Super Rugby Permutations

The exact make-up of the 2017 Super Rugby quarter-finals will be decided this weekend.

The Lions and Crusaders will battle it out for the top spot with the Lions facing the Sharks, who they almost lost to earlier this season but sealed the victory thanks to a late Jaco Kriel try. 

See pre-match stats clips and more here

The Lions will know their fate before the match kicks off with the Crusaders traveling to Wellington to face the reigning champions Hurricanes, a full 8 hours prior to the Lions clash in Durban.

See pre-match stats, clips and more here

Indeed with all 18 teams in action in Round 17, the final positions of the eight quarter-finalists will be determined by the outcome of several games.

The four Conference winners will be ranked 1-4 based on their final number of tournament points and the wild card teams will be ranked 5-8 based on their final number of tournament points.

 
Click HERE for full Conference Table Standings (after Round 16)

 
So it is still all to play for with some intriguing matches to be played. The Crusaders (currently ranked first) are away to the Hurricanes (currently ranked fifth) with the reigning champions keen to maintain their ranking. A Crusader win will put them first for the quarter-finals regardless of the outcome between the Sharks and Lions. 

The Chiefs (currently ranked six) host the Australian Conference winners, the Brumbies, but could finish fifth if they win and Hurricanes stumble.
 

The Highlanders lie in seventh spot and play the Reds and the South Island side will be eager to hold on to their ranking for the finals. If they stumble, and the Sharks beat the Lions with a bonus point, they could finish seventh and the Highlanders eighth.
 

South Africa 1 Conference leaders the Stormers are away to the Bulls but have already secured the third ranking ahead of the Australian Conference winners the Brumbies - based on the fact they have won more matches should they lose to the Bulls and Brumbies win with a bonus point against the Chiefs.

Current overall standings