With just two weeks left of Super Rugby Pacific's regular season the top six remains wide open following several big results over the weekend.
While the top two positions have been sewn up by the Hurricanes and Chiefs, the remaining playoff spots are still up for grabs.
Amazingly, after 14 rounds of rugby, only Moana Pasifika are out of contention for a finals place; the Highlanders, Waratahs, Western Force and Fijian Drua still mathematical chances of scrapping their way into the top six.
The Waratahs climbed their way into seventh with an incredible victory over the Drua in Fiji on Saturday, and now sit just two points behind the sixth placed Queensland Reds, who'll be ruing their missed opportunity to cement their place in the top six after a five-point loss to the Force in Perth. The Reds returned home with a losing bonus point, which could prove the difference maker by the end of the regular season.
Meanwhile, the win for the Force has kept their playoff chances alive, although results will need to go their way if they're to sneak up the ladder.
The Highlanders' loss to the Chiefs significantly dented their playoff aspirations. That result left them eighth, four points outside the top six ahead of a date with the Hurricanes this weekend before they round out their season with the bye.
Read on for all the permutations ahead of the penultimate round.
[Note: teams level on points on the competition ladder will be decided by most wins, before highest aggregate points difference, and then most tries.]
HURRICANES
50 points
Opposition: Highlanders (H), Crusaders (A)
Best finish: 1st. Worst finish: 2nd
The Hurricanes have already sealed a top-two spot and home quarterfinal.
A win and a Chiefs loss will secure minor premiership.
A win or bonus-point win, and a Chiefs win will retain top spot and take minor premiership race to final round.
A loss takes minor premiership race to final round.
CHIEFS
45 points
Opposition: Crusaders (A), Blues (H)
Best finish: 1st. Worst finish: 2nd
The Chiefs have already sealed a top-two spot and home quarterfinal.
A bonus-point win and Hurricanes loss will elevate the Chiefs to equal first and take minor premiership race to final round.
A loss and a Hurricanes win will see Chiefs finish second.
BLUES
38 points
Opposition: BYE, Chiefs (A)
Best finish: 3rd (43). Worst finish: 5th (38)
A final round bonus-point win (42) will secure third place and home quarterfinal.
A final round win (41) but two Crusaders bonus-point wins (42) would see the Blues slide to fourth.
A final round loss, two bonus-point wins from the Crusaders (42), and two Brumbies bonus-point wins (39) would see the Blues slide to fifth (38).
CRUSADERS
32 points
Opposition: Chiefs (H), Hurricanes (H)
Best finish: 3rd (42). Worst finish: 7th (32)
Two bonus-point wins (42) and a Blues loss (38) will elevate them to third and a home quarterfinal.
A win (36) or two losses with or without bonus points (32), two Brumbies wins (37), and two Reds bonus-point wins (38) will see them finish sixth.
Two losses without bonus points (32) and a combination of bonus-point wins to the Waratahs (36), Brumbies (34) and Reds (38) the Crusaders will slide to seventh and out of quarterfinal contention.
BRUMBIES
29 points
Opposition: Waratahs (A), Moana (H)
Best finish: 3rd (39 points). Worst finish: 7th (29 points)
Two bonus point-wins (39), one Crusaders win or two losses (36/32) and a final-round loss for the Blues (38) will see the Brumbies rise to third and earn a home quarterfinal.
Two wins (37) will secure quarterfinal qualification at either fifth or sixth.
Two losses with or without bonus points (31/29), two wins for the Waratahs (34) and Reds (36) will sink the Brumbies out of playoff contention.
REDS
28 points
Opposition: Moana (A), Drua (H)
Best finish: 4th (38). Worst finish: 8th (28 points)
Two bonus-point wins (38), two Brumbies wins without bonus points (37) and two Crusaders losses (32) will see them rise as high as fourth.
Two wins (36) will see them secure playoff qualification at either fifth or sixth.
Two losses without bonus points (28) and wins from the Waratahs (32) and Highlanders (29) will sink the Reds to eighth.
WARATAHS
26 points
Opposition: Brumbies (H), Force (A)
Best finish: 5th. Worst finish: 10th
Two bonus point wins (36) elevates the Waratahs into playoff qualification finishing at either fifth or sixth, depending on Reds results.
Two wins without bonus points (34), a Brumbies bonus-point win (34) and Reds win (36) will see the Tahs fail to reach the quarterfinals.
Two losses without bonus points (26), and a combination of wins to the Highlanders, Force and Drua will see the Tahs fall as low as 10th.
HIGHLANDERS
24 points
Opposition: Hurricanes (A), BYE
Best finish: 6th (29). Worst finish: 10th (24)
A bonus point win (29) against the Hurricanes, and losses from the Waratahs and Reds will see the Highlanders qualify for the playoffs.
A loss and wins from the Force and Drua will see them slide to 10th.
FORCE
22 points
Opposition: Drua (H), Waratahs (H)
Best finish: 6th. Worst finish: 10th
Two bonus point wins (32), and losses from the Reds and Waratahs will see them rise to sixth and playoff qualification
Two losses (22) and Drua wins will see the Force slide to 10th
FIJIAN DRUA
20 points
Opposition: Force (A), Reds (A)
Best finish: 6th. Worst finish: 10th
Two bonus point wins (30) and losses to the Reds, Waratahs, and Force will elevate the Drua into sixth
MOANA PASIFIKA
4 points Opposition: Reds (H), Brumbies (A)
With just one win from Round 1, Moana are the only side with no chance to reach the playoffs.