They moved eight points clear of nearest rivals the Brumbies, who lost to the Hurricanes 29-35. That win lifted the Hurricanes to fifth place while dropping the Force, who lost to the Chiefs 22-56, to sixth.
The Reds stayed in the hunt for home advantage by beating the Blues 35-21, to be two points behind the Brumbies with a game in hand.
Statistics:
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 117, Ben Donaldson (Force) 86, Sam Gilbert (Highlanders) 82.
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 11, Kini Naholo (Hurricanes), Macca Springer (Crusaders) 8.
Most carries: Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 155, Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) 123, Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) 117.
Most clean breaks: Ponipate Loganimisi (Drua) 18, Harry Potter (Force) 16, Corey Toole (Brumbies) 14.
Most defenders beaten: Tavatavanawai 56, McKenzie 42, Potter 37.
Most lineouts won: Billy Pollard (Brumbies) 78, Ioane Moananu (Crusaders) 72, Ricky Riccitelli (Blues) 71.
Most metres gained: Tom Wright (Brumbies) 716, Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) 676, Will Jordan (Crusaders) 667.
Most offloads: Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 18, Jordan 13, Hoskins Sotutu (Blues), Potter 12.
Most tackles won: Tizzano 167, Du'Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) 150, Fabian Holland (Highlanders) 148.
Chiefs 56 Force 22
Dominating all the match statistics and using their 63 percent advantage in possession, the Chiefs overran the early threat the Force posed in wet conditions in Hamilton. Visiting wing Bayley Kuenzle stole an early march to score the opening try. However, a superb follow-up of a chip by fullback Shaun Stevenson from stand-off from wing Emoni Narawa saw him pierce the defence by sheer speed to claim the lead after nine minutes. But, in an embarrassing moment, the Chiefs failed to cover the restart and wing Harry Potter scored in the corner. However, once they recovered, the Chiefs stormed back on attack, and from a lineout break by halfback Cortez Ratima, prop Ollie Norris charged clear before feeding flying hooker Samison Taukei'aho who celebrated his 100th game with a try. Fourteen minutes later, flanker Kaylum Boshier crossed under the bar to ensure the Chiefs a 25-15 halftime advantage.
Two minutes into the second half, a break by first five-eighths Josh Jacomb was continued to the line by Ratima. From the ensuing rucks, Norris was able to score. That unleashed the full might of the Chiefs' attacking ability, with Boshier fed into a gap before passing to Ratima, who scored after 46 minutes. Potter provided temporary relief for the visitors when kicking ahead and evading Chiefs defenders to score. But three minutes later, in the 57th, Stevenson ran into the line at speed and was able to pass inside to Ratima in support, and he scored his second. Three minutes from the end, quick hands on the goal line saw wing Daniel Rona cross for the try.
Chiefs 56 (Emoni Narawa, Samasoni Taukei'aho, Kaylum Boshier, Ollie Norris, Cortez Ratima 2, Luke Jacobson, Daniel Rona tries; Josh Jacomb 5 con, 2 pen) Force 22 (Bayley Kuenzle, Harry Potter 2 tries; Ben Donaldson 2 con, pen). HT: 25-15
Reds 35 Blues 21
Two converted tries in the first seven minutes by Reds' first five-eighths Tom Lynagh added to the pressure the Blues were under in Brisbane. That pressure was compounded when four tries were denied them as they could not ground the ball to the satisfaction of the TMO after lengthy, unproductive periods in the Reds' 22m area. It didn't help that wing Mark Tele'a had a yellow card upgraded to a red in the 30th minute for a dangerous tackle on wing Tim Ryan. It was six minutes later that hooker Kurt Eklund, who had earlier been denied, was able to score to get the Blues some reward.
But 10 minutes into the second half, Reds halfback Tate McDermott, who had been threatening to snipe all game, found a gap and was able to run 25 metres to score. Heading into the final quarter, a try to wing Lachie Anderson from a lineout move extended the mountain the Blues had been climbing. Replacement halfback Sam Nock showed the Blues were not the only side guilty of leaving space around a ruck, and 14 minutes from the end, he sped through to score. But a lineout mauling try to hooker Richie Asiata 10 minutes from the end ensured the win for the home team – the first over the Blues since 2019. There was scant consolation when Blues flanker Anton Segner scored in the 77th minute.
Reds 35 (Tom Lynagh 2, Tate McDermott, Lachie Anderson, Richie Asiata; Lynagh 5 con) Blues 21(Kurt Eklund, Sam Nock, Anton Segner tries; Harry Plummer con; Beauden Barrett 2 con). HT: 14-7
Moana Pasifika 34 Drua 15
Withstanding some threatening Drua attacks at North Harbour Stadium, Moana Pasifika showed what they could do when fullback William Havili ran back a long kick from the Drua's first five-eighths Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula. Centre Lalomilo Lalamilo and wing Fine Inisi inter-passed the ball on the left flank before wing Danny Toala took the ball to score. More pressure soon after saw flanker Miracle Fai'ilagi cross after 30 minutes. A tap penalty out from the Drua line saw Semisi Tupou Te'eiloa score just before the break.
With Fai'ilagi driving over from a goal-line ruck, the home team were out to a 24-0 lead four minutes into the second half. Three minutes later, the Drua scored their first when replacement hooker Tevita Ikanivere blasted through the home defence and raced 20m to score. Then, in the face of a possible Drua recovery, skipper and flanker Ardie Savea produced some brilliance out in the centres. He chipped ahead, raced to gather the ball and then outsped the defence to score, only to have play called back for an earlier offence. But, a minute later, brother and replacement Julian did score. However, he was sucked into a tackle at the restart, leaving a gap for Drua wing Taniela Rakuro to run in a try. But any hint of a Drua recovery was stymied by outstanding defence and then rewarded with wing Tevita Ofa picking up an intercept to seal Moana Pasifika's win.
Moana Pasifika 34 (Danny Toala, Miracle Fai'ilagi 2, Semisi Tupou Te'eiloa, Julian Savea, Tevita Ofa tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop con; Patrick Pellegrini con) Drua 15 (Tevita Ikanivere, Taniela Rakuro tries; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula con, pen). HT: 17-0
Highlanders 10 Crusaders 43
Emerging depth in the Crusaders was revealed in Dunedin when starting first five-eighths Tahu Kemara was forced out in the first moments of the game. Replacement Rivez Reihana stepped in and set alight his backline, with fullback Will Jordan scoring ninth and 14th-minute tries in classy backline movements to rock the home side. The Highlanders were unable to take advantage of a Codie Taylor yellow card, and upon his return, Taylor scored from a goal-line ruck to rub home the point and claim a 21-0 half-time lead.
It took the Highlanders 62 minutes to get their first points through wing Jonah Lowe on the end of a long pass along the line to score in the corner. Soon after, Jordan secured a high kick, and from the tackle, replacement Corey Kellow lurked to get the ball and run in for a try. Into the final 10 minutes, wing Chay Fihaki joined a move to score. The Highlanders got a second through replacement forward Veveni Lasaqa, but the final word went to Taylor, who took a tap penalty out from the Highlanders line that caught the home side napping. Crusaders' control of their possession dealt a harsh lesson to the Highlanders, who could not capitalise on forcing the Crusaders to make 270 tackles to 123, with 37 tackles being missed. The Highlanders gained 478 metres to 440 by the Crusaders. And with 59 percent possession, the home team could not turn that into more points.
Highlanders 10 (Jonah Lowe, Veveni Lasaqa tries) Crusaders 43 (Will Jordan 2, Codie Taylor 2, Corey Kellow, Chay Fihaki tries; Rivez Reihana 5 con, pen). HT: 0-21
Brumbies 29 Hurricanes 35
An early exchange of tries, the first to Brumbies' prop Allan Alaalatoa in the ninth minute and a response from Hurricanes' centre Billy Proctor in the 12th set the scene for a tight contest in Canberra. Sure hands put the ball out wide to flanker Brad Shields to give Ngane Punivai a chance that he took down the touchline to draw level with the home team, and then first five-eighths Ruben Love landed a sideline conversion and a penalty goal. Six minutes from half-time, Brumbies flanker Luke Reimer scored from a lineout maul. Three minutes later, Love slipped a blindside kick into the 22m area, where fullback Callum Harkin ran through to claim the ball and slip a pass to wing Kini Naholo for the try.
Brumbies centre Len Ikitau got over to score from a goal-line ruck seven minutes into the second half, but taking advantage of a lack of a restart ruck, Naholo took the ball from its base to run 22m through weak defence to score his second. A scrum move six metres out from the home line created room out wide for quick hands to put Punivai in for his second try. The Hurricanes tested the Brumbies' defence while running 563 metres to 313 and beating 46 defenders to 16 with 11 clean breaks to five. They achieved dominance at the breakdown, with the Hurricanes winning 115 rucks to 80. The Brumbies scored through wing Andy Muirhead with nine minutes left, but the Hurricanes had a possible try ruled out on full-time.
Brumbies 29 (Allan Alaalatoa, Luke Reimer, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead tries; Noah Lolesio 3 con, pen) Hurricanes 35 (Billy Proctor, Ngane Punivai 2, Kini Naholo 2 tries; Ruben Love 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 15-20