The Joburg side still have two home games to play — against Scarlets on Sunday and against Ospreys next weekend.
The Lions will go into Sunday afternoon’s home United Rugby Championship match against Scarlets at Ellis Park knowing they are eliminated from this year’s competition.
With two matches to play in the regular season, the Lions, who’re in 13th position on the points table, cannot make the top eight. They have so far won only seven of 16 matches.
Results elsewhere on Saturday have resulted in the Lions losing out on a top eight and quarter-finals place for the fourth season in a row.
With 35 log points the Lions cannot get to the required number of points needed to qualify for the playoffs. Cardiff, currently in eighth, have 46 points.
Wins for Bulls, Sharks and Stormers
Two bonus points wins, on Sunday against Scarlets and next week against Ospreys, would only get the Lions to 45 points.
The three other South African teams in the URC, the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers, all won on Saturday and have secured their places in the quarter-finals.
The Bulls beat Cardiff 45-21 to move into second place on the log with 63 points, following Glasgow Warriors’ loss to Benetton away (33-7), which has left them third (59 points), while the Sharks beat Ospreys 29-10 to stay fourth on 58 points.
The Stormers are fifth with 50 points thanks to their 48-12 win against the Dragons.
For all the results and points table click here.
