The leaders brushed past the hapless Crusaders, who have suffered their unprecedented fourth consecutive loss, while the Reds are two points behind in second place after their rout of the Rebels.
The Chiefs regained their winning touch with a strong showing against the Drua, while the Blues were less impressive in heading the Waratahs in Sydney. The Brumbies are in fifth place with their win over the sixth-placed Highlanders, while the Rebels are one point ahead of eight-placed Moana Pasifika, who secured an away win over the Force.
Stats watch:
Tries scored: Hoskins Sotutu (Blues), Corey Toole (Brumbies), Matt Faessler (Reds) 5 each.
Carries: Peter Lakai (Hurricanes) 60, Mark Tele'a (Blues) 59, Brayden Iose (Hurricanes) 51
Clean breaks: Josh Moorby (Hurricanes), Epeli Momo (Drua), Selestino Ravutaumada (Drua) 7 each
Defenders beaten: Ravutaumada 23, Cameron Roigard (Hurricanes) 22, Ben Kelleway (Rebels) 21
Lineouts won: Nick Frost (Brumbies) 26, Liam Wright (Reds) 19, Josh Canham (Rebels) 18
Metres gained: Kellaway 354, Harry Potter (Force) 347, Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs) 334
Offloads: Tele'a, Billy Proctor (Hurricanes) 8 each, Stevenson, Wilson (Reds) 7 each
Points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 56, Sam Gilbert (Highlanders) 41, Tane Edmed (Waratahs) 40
Tackles won: Tom Christie (Crusaders) 89, Billy Harmon (Highlanders) 71, Lakai 63
Crusaders 10 Hurricanes 14
The Crusaders have long been a side for whom the last one or two per cent of performance spelt the difference in their phenomenal run in Super Rugby. But without those key digits, they have slipped, and long-time sufferers, the Hurricanes, made them pay in Christchurch. The home team conceded 11 penalties to four, lost the lineouts 7-15, the ruck count 92-132 and missed 33 tackles to 16. The Hurricanes scored through tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax after a strong run off a goalmouth scrum by No8 Brayden Iose. The Hurricanes led after 13 minutes and never let the lead slip to go to halftime 7-0 up.
A 70-metre break by Hurricanes halfback Cameron Roigard was ruled out by his knock-on on opposite Willie Heinz, and it was the Crusaders who benefited from a sustained attack in the Hurricanes' 22, which saw No8 Cullen Grace score for the game to be tied at 7-7. A penalty conceded at a 70th-minute lineout saw first five-eighths Riley Hohepa land the goal, and while they claimed the lead, the Hurricanes continued to attack, and it was lock Julian Sangster who drove over with two minutes left when the Crusaders were without replacement lock Jamie Hannah who was penalised for constant Crusaders' infringements in the 22-metre area.
Crusaders 10 (Cullen Grace try; Riley Hohepa con, pen) Hurricanes 14 (Tyrel Lomax, Julian Sangster tries; Brett Cameron 2 con). HT: 0-7
Rebels 26 Reds 53
Maintaining their winning momentum, the Reds quickly established themselves against the Rebels when lock Seru Uru blasted over the line from a goalline ruck to score. They used the lineout maul again when hooker Matt Faessler scored in the 18th minute. Uru featured in the set-up of their third try when picking up a loose ball, linking with wing Suliasi Vunivalu, who forged ahead before blindside flanker Liam Wright scored. It was almost run-a-minute scoring for the visitors. But the home team came back with a five-metre scrum providing ball for fullback Andrew Kellaway to score. However, there was no holding the Reds, even after a botched Rebels intercept, which saw the Reds recover and move the ball wide, where Seru scored his second. Prop Peni Ravi completed the first half with a try for a 33-7 lead.
Into the second half, the Rebels score first through wing Glen Vaihu, with replacement prop Isaac Kailea following up with another try five minutes later. But the Reds' pressure provided an intercept from an unnecessary Vaihu inside pass for centre Josh Flook to score. Loose forward replacement Tuaina Taii Tualima pulled a try back for the Rebels, but it was the Reds who finished strongest, with replacement hooker Josh Nasser scoring and Flook scoring the last.
Rebels 26 (Andrew Kellaway, Glen Vaihu, Isaac Kailea, Tuaina Taii Tualima tries; Carter Gordon 3 con) Reds 56 (Seru Uru 2, Matt Faessler, Liam Wright, Peni Ravai, Josh Flook 2, Josh Nasser tries; Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 4 con; Tom Lynagh con, pen). HT: 7-33
Force 14 Moana Pasifika 22
Moana Pasifika's power in the lineout drive punished the home team in Perth after a botched scoring effort for hooker Sama Malolo to cross in the 17th minute. The Force were unfazed, and when wing Chase Tiatia, on the right wing, chipped ahead off his left foot, centre Bayley Kuenzle was on hand to take the ball and score. The Force lost flanker Carlo Tizzano to the sin-bin for a head-on-head tackle. Then, from a tap penalty on the Force line, prop Sekope Kepu powered his way across to score.
A long lineout throw saw first five-eighths Christian Leali'ifano take the ball, draw the tackle and give wing Kyren Taumoefolau half the field width to demonstrate his speed and swerve to run in a superb try. Going into the final quarter, the Force drove across from a lineout for Tizzano to score and get within five points of the lead. The final score of the game put Moana Pasifika beyond the seven-point margin when replacement William Havili landed a 55-metre penalty goal, and they held out the home side as they sought a losing bonus point.
Force 14 (Bayley Kuenzle, Carlo Tizzano tries; Ben Donaldson 2 con) Moana Pasifika 22 (Sama Malolo, Sekope Kepu, Kyren Taumoefolau tries; Christian Leali'ifano 2 con; William Havili con). HT: 7-12
Highlanders 21 Brumbies 27
Halfback Folau Fakatava proved an early handful for the Brumbies after the Highlanders took the lead from a penalty goal landed by Sam Gilbert. Fakatava looked to be held up in a maul, but he burst free, and second five-eighths Tanielu Tele'a took play forward. But then the Brumbies centre Len Ikitau intercepted a pass, only for the ball to be lost and toed ahead by home No8 Nikora Broughton. He kicked again and won the race to the in-goal to score. The Brumbies had to work hard to open their scoring, but after the option of a five-metre tap penalty, they went through six phases before fullback Tom Wright scored.
While the Highlanders enjoyed an 11-7 halftime lead, the Brumbies moved the ball to wing Corey Toole, who had enough room to put his speed to work down the left flank to claim the lead with a try. Getting straight back onto the attack, the Brumbies extended the lead to six with a penalty goal, but the Highlanders were not done when flanker Billy Harmon scored an outstanding loose forward to try to reclaim the lead. They extended that courtesy of their lineout drive when replacement hooker Lachlan Lonergan scored with three minutes left. Gilbert landed his third penalty goal on full-time to secure a losers' bonus point.
Highlanders 21 (Nikora Broughton, Billy Harmon tries; Sam Gilbert con, 3 pen) Brumbies 27 (Tom Wright, Corey Toole, Lachlan Lonergan tries; Noah Lolesio 3 con, 2 pen). HT: 11-7
Chiefs 46 Fijian Drua 29
Contesting a kick into the box, centre Iosefo Masi won the ball when Chiefs first five-eighths Damian McKenzie couldn't retain it, and Masi's speed carried him 50m for the try after six minutes. But a lineout move four minutes later saw blindside wing Daniel Rona enter the line, providing a gap and space for supporting flanker Kaylum Boshier to score for the home side. They followed that moments later when second five-eighths Rameka Pohepi found space before passing inside to halfback Cortez Ratima, who scored. Into the second quarter, Drua forward drive set up another chance for Masi, who crossed under the bar for his second. A tap penalty set-up by lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit allowed the Chiefs to run blind, and a long pass from McKenzie saw Rona cross in the corner.
Into the second half, the clever passing after a break by centre Anton Lienert-Brown resulted in a wide pass for wing Etene Nanai-Seturo to score, followed later by Boshier to score on the end of a pass from replacement five-eighths Quinn Tupaea. The Chiefs suffered a blow when Lienert-Brown had to be assisted from the field in the final quarter. The Drua showed their version of clever goalline passing for replacement Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta to score. Shaun Stevenson's chip and chase kick rounded out the home scoring before the Drua finished with a tap penalty try to Kemu Valetini.
Chiefs 46 (Kaylum Bosher 2, Cortez Ratima, Daniel Rona, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson tries; Damian McKenzie 5 con, 2 pen) Fijian Drua 29 (Iosefo Masi 2, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Kemu Valetini tries; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 3 con, pen). HT: 24-17
Waratahs 10 Blues 12
The Waratahs made a storming start in Sydney, with tries denied them when wing Dylan Pietsch was tackled on the first occasion, and No8 Langi Gleeson tripped in the 22m area with the line open. The Blues lost centre Rieko Ioane two minutes into the game with a head injury, and the home team scored first through a penalty goal by first five-eighth Tane Edmed. The Blues had several potential opportunities to score, but in the 35th minute, after a series of drives from a lineout, prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi powered over beside a goalpost to score.
Skipper and flanker Dalton Papali'i looked to score three minutes into the second half, but the try was overruled due to No8 Hoskins Sotutu taking out a potential defender in the lead-up. The Waratahs' indiscipline saw them heavily penalised. Blues first five-eighths Stephen Perofeta had a horror night with his goal-kicking, and several easy chances were missed. He did compensate with two try-saving cover tackles, but the Blues made hard work of their win. A 57th-minute try proved crucial and came after a strong team surge with impetus from wing Mark Tele'a, Sotutu and lock Josh Beehre before fullback Zarn Sullivan, who started the move, was on the end of an accurate miss-out pass by halfback Finlay Christie. Ninety seconds from the end, replacement hooker Jay Fonokalafi went over from a lineout drive, but the Blues kicked deep and kept the Waratahs wrapped up.
Waratahs 10 (Jay Fonokalafi try; Tane Edmed con, pen) Blues 12 (Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Zarn Sullivan tries; Stephen Perofeta con). HT: 3-7