Australian teams fill the remaining four places in the top six, but that should change at the weekend with the Force sitting fourth, the last team to have a bye, while the third-placed Reds and fifth-placed Brumbies meet each other in Brisbane.
Games at the weekend see the Chiefs play the Waratahs in Sydney, the Hurricanes host the Crusaders, the local derby between the Blues and Moana Pasifika at Eden Park, the Highlanders host the Drua and the Reds-Brumbies game.
Statistics after Round 8
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 97, Sam Gilbert (Highlanders) 77, Ben Donaldson (Force) 72.
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 11, Macca Springer (Crusaders) 6, Andy Muirhead (Brumbies), Sevu Reece (Crusaders), Filipo Daugunu (Reds), Kini Naholo (Hurricanes), Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) 6.
Most carries: Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 104, Langi Gleeson (Waratahs) 90, Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) 87.
Most clean breaks: Tangitau 13, Reece, Will Jordan (Crusaders), Harry Potter (Force), Corey Toole (Brumbies) 11.
Most defenders beaten: McKenzie 39, Tavatavanawai 38, Potter 29
Most lineouts won: Ioane Moananu (Crusaders) 56, Soane Vikena (Highlanders), Billy Pollard (Brumbies) 50.
Most offloads: Reece 14, Jordan 10, Nathan Hastie (Highlanders) 10.
Most tackles won: Tizzano 125, Harry Wilson (Reds) 110, Nick Champion de Crispigny (Force) 108.
Chiefs 27 Reds 15
Powerful early displays of physical intent in wet conditions in Hamilton resulted in a 60-minute arm-wrestle in Hamilton, but control under pressure helped the home team, Chiefs, put the Reds away and reclaim the competition leadership. In the third minute, captain and No8 Luke Jacobson showed his power from a goalmouth drive to open the scoring. In the 19th minute, the Reds went to their lineout drive to create a chance hooker Matt Feassler took to respond. First five-eighths Damian McKenzie landed a penalty goal to get the Chiefs out to 10 points, but wing Filipo Daugunu got the ball after an untidy Reds lineout and lifted it high in the air that the Chiefs could not secure. Flanker Joe Brial, an ever-present force on the night, toed the ball ahead 50m and won the race to touch it down to level the scores.
It was into the final quarter before the Chiefs started to secure consistent pressure. First, McKenzie landed his second penalty goal, then in the 71st minute, hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho was on the back of a lineout maul to extend their lead, with McKenzie's conversion to 20-10. Two minutes from the end, replacement wing Gideon Wrampling achieved a rare set of tackle breaks to take the ball to the Reds' line and from the ruck, halfback Xavier Roe went low to score. The Reds finished with purpose and scored through replacement five-eighths Tom Lynagh when he ran onto a grubber kick slipped to the line by No8 Harry Wilson.
Chiefs 27 (Luke Jacobson, Samisoni Taukei'aho tries; Damian McKenzie, 3 con 2 pen) Reds 15 (Matt Feassler, Joe Brial, Tom Lynagh tries): HT: 10-10
Moana Pasifika 45 Waratahs 28
Allowing the Waratahs out to a 7-21 lead at Albany Stadium did not bode well for Moana Pasifika, especially as full§back and danger man Joseph Aukuso Suaalii cast his influence with wing Triston Reilly opening the scoring in the fifth-minute courtesy of Suaalii's long pass. A breakout followed that in his 22m area to put Reilly on a 70-metre run for his second try after 23 minutes. Prop Feliti Sae-ta'ufo'ou got one back off a break to the line by captain Ardie Savea, but it was the visitors who extended their lead to 21-7 at the break when fullback Andrew Kellaway scored from a goalmouth scrum and backline move in injury time.
But it took only three minutes for another Moana Pasifika recovery to begin, with Sae-ta'ufo'ou on hand to take loose forward Semisi Paea's pass to score his second. And from a goalline ruck in the 52nd minute, the prop completed a hat-trick which got Moana Pasifika within two points. Another break by Suaalii saw halfback Teddy Wilson pick up a bounced in-pass to score. However, soon after, fullback William Havili slipped a tackle attempt to run into space and then kicked ahead, where first five-eighths Patrick Pellegrini won the race to score in the 60th minute. Five minutes later, replacement Jackson Garden-Bachop's long pass from second five-eighths put fellow sub Ola Tauelangi on the outside of a marker. He passed out to replacement Fine Inisi, who ran deep into the 22m to pass and put Havili over to claim the lead. To cap that, two minutes later, Garden-Bachop's grubber went to the corner and sat up for Inisi to score. Finally, No8 Tupou Ta'eiloa broke through weak tackles from a lineout to complete the victory.
Moana Pasifika 45 (Feliti Sae-ta'ufo'ou 3, Patrick Pellegrini, William Havili, Fini Inisi, Tupou Ta'eiloa tries; Pellegrini 5 con) Waratahs 28 (Triston Reilly 2, Andrew Kellaway, Teddy Wilson tries; Lawson Creighton 4 con). HT: 7-21
Drua 14 Crusaders 31
Support play wore down the Drua's defence as the Crusaders opened the scoring in Suva with halfback Noah Hotham crossing in the corner for a try after three minutes. Hotham's 17th-minute break to the line after centre Sevu Reece gave him the ball after a burst from the back of a ruck provided lock Antonio Shalfoon with a try. Three minutes later, a blindside incursion from fullback by Will Jordan allowed him to set up wing Chay Fihaki to run in another try.
Up 17-0 at the turn, it was Jordan again on the blindside after 52 minutes. He chipped into the 22m area, and wing Macca Springer had the speed to toe the ball to the in-goal to score. Then, into the final quarter, the pack went to work with a series of pick-and-goes that finally saw replacement hooker Ioane Moananu score. It took 65 minutes before the Drua could get on the board through substitute Isikeli Rabitu, and then from a quick throw-in 25 metres from their line, first five-eighths Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula fed replacement Etonia Waqa the ball and, from 70 metres out, he took full advantage of poor Crusaders defence to score an outstanding solo try.
Drua 14 (Isikeli Rabitu, Etonia Waqa tries: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 2 con) Crusaders 31 (Noah Hotham, Antonio Shalfoon, Chay Fihaki, Macca Springer, Ioane Moananu tries; Taha Kemara 2 con; James O'Connor con). HT: 0-17
Blues 19 Hurricanes 18
Sheer, unadulterated attrition more in line with the form they showed last year, was enough for the Blues to work their chess board, no flair involved game, in grinding out a win at Eden Park. It also helped that first five-eighths Beauden Barrett was superb in his tactical control, with his kicking, both of extended range despite closeness to the sidelines and a rare spiral kick command that gained metres of ground, outstanding. The Hurricanes scored two tries, a forward mauling effort for flanker Brayden Iose after 31 minutes and the second in the 61st minute for wing Nguntane Punivai on the end of a breakout move followed by a tap penalty that left room out wide for the wing to score. Everything the Hurricanes threw at the Blues was met with accurate tackles. Breaks were rare for either side, but the concession of knock-ons, especially those close to the Blues line, made life more complicated for the visitors.
Yet, statistically, the facts showed the Blues enjoyed greater control. They made 155 tackles compared to the Hurricanes' 188, and while the visitors made more breaks, 24-20, the Blues' superior tackle craft negated that advantage. And better ball retention, with 12 successful offloads to three and only nine turnovers conceded to 13 by the Hurricanes, helped the Blues maintain control at vital stages to claim their much-needed win.
Blues 19 (Marcel Renata try; Beauden Barrett con, 4 pen) Hurricanes (Brayden Iose, Ngatungane Punivai tries; Riley Hohepa con, 2 pen). HT: 13-13
Force 29 Highlanders 20
Utilising the combined effectiveness of their lineout maul and flanker Carlo Tizzano's try-scoring ability, the Force opened with a 13th-minute try in Perth against the Highlanders. Three minutes later, wing Jona Nareki put his fend to use in scoring the visitors' first try. Then, in the 20th minute, a turnover achieved by flanker Sam Withy unleashed ball that was transferred to the outside backs, where Nareki, Thomas Umaga-Jensen and fullback Sam Gilbert combined for the latter to score. Three minutes from the half, another Force lineout maul resulted in hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa scoring. In injury time, concerted rucking play opened space for fullback Mac Grealy to stun the visitors with a try.
Five minutes into the second half, the Force worked the ball wide where first five-eighths Ben Donaldson was on the end of the line to race ahead and then link with wing Harry Potter, who went to score in a tackle. Losing Withy, whose knees slid into Potter's head, to a red card after the try was compounded when Nareki received a yellow card in the 67th minute, leaving them playing with 13 briefly. Earlier, a 53rd-minute try to substitute George Poolman put the game out of any prospective Highlanders' recovery.
Force 29 (Carlo Tizzano, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Mac Grealy, Harry Potter, George Poolman tries; Ben Donaldson 2 con) Highlanders 20 (Jona Nareki, Sam Gilbert tries; Gilbert 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 19-20