunate to reach the playoffs, after just four wins all season, sneaking in on points differential.

The Highlanders have snuck into the Super Rugby playoffs.
The Highlanders have snuck into the Super Rugby playoffs. Photo credit: Image - Getty Images

Meanwhile, the second-placed Crusaders will begin the postseason on Friday, when they host Queensland Reds at Christchurch.

The fixture sees the Crusaders host their rivals for the second week in succession, after last Friday's 28-15 win.

A late victory over Fijian Drua was enough for the Chiefs to seal third place, after the Brumbies' shock loss to Moana Pasifika, leaving them with an afternoon home clash against NSW Waratahs on Saturday.

The Chiefs met the Waratahs at Melbourne's AAMI Park in the competition's 'Magic Round' last month, claiming an emphatic 51-27 win.

Meanwhile, the Brumbies loss still means they'll have a home quarter-final against the Hurricanes on Saturday night - a trickier prospect for the Australian side, after three straight losses.

The Hurricanes don't enter the playoffs on a winning note either, after their 27-22 defeat to Western Force at Perth on Saturday night.

Super Rugby Pacific playoffs

Crusaders v Reds, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch, 7:05pm Friday

Chiefs v Waratahs - FMG Stadium, Hamilton, 4:35pm Saturday

Blues v Highlanders - Eden Park, Auckland, 7:05pm Saturday

Brumbies v Hurricanes - GIO Stadium, Canberra, 9:45pm Saturday

Join us throughout the weekend for live updates of the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs