The Chiefs have taken down rivals Blues 59-34 in Hamilton to go into the finals full of confidence.
40-second half points proved the difference for the hosts, making it five straight wins at FMG Stadium Waikato as winger Daniel Sinkinson crossed for a double.
The Blues were already locked into a qualifying final with the Crusaders but needed a win to ensure hosting rights.
They got off to a flyer when standout back-rower Torian Barnes crashed over for the opener, eventually taking a 10-0 lead.
However, the hosts delivered a powerful first half surge as they scored 19 unanswered points.
It started when Reon Paul broke through the line, finding speedster Kyren Taumoefolau on the burst for their first points.
Tyrone Thompson puts them in front with a rolling maul try before Sinkinson struck to put them up 19-10, capitalising on slick handling between the forwards and backs.
AJ Lam’s try on half-time reduced the margin but failed to quell the momentum of the second-placed Chiefs.
Skipper Wallace Sititi restored the lead in the 45th minute with a powerful effort to give them an 11 point lead.
Rookie Blues hooker Eli Oudenryn scored a dream debut try six minutes into his Super Rugby career.
But it was the Chiefs that were intent on heading into the finals with momentum as they scored three straight tries.
Sinkinson started it with his second, followed by fullback Liam Coombes-Fabling. Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi’s 62nd-minute try gave them a commanding 25-point lead, ending any hopes of a Blues comeback.
Paul got a try of his own to bring up the half-century after a dominant scrum, filling the void left by the rested Quinn Tupaea.
Caleb Clarke and Xavi Taele got consolation tries, but it was too little, too late for the victors as the Chiefs’ win sees the Blues resigned to fourth spot on the ladder, jumped by the red-hot Crusaders.
It came after the Crusaders took down top-ranked Hurricanes on Friday, who had rested a host of players.
They will travel to One NZ Stadium to face their arch rivals, looking to become the first team to defeat the defending champions at the new stadium.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs will face the Queensland Reds, who capitalised on the ACT Brumbies’ shock loss to Moana Pasifika to finish fifth.
Chefs 59 (Tries: Sinkinson 2, Coombes-Fabling, Taumoefolau, Paul. Sititi, Finau, Ah Kuoi, Thompson; Cons: Jacomb 6, Cook-Savage) def Blues 34 (Tries: Barnes, Lam, Oudenryn, Clarke, Taele; Cons: Sullivan 3; Pens: Sullivan)