Here is a look back at the 8 sides that missed out on the extended season.
7.Hurricanes, 41 points
An unsatisfactory end after a season that promised so much and looked certain to end with playoffs football for the first time since 2009. In their last game of the season in Hamilton, the Hurricanes failed to get the bonus point against the same Chiefs side they thrashed in Wellington earlier in the season - that point would have seen them in the top six and in the playoffs. Mark Hammett, Andre Taylor, et al. will now head to pastures anew but on the bright side they've got Chris Boyd as coach as well as John Plumtree and Ma'a Nonu back in Wellington so the future is looking a bit more promising for the Hurricanes than they did at the start of the season.
8.Force, 40 points
A fine season from a side that was expected to compete for the wooden spoon, that just fell short at the end. Their failure to turn up in the home loss against the Blues after the international break cost them badly in the end and it'll be difficult to see the very physical Force make another surprise burst for the playoffs, particularly with the Honeybadger, Nick Cummins heading to Japan. Nevertheless, rugby in Western Australia is still alive and kicking.
9.Bulls, 38 points
A disappointing season for South Africa's most successful Super Rugby franchise - their poor away form was to blame and negated all their good work at home. The camouflage away jerseys didn't really help either.
10.Blues, 37 points
A turbulent season for the Auckland based franchise whose troubled start could be put down to the distractions around the failed Benji Marshall experiment at first five. Home form kept the Blues in contention along with the late inclusion of talented Hawkes Bay playmaker, Ihaia West as Benji Marshall's replacement, but in the end, their poor start to the season meant they had too much to do. There is definitely talent in the side worthy of All Black selection but John Kirwan hasn't quite worked out how to get these guys performing on a more consistent basis.
11.Stormers, 32 points
A dire start for the Cape Town franchise whose conservative, cautious style of rugby meant they were horrid to watch. They had a late season revival when they were already out of contention but given the talent in the side, Alistair Coetzee's position must be untenable.
12.Lions, 31 points
A terrific first season back in the big time for the Joburg based franchise, the Lions surprised thanks to their exciting backs and first-five Boshoff who finished amongst the highest point scorers in the competition. Their form at Ellis Park was vital and they got some big wins there to ensure they would avoid finishing in the dreaded last spot of the South Africa conference and avoid a playoff with the Southern Kings for a spot in next year's Super Rugby competition.
13.Reds, 28 points
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| Reds got hammered by the Crusaders in Brisbane earlier in the season |
A hugely first disappointing season under Richard Graham for the former champions and powerhouses of Australian rugby - the Wallabies-laden Reds' season summed up perfectly by that 34-3 hiding at the hands of their interstate rivals and Australian conference champions, the Waratahs. They badly missed Quade Cooper once he limped off with a season-ending shoulder injury against the Crusaders, while Will Genia had his worst season for the Reds - he was dropped by the Wallabies against the French.
14.Cheetahs, 24 points
Another big disappointment, the Cheetahs' deficiencies in defence were uncovered again and they finished last in their conference the season after being playoff contenders. The Cheetahs are set to lose players to the riches of the Top 14 and Premiership - hopefully that won't cost them when they take on the Southern Kings later in the year to guarantee their place in Super Rugby next season.
15.Rebels, 21 points
Another average season from the worst side in Super Rugby right now. Something badly needs to be done about the Rebels or else they could soon fade into oblivion of the highly competitive Melbourne sports market. Yes, they lost their troublesome star players in pre-season but the side itself badly needs some injection of quality to be at least relevant in the Australian conference.
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