A clean bill on the injury front was more pleasing for Blues assistant coach Jason O'Halloran, but it wasn't the same for the home team.
Props Finlay Brewis and Seb Calder suffered shoulder injuries, with Brewis of long-term concern. Johnny McNicholl (eight weeks), Rivez Reihana (four weeks), and Quinten Strange (two weeks) were already on the injury list before the game.
Crusaders 19 (Toby Bell, Macca Springer, Maloni Kunawave tries; James O'Connor con) Blues 35 (Adrian Choat 2, Meihana Grindlay, Sam Nock, Anton Segner tries; Harry Plummer con; Rico Simpson 4 con).
Last-gasp try for Michael Manson broke the final Moana Pasifika resistance. The home team enjoyed a 21-14 lead at the end of the second of the game's three spells. Assistant coach Clarke Dermody said it was a physical game, and the side's recovery to create its last chance was the reward for ball retention and working their way ahead from their half.
"We've been training pretty hard for eight weeks now, so it was good to play a game of rugby. And it was good to see a few of our plans come into play."
Moana Pasifika 21 (Solomon Alaimalo, Patrick Pellegrini, Tuna Tuitama tries; Pellegrini con; Williams Havili con; Jackson Garden-Bachop con) Highlanders 26 (Hayden Michaels, Hugh Renton, AJ Faleafaga, Michael Manson tries; Cameron Millar 2 con; Faleafaga con).
It took a late try by Chiefs back Gibson Popoali'i to wrest a 43-40 win for his side over the Hurricanes at New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium on Saturday.
The Hurricanes lagged 0-17 after the first 30-minute spell but came back in the last two spells. There was a chance a late try to Logan Wallace could have given the Hurricanes the win, but the Chiefs struck back after a crucial break by Peniasi Malimali took play to the Hurricanes' goalline, where Popoali'i was able to burst through the defence to score.
Chiefs 43 (Brad Slater 2, Leroy Carter 2, Oscar Koller, Peniasi Malimali, Gibson Popali'i tries; Josh Jacomb 2 con, Koller 2 con) Hurricanes 40 (Devan Flanders, Kade Banks, Harry Godfrey, Sam Coles, Liam O'Connor, Logan Wallace tries; Godfrey 2 con; Callum Harkin 3 con).
The last warm-up games next weekend are the Blues vs the Hurricanes in Wainuiomata, the Crusaders vs the Highlanders in Invercargill, and the Chiefs vs Moana Pasifika in Pukekohe.