The Chiefs reclaimed first position after their 35-19 win over the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Brumbies moved to second with their bonus point win over the Force and the Blues reached fifth place with a 34-5 win over the Drua in Suva.
However, the Chiefs, Brumbies and Blues are each to have byes that could result in even more points table changes.
Fijian Drua 5 Blues 34
Old-fashioned Blues forward muscle, much of it generating the power of the front five, put paid to any hopes the home team had of lowering the visitors' colours on a wet night in Suva. The conditions were tailor-made for the desperate Blues, who needed another win to boost their playoff chances. Their win was based on field dominance and possession. The won six mauls to none, dominated the rucks 104-78. Handling throughout was exceptional, and the Drua were forced to fight off scraps. When they did get the ball, the determined Blues' defence shut them down, often forcing turnovers with the force of their tackles. Props Marcel Renata and Joshua Fusitu'a in the first half and replacement Angus Ta'avao in the second crossed for tries that rewarded the upfront effort.
But halfback Taufa Funaki, who performed an outstanding role in getting to the base of rucks to distribute often short passes to the big men to allow them to tie the Drua defenders down, also showed his eye for a gap when crossing, seeing a goalline gap. Wing Cole Forbes completed the scoring with the last of the tries, crossing with room to spare after another significant tactical option by first five-eighths Beauden Barrett. The bonus points win bolstered the Blues' chances ahead of their final games against Moana Pasifika next week, and the Waratahs after the Blues have a bye.
Fijian Drua 5 (Selestino Ravutaumada try) Blues 34 (Marcel Renata, Taufa Funaki, Joshua Fusitu'a, Angus Ta'avao, Cole Forbes tries; Beauden Barrett 3 con; pen). HT: 0-22
Waratahs 21 Reds 28
Early tries to centre Henry O'Donnell and halfback Jake Gordon got the home side, the Waratahs, off to a perfect start. The Reds responded first through half Tate McDermott, who caught the Waratahs napping at a scrum penalty in front of their posts when he took a tap and wormed his way through the defence to score. The loss of ace fullback Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to a concussion, due to friendly fire from his wing Andrew Kellaway's knee to his jaw as the pair attempted a tackle, rocked the home confidence. Then a minute out, hooker Richie Asiata scored from a lineout drive to level the scores at 14-14.
Ten minutes into the second half, replacement prop Taniela Tupou drove a big blow into his former teammates when crossing from a goal-line ruck. But with 14 minutes left, Tupou blotted his copybook when yellow-carded for a head-on-head clash with Reds' second-five Dre Pakeho. From the resulting lineout in the corner replacement Reds hooker Josh Nasser cashed in on the back of a big lineout drive to again level the scores. Then, with five minutes left, the Reds ran the ball from their half and wing Lachie Anderson was able to run onto a kick ahead by centre Filipo Daugunu for the Reds to claim the win, and leave the Waratahs out of the playoffs.
Waratahs 21 (Henry O'Donnell, Jake Gordon, Taniela Tupou tries; Tane Edmed 3 con) Reds 28 (Tate McDermott, Richie Asiata, Josh Nasser, Lachie Anderson tries; Tom Lynagh 2 con; Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 2 con). HT: 14-14
Crusaders 19 Chiefs 35
Three Chiefs tries in seven minutes, either side of halftime, not only got them back in the game in Christchurch after being down 3-19, but they also set up a lead that saw them score 32 unanswered points against the Crusaders. The home team made an impressive start, scoring their first try to flanker Tom Christie, seven minutes after the start, during their first foray into Chiefs territory. The Crusaders suffered a key blow after 19 minutes when fullback Will Jordan limped from the field. While the Chiefs had their chances, the Crusaders scored next through lock Scott Barrett after 33 minutes. First five-eighths Damian McKenzie got the Chiefs on the board two minutes later with a penalty goal, but then in a storming assault just before halftime wing Emoni Narawa got through the extended defence to pull the Chiefs to 10-19 down.
Coming out after the break, the Chiefs took the game to the home side, and constant possession saw McKenzie go through a defensive hole to score in the 44th minute. Then replacement wing Gideon Wrampling took an attempted grubber kick by Crusaders second-five David Havili, and outside him wing Leroy Carter sped down the sideline, stepped inside replacement wing Dallas McLeod and scored a momentum-shifting try that put the Chiefs in front with 32 minutes to play. Mistakes, especially penalties conceded, allowed McKenzie to keep the scoreboard advancing, and with six minutes to play, No8 Wallace Sititi's try sealed the win for the Chiefs.
Crusaders 19 (Tom Christie, Scott Barrett, Antonio Shalfoon tries; Rivez Reihana 2 con) Chiefs 35 (Emoni Narawa, Damian McKenzie, Leroy Carter, Wallace Sititi tries; McKenzie 3 con, 3 pen). HT: 19-10
Force 14 Brumbies 33
Home town hopes of an upset win rose after prop Kane Koteka scored the opening try 23 minutes into the game, but that stung the Brumbies in Perth, and they made an immediate response when centre Len Ikitau scored by the posts after 26 minutes. The Brumbies had been unsettled by the 20th-minute loss of first five-eighths Noah Lolesio, who had to be stretchered from the field with an apparent spinal injury. Just before halftime, wing Corey Toole was given space on the end of the line to cross for an uncontested try.
It took the Brumbies 23 minutes into the second half before Tom Hooper burrowed his way over the line to score under the crossbar. But, three minutes later, having almost blown a chance due to poor ball control inside him, wing Mac Grealy got the ball on the outside and managed to ground the ball for a try in a tight squeeze with the sideline. After 72 minutes, fullback Tom Wright made a break on the right flank and fed wing Ollie Sapsford, who ran a perfect angle to beat a tackle to score. Then, on fulltime, replacement hooker Liam Bowron, went over from a maul to secure the bonus point win.
Force 14 (Kane Koteka, Mac Grealy tries; Ben Donaldson 2 con) Brumbies 33 (Len Ikitau, Corey Toole, Tom Hooper, Ollie Sapsford, Liam Bowron tries; Declan Meredith 4 con). HT: 7-14