The qualifying round of the Super Rugby playoffs kicks off tomorrow night with the Brumbies hosting the Chiefs in Canberra. On Sunday morning the Sharks face the Highlanders
The Crusaders, who qualified in second place, will host the winner of the qualifier matches with the highest finals ranking in the Christchurch semifinal next Saturday.
The Waratahs, who top the table, will host the other winner in Sydney.
If you're a Chiefs fan ...
Your team qualified 5th
They're up against: the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday night
• If the Chiefs win and the Sharks win, then the Chiefs will travel to Sydney to take on the Waratahs.
• If the Chiefs win and the Highlanders win, then the Chiefs will play a semifinal in Christchurch against the Crusaders.
• The Chiefs could host the Final if they and the Highlanders both win their Qualifier matches and then win their semifinals.
• The Chiefs have won twice in Canberra and drawn once from 11 encounters. The Chiefs will need to reverse their 2014 regular season result, when they lost to the Brumbies in Canberra on Anzac Day.
If you are a Crusaders fan ...
Your team qualified 2nd
You have this weekend off, but results will determine who you host next Saturday night
• If the Sharks beat the Highlanders, they'll be coming to Christchurch where they won earlier this season.
• If the Highlanders win then the winner of the Brumbies v Chiefs match will be coming to Christchurch.
• The Crusaders can only host the Final if they win next weekend and if the Waratahs lose.
If you are a Highlanders fan ...
Your team qualified 6th
They're up against: the Sharks in Durban tomorrow night (local time)
• If the Highlanders beat the Sharks then they'll stop over in Sydney on the way home, to take on the Waratahs.
• If they make it past the Tahs, the Highlanders will head to the home base of the other semifinal winner for the Final.
• The Highlanders have won in Durban three times (from eight matches) and need to repeat their 2014 regular season result, when they went to Durban and beat the Sharks at home.
And while we're at it ...
The four teams in action this weekend have appeared in sudden death matches 36 times between them and have earned 19 wins collectively (this does not include Natal's three appearances in 1996-7). The Brumbies have appeared in the most (14) while the Chiefs have had the highest winning percentage, having won five of their seven sudden death contests.
No team has played sudden death matches in New Zealand and South Africa (or vice versa) on successive weekends and won the Final.
Super Rugby has been won by the team finishing in first place on 12 occasions, a statistic that favours the Waratahs.