Lions claw back to top South African standings

Victory also lifted them above NSW Waratahs to second in the combined standings, which secured a home quarter-final and, potentially, a semi-final in Johannesburg as well.

Waratahs began the day second, behind runaway league leaders and defending champions Canterbury Crusaders, only to lose an Australian derby 40-31 against visiting ACT Brumbies.

Crusaders will host Melbourne Rebels or Coastal Sharks in the quarter-finals next weekend with the South Africans needing a home win over the Jaguares later Saturday to qualify.

The title-holders thrashed Auckland Blues 54-17 in Christchurch while Rebels fell 43-37 to Otago Highlanders in Dunedin.

Lions face Jaguares, Waratahs meet Highlanders and Wellington Hurricanes tackle Waikato Chiefs in the other last-eight fixtures.

Bulls were quick out of the blocks in Johannesburg and tries by Manie Libbok and Jesse Kriel built a 12-point advantage in as many minutes. 

But 2016 and 2017 Super Rugby runners-up Lions methodically clawed their way back into the match and Ruan Combrinck and Malcolm Marx scored to bring the teams level.

Lions took advantage of Pierre Schoeman's yellow-card when Courtnall Skosan claimed a try for a 19-12 half-time lead.

Bulls failed to score in the second half and their fate was sealed within three minutes midway through the half when Lions were awarded a penalty try and Combrinck scored again.

Waratahs needed only a win to finish second, but they fizzled against the Brumbies in Sydney.

Three Brumbies tries in the first 20 minutes blew the game open, in one of the ACT's best outings of the season, and the momentum Waratahs had built in recent weeks was sapped out of them.

- Whitelock not totally happy - 

Crusaders already had the top spot sewn up and were able to score points when it mattered against the poorly-performed Blues.

But despite the eight-tries-to-three hiding, Crusaders captain Sam Whitelock was not totally happy.

"Definitely that middle part. We'll have a good review," he said, referring to the Blues' two second half tries.

"We gave away a lot of penalties, we didn't learn from our mistakes and if you give any side a number of opportunities, they're going to score."

Rebels went down to Highlanders in Dunedin after leaking 19 points late in the game.

Looking to secure a play-off berth for the first time since they joined the competition in 2011, Rebels were the dominant force until the final 17 minutes. 

They built a 34-22 lead, masterminded by fly-half Reece Hodge, who finished with a match haul 29 points from three tries, four conversions and two penalties.

Highlanders, assured of a quarter-final berth before the kick-off, rested most of their All Blacks, including Ben and Aaron Smith.

But when staring defeat in the face, the makeshift Highlanders scored three tries in 12 minutes to confirm sixth place in the table.

Hodge said the Rebels only had themselves to blame for losing.

"We were up by 13 or 14 points at one stage and we can't afford to slip against a team like the Highlanders."

Less than a year after the Rebels' Super Rugby future was in doubt, during tense negotiations to trim the number of Australian sides in the competition, they have bounced back to win seven regular season matches this year compared to one in 2017.