The Vodacom Bulls and the DHL Stormers secured home advantage ahead of the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals while the Fidelity Securedrive Lions qualified for the playoffs for the first time.
The South African teams will have mixed feelings about their performances in the final round of the URC league phase.
The Stormers delivered a disappointing showing in Cardiff on Friday night, and eventually lost 22-16 to a more spirited and clinical home side.
John Dobson's charges went into the clash needing a bonus-point win to remain in contention for top spot, but in the end, they had to be content with a losing bonus-point, and a third-place finish in the standings.
It was a fine result for the Welsh side – who booked their place in the playoffs – and those who bet on Cardiff to win (3.60) will be thrilled with the outcome.
The two fixtures in South Africa panned out as expected, with the Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks winning by big margins.
As predicted, Zebre Parma failed to finish within the +28 handicap in Durban, losing 54-19 to the Sharks. While JP Pietersen's charges put on a show for their fans this past Saturday, they will play no part in the upcoming playoffs.
The Bulls blew hot and cold against Benetton in Pretoria, but still managed to secure a 45-19 victory, as well as a home quarterfinal.
The Lions pushed Munster all the way in the league finale staged in Limerick on Saturday night. While they didn't do enough to bank a win, the 24-17 result ensured that the Lions claimed a valuable losing bonus-point, and finished seventh in the final standings.
Quarterfinal Fixtures Locked In
Having clinched top spot, Glasgow Warriors will host Connacht in the first URC quarterfinal on Friday, 30 May.
All three South African qualifiers will be in action on Saturday, 31 May, with the Bulls tackling Munster in Pretoria, the Stormers battling Cardiff in Cape Town, and the Lions travelling to Dublin to face Leinster.
European Finals On The Horizon
Meanwhile, the race to the European title will reach a climax this coming weekend, with the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup deciders staged in Bilbao, Spain.
Ulster failed to qualify for the URC quarterfinals, but will advance to the next edition of the Champions Cup if they beat Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final on Friday night.
Leinster will be chasing their first European title since 2018 when they face Bordeaux Bégles in the Champions Cup decider on Saturday, while the French team will be looking to go back-to-back.
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