 Throughout the pre-2011 history of Super Rugby—both in the Super 12 and Super 14 formats—the competition's organiser, SANZAR (renamed SANZAAR in 2016), held a Shaughnessy playoff involving the top four teams.The top two teams on the league ladder each hosted a semifinal, with the top surviving team hosting the final.In May 2009, SANZAR announced that it would adopt an expanded playoff when the competition added a new Australian team for the 2011 season.