The ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds are preparing for sudden death finals footy with the 2023 Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals fixtures now confirmed.
Having finished sixth in the regular season, the Waratahs will kick off the highly-anticipated finals series with a showdown against the Blues at Eden Park, 5.35pm AEST Friday 9 June.
The Reds, who snuck into the finals on points differential, will face the Chiefs at 2.35pm AEST Saturday 10 June at FMG Stadium Waikato.
With their fourth-place finish securing them home ground advantage, the Brumbies will host the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium, 7.35pm AEST Saturday 10 June.
All matches of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific finals series will be available live on and on demand on Stan Sport.
The race for the top eight went down to the final regular season game on Saturday night, with the Western Force unable to snag a win over the Chiefs that would have seen them qualify for their first finals series.
The Force finished a single competition point ahead of the Melbourne Rebels, whose finals dreams were dashed in defeat to the Brumbies on Friday night.
Meanwhile the Fijian Drua created history by claiming their first ever quarter-finals appearance with victory over the Reds in Suva.
The rules for the Super Rugby Pacific finals series dictate the following match schedules:
- Quarter-finals: 1 v 8, 2 v 7, 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 with the top-ranked team hosting
- Semi-finals: top-ranked quarter-final winner hosts against lowest-ranked quarter-final winner, 2nd highest ranked quarterfinal winner hosts 3rd highest ranked winner
- Final: top-ranked semi-final winner hosts the other semi-final winner.
Friday 9 June
Blues v Waratahs, 5.35PM (AEST), Eden Park, AUCKLAND
Saturday 10 June
Chiefs v Reds, 2.35PM (AEST) FMG Stadium Waikato, HAMILTON
Crusaders v Drua, 5.05PM (AEST) Orangetheory Stadium, CHRISTCHURCH
Brumbies v Hurricanes, 7.35PM (AEST) GIO Stadium, CANBERRA
