▁had ▁qualified ▁in ▁first ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁conference ▁during ▁the ▁regular ▁season , ▁while ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁had ▁qualified ▁in ▁first ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁conference . ▁Both ▁teams ▁hosted ▁quarter - final ▁and ▁semi - final ▁matches . ▁In ▁the ▁quarter - final s ▁the ▁L ions ▁beat ▁the ▁J agu ares ▁while ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁beat ▁the ▁Sh arks . ▁For ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁L ions ▁defe ating ▁the ▁War ata hs ▁in ▁Johannes burg ▁and ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁defe ating ▁the ▁H urr ican es ▁in ▁Christ ch urch . ▁Because ▁of ▁being ▁the ▁higher ▁placed ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁log ▁stand ings , ▁the ▁final ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁A MI ▁Stadium , ▁Christ ch urch . ▁ ▁The ▁match ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁who ▁beat ▁the ▁L ions ▁by ▁ 1 9 ▁points . ▁The ▁Cr us aders ▁stretch ed ▁their ▁record ▁number ▁of ▁Super ▁Rugby ▁wins ▁to ▁nine ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁to ▁win ▁two ▁straight ▁titles ▁since ▁the ▁Chief s . ▁The ▁L ions ▁started ▁off ▁well , ▁however ▁the ▁combination ▁of ▁travel , ▁jet - lag ▁and ▁the ▁she er ▁domin ance ▁of ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁the ▁win . ▁ ▁Road ▁to ▁the ▁Final ▁ ▁Qu arter - final s ▁ ▁Sem i - final s ▁ ▁Match ▁ ▁Details ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : 2 0 1 8 ▁Super ▁Rugby ▁season ▁Category