The Highlanders remain on tenterhooks, after Western Force kept their Super Rugby Pacific playoff hopes alive with a 48-28 bonus-point win over Moana Pasifika at Auckland.
With one round remaining, the Western Australians have drawn within three points of the southerners for the eighth and final quarter-final spot, which will be decided by their respective encounters with the Hurricanes and Melbourne Rebels.
If the Force prevail at midnight (NZ time) Saturday in Perth, the Highlanders will need at least a bonus point against the Rebels on Sunday afternoon.
Yet, despite the 20-point margin, Moana Pasifika threatened to upset that equation for the Aussies, leading midway through the first half and seeming to draw within striking distance of victory with five minutes left to play at Mt Smart Stadium.
After falling behind to an early lineout-maul try to Force hooker Andrew Ready, the competition newcomers struck back through winger Tima Fainga'anuku, who was a late replacement for Tomasi Alosio, a late scratching for family bereavement.
Fainga'anuku simply brushed off three would-be tacklers en route to the goalposts for his first try, then popped up in his customary position to dive over in the corner for a second, as the home side took a 14-5 advantage.
Momentum swung back to the Force, when Moana Pasifika centre Levi Aumua was yellow-carded for a late lifting tackle and fullback Jake McIntyre took advantage of the superior numbers out wide.
On halftime, centre Byron Ralston put the visitors ahead 19-14 with another try from a lineout-maul, as the Force piled on 26 unanswered points to seize control of the contest.
The Pacific side never completely capitulated and when first-five Lincoln McClutchie plunged over with five minutes remaining, they seemed about to close within a converted try of a second victory in their maiden season.
Sadly, McClutchie's effort was disallowed for obstruction. Instead, the defender impeded - fullback Kyle Godwin - struck at the other end of the field to restore the all-important bonus point.
After conceding 115 points in losses to the Highlanders and Chiefs, the Force finally ended their trans-Tasman road trip with victory and now return home with everything to play for against the Hurricanes.
Western Force 48 (Ready, McIntyre 2, Ralston, Pulu, Pugh, Godwin tries; Prior 4 conversions & penalty, McDonald conversion) Moana Pasifika 28 (Fainga'anuku 2, Lindenmuth, Koloamatangi tries; McClutchie 4 conversions)
