Canterbury, the top-seeded team, defeated Counties Manukau 23-15 in extra time in Christchurch, securing a home semifinal against Hawke's Bay.
The match, played at Apollo Projects Stadium, saw Canterbury make nearly 250 tackles in warm conditions, leaving the team exhausted. As
Canterbury captain Tom Christie said, "to be fair it was a hell of an effort from everyone."
Christie expressed relief at the victory, considering Counties Manukau's strong performance, having won five straight matches to reach the playoffs.
The win books a home semifinal for Canterbury, with the details of the next match to be determined.
Author's summary: Canterbury wins in extra time.