The Hurricanes and Chiefs, despite finishing the regular season much better off than their quarterfinal opponents, were both forced to do it the hard way by travelling; such is the folly of guaranteeing conference winners home playoff advantage.
That long road is far from over, either. Both the Chiefs and Hurricanes now need to defy history and battle long-haul travel fatigue to claim the title.
The Hurricanes are en route to Johannesburg and South Africa's high veldt where they'll need to knock over the Lions, only to then face the prospect of heading home for a potential final.
Given the Lions scraped past the Sharks 23-21 with a match-winning 55-metre Ruan Combrinck penalty, a one-off match at Ellis Park will hold few fears for Chris Boyd's men.
Not confronting any Kiwi teams this season could be major disadvantage for the Lions.
While they proved their credentials by dispatching the Crusaders and Highlanders in last year's run to the final, this time around preparation appears compromised.
The Lions will back their pack to trouble the Hurricanes tight-five but the pace and tempo could eventually tell.
There's also the fact that, in their last two ventures to Joburg in the past two years, the Hurricanes claimed 50-17 and 22-8 victories.
Even still, history suggests such taxing travel will eventually catch up to the defending champions.
The Chiefs, having kept the farewell tour alive thanks to Damian McKenzie's boot and a late Shaun Stevenson try in their scrappy 17-11 win over the Stormers in Cape Town, might wave out the 747 window to the Hurricanes as they cross paths in the air.
Dave Rennie's end-of-an-era moves into another week - a tantalising one at that.
These days Super Rugby has few genuine rivalries but the Chiefs and the Crusaders has become a contest forged with the backdrop of genuine dislike. Their battle on Saturday in Christchurch, where the Crusaders kept the Highlanders scoreless in terrible conditions, will be compulsory viewing.
With Brodie Retallick in the thick of it, plenty of off-the-ball niggle will feature.
The way the chips have fallen there is no denying the title appears the Crusaders to lose.
Certainly, with home advantage this week - next too if the Hurricanes win - and their All Blacks pack humming along, they are clear favourites. Expect their supremely dominant forward display against the Highlanders to form the blueprint from here on.
It has been a long time - 2008 their last silverware - and would be a remarkable achievement in Scott Robertson's first season at the helm. But they are not there yet.
How the Chiefs cope with their return leg from Africa remains to be seen, but their record under Rennie against the Crusaders should give them confidence. Since 2012, the Chiefs have won eight of the last 12 against the red and blacks. That includes three wins from the last three matches in Christchurch; the final of which came in round one last season.
Whatever transpires, no-one could begrudge another Kiwi champion.
Quarterfinal results:
Brumbies 16 Hurricanes 35
Crusaders 17 Highlanders 0
Lions 23 Sharks 21
Stormers 11 Chiefs 17
Super Rugby semifinals:
Crusaders v Chiefs, Christchurch, Saturday
Lions v Hurricanes, Johannesburg, Sunday morning (NZT)
