And then there were eight.

Bay of Plenty secured the final home quarterfinal up for grabs on Sunday afternoon, beating Tasman 41-12 in their National Provincial Championship match at Tauranga Domain.

Indeed, the jostling for playoff positions is over, with all four quarterfinal matchups confirmed ahead of the final match of the regular season, between Southland and Manawatū in Palmerston North.

With Tasman and Bay of Plenty occupying sixth and seventh respectively ahead of kickoff, the Steamers’ six tries to two victory propelled them ahead of Hawke’s Bay and into fourth.

Having beaten the Magpies last month to own the head-to-head tiebreaker, they didn’t need a bonus point scalp to go ahead of the newly minted Ranfurly Shield holders.

They banked one anyway, putting the Mako away on a breezy day in Tauranga to set up a tasty quarterfinal against arch rivals Hawke’s Bay.

Top-seeded Wellington, second-placed Taranaki and third-placed Canterbury will also host playoff rugby next week.

Steamers fans didn’t have to chew their nails on a day which started with both sides knowing the victor would clinch the No 4 seed.

On the back of flanker Naitoa Ah Kuoi and lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit tries, punishing defence and an attack which repeatedly made incisions via inside balls, they held a 17-0 halftime lead and never looked back.

Tasman finally got on the board via midfielder Alex Nankivell shortly after play resumed, but Mako fans sniffing a comeback would have been bitterly disappointed with what followed.

Steamers replacement prop Josh Bartlett smashed over to cancel out the try, before centre Melani Nanai went over a couple of minutes later to seal the result.

Nanai’s try was the five-pointer of the match, a beauty set up by powerful midfielder Seamous Bardoul, who busted Tasman open deep in his own half before putting Nanai over.

Tasman rake Quentin MacDonald got another try back for the visitors, but Bay of Plenty replacements Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Tamiro Armstrong touched down to blow out the Mako.

Now, they can look forward to another Battle of the Bays, and should expect the Magpies to come in hot.

After all, they recorded the result of the round, snatching the Ranfurly Shield off Wellington a little over a year after the Lions wrestled it from their grasp.

Their thrilling 20-18 win didn’t just deny Wellington from stashing the Log o’ Wood for a second straight summer, it also halted their impressive 19-match winning streak.

Not since Northland beat Wellington in August last year had Wellington tasted defeat, and the reigning champions will now host a Waikato side fresh from beating Canterbury 35-32.

Speaking of Canterbury, they will host Auckland next week, while Taranaki will welcome Tasman to New Plymouth.

Southland ended a more than year long winning drought to cap the regular season, beating the Turbos 37-12 in Palmerston North.

ROUND 9 RESULTS

At Eden Park, Auckland: Auckland 27 (Che Clark, Josh Beehre, Marcel Renata tries; Zarn Sullivan 3 con, 2 pen) Northland 26 (Jordan Trainor, Rob Rush, Tamati Tua, Jordan Olsen tries; Rivez Reihana 2 con, Daniel Hawkins 1 con). HT: 17-19

At Sky Stadium, Wellington: Hawke’s Bay 20 (Ollie Sapsford, Jonah Lowe, Sam Smith tries; Lincoln McClutchie con, pen) Wellington 18 (Xavier Numia, Penieli Poasa tries; Aidan Morgan con, 2 pen). HT: 8-10

At FMG Stadium, Hamilton: Waikato 37 (Malachi Wrampling-Alec, Tepaea Cook-Savage, Gideon Wrampling 2, Daniel Sinkinson, James Tucker tries; Cook-Savage 2 con, pen) Canterbury 35 (Dom Gardiner, Dallas McLeod, Oli Jager, Mitch Drummond, Ben Funnell tries; Fergus Burke 5 con). HT: 20-21

At Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth: Taranaki 54 (Tom Franklin, Bradley Slater, Josh Jacomb 2, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens 2, Ricci Riccitelli 2 tries; Josh Jacomb 7 con) North Harbour 21 (Tom Barnham, Kade Banks 2 tries; Bryn Gatland 3 con). HT: 28-0

At Tauranga Domain: Bay of Plenty 41 (Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Josh Bartlett, Melani Nanai, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Tamiro Armstrong tries; Wharenui Hawera pen, 4 con) Tasman 12 (Alex Nankivell, Quentin MacDonald tries; Taine Robinson con). HT: 17-0

At Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin: Otago 38 (Finn Hurley, John Tapueluelu, Sam Gilbert, Josh Whaanga, Will Stodart, Jeremiah Asi tries; Sam Gilbert 4 con) Counties Manukau 22 (Josh Gray, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Ioane Moananu, Blake Makiri tries; Riley Hohepa con). HT:14-12

At Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North: Southland 37 (Jay Renton 2, Tevita Latu, Scott Gregory, Matt Whaanga tries; Marty Banks 3 con, pen, Dan Hollinshead pen) Manawatū 12 (John Poland, Brayden Iose tries; Beaudein Waaka con). HT: 14-5

POINTS

Wellington 43, Taranaki 38, Canterbury 37, Bay of Plenty 35, Hawke’s Bay 34, Auckland 32, Tasman 31, Waikato 29, Counties Manukau 24, North Harbour 22, Otago 18, Northland 17, Manawatū 12, Southland 9

QUARTERFINALS

Canterbury v Auckland, Christchurch, Friday, 7pm

Wellington v Waikato, Wellington, Saturday, 4.30pm

Taranaki v Tasman, New Plymouth, Saturday, 7pm

Bay of Plenty v Hawke’s Bay, Tauranga, Sunday, 2pm

Robert van Royen/Stuff.