While the Chiefs lead the Crusaders, Reds, and Brumbies by four points, they still have their bye to come.
The Waratahs slipped to fifth after their loss to the Reds and the Highlanders dropped to sixth, one point ahead of the Hurricanes who beat them on Friday.
The Blues, Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika are at the bottom of the ladder with one win apiece.
Highlanders 18 Hurricanes 20
Long phases of possession marked the Dunedin weekend opener, and it was seen when the Hurricanes used 21 phases before getting wing Kini Naholo over for the first try in the fourth minute. Home fullback Sam Gilbert landed two penalty goals to stay in touch before an intercept out from his line by wing Caleb Tangitau resulted in the Highlanders' first try, as he was not headed on a 90m break.
Down 8-11 at the break, the Hurricanes struck courtesy of a blindside break by halfback Cam Roigard that opened a gap that centre Bailyn Sullivan took at speed to race toward the line, where he passed back inside to Roigard, who scored. But Tangitau showed why he's got Southerners excited by his skills when taking a tap penalty out from the Highlanders 22m. He then kicked ahead and tapped the ball to replacement five-eighths Ajay Faleafaga, who raced in to reclaim the lead for the home side. Eighteen minutes from the end, Roigard worked the blind again, weighting his pass to give fullback Ruben Love the chance to dive in at the corner to score. The Hurricanes held out long Highlanders stints with the ball-in-hand in the final 15 minutes. Captain Du'Plessis Kirifi pulled off one crucial turnover, and the Highlanders resorted to an attempted dropped goal from Gilbert to seal a win, but it floated wide for the Hurricanes to hold on.
Highlanders 18 (Caleb Tangitau, Ajay Faleafaga tries; Sam Gilbert con, 2 pen) Hurricanes 20 (Kini Naholo, Cam Roigard, Ruben Love tries, Harry Godfrey con, pen). HT: 11-8
Brumbies 38 Drua 21
Brumbies centre Leni Ikitau was a powerhouse for the Brumbies at home. His strength resulted in his first try 19 minutes into the contest, then four minutes later, he was pulled up just short of the line, but from the ruck, halfback Ryan Lonergan was able to place the ball over the line with ease. The Drua opened their scoring moments later from a tap penalty where No8 Elia Canakaivata beat two tacklers to plough over for the try. Ikitau was in action again at the 30-minute mark when an attempted long pass by first five-eighths Noah Lolesio was touched in flight by a Drua hand. It fell short of its target but was handy enough for Ikitau to secure it and score. Two minutes later, fullback Tom Wright blasted into a gap on the blindside of a ruck and fed wing Andy Muirhead over to secure a 28-7 halftime lead.
The Drua took 90 seconds to score in the second half when a backhand pass from Iosefi Masi found flanker Motikiai Murray ranging outside to score. The first five-eighths of Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula may have been taken out after chipping a ball into the Brumbies' 22, but replacement hooker Tevita Ikanivere scented the chance and took the ball to score. Failing to cover Wright after fielding a kick killed the Drua's hopes as he ran past several defenders before throwing a wide ball, and it was just a case of whether Muirhead or Ikitau scored. It was the latter who completed a hat-trick. A yellow card on Murray gave the Brumbies another try, and replacement Luke Reimer scored.
Brumbies 38 (Len Ikitau 3, Ryan Lonergan, Andy Muirhead, Luke Reimer tries; Noah Lolesio 3 con) Drua 21 (Elia Canakaivata, Motikiai Murray, Tevita Ikanivere tries; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 3 con). HT: 28-7
Crusaders 55 Force 33
Containing a Force side that three times took the lead in the first half, the Crusaders nudged ahead to lead 20-18 at halftime. Wing Macca Springer scored the first two tries for the Crusaders in the 13th and 19th minutes en route to equalling the late Chiefs wing Sean Wainui's record of five tries in a game. But some fine play by Force fullback Mac Grealy produced the game's first try. First five-eighths Max Burey landed two penalty goals before flanker Will Harris regained the lead for the visitors. However, Crusaders wing Sevu Reece matched Springer in scoring two first-half tries.
Reece had a third two minutes into the second half with a break from the middle of a ruck, but then it was all the Springer show as he crossed in the 51st, 54th and 59 minutes to grab the game away from the visitors. Fullback Will Jordan maintained the impetus from the back three by scoring the Crusaders' final try. There was some reward for the Force as lock Jeremy Williams and wing Harry Potter took chances to take some credits from a high-paced reminder of just how effective the Crusaders can be in the conditions they revelled in at home.
Crusaders 55 (Macca Springer 5, Sevu Reece 3, Will Jordan tries; Taha Kemara con; James O'Connor 4 con) Force 33 (Mac Grealy, Will Harris, Jeremy Williams, Harry Potter tries; Max Burey con, 3 pen; Coby Miln con). HT: 20-18
Chiefs 32 Blues 31
The Chiefs regained the lead in the competition with their fourth win and second over the Blues in 2025, but they knew they had been in a contest after 80 action-packed minutes. There was no hint of top playing bottom in the contest, and the Blues were giving as good as they got in a more power-based display than they had produced in their earlier games. But when they do their review, they will once again see penalties conceded and box kicks not secured, which allowed the Chiefs to call the tune at vital stages of the game. There were some dazzling moments, none better than the try to replacement halfback Cortez Ratima to give the home team the lead they held until the end.
But the Blues had their moments with a classic try to wing Mark Tele'a with another dive at the corner to secure the points, while fullback Corey Evans, prop Marcel Renata and centre Rieko Ioane came home fast to deal with the final quarter scoring issues they have had to finish one at least try ahead of the Chiefs. However, the consistency of first five-eighths Damian McKenzie's goal-kicking proved superior as he finished with 12 points from his boot to go alongside the try he scored after a mistake, only to recover the ball he lost and then corkscrew his way over the line.
Chiefs 32 (Daniel Rona, Damian McKenzie, Tupou Vaa'i, Cortez Ratima tries; McKenzie 3 con, 2 pen) Blues 31 (AJ Lam, Mark Tele'a, Corey Evans, Marcel Renata, Rieko Ioane tries: Harry Plummer 2 con; Xavier Taele con). HT: 15-12
Reds 35 Waratahs 15
Wing Triston Reilly gave the Waratahs the perfect start with a second-minute try in Brisbane, but it proved a false dawn. Losing fullback Andrew Kellaway for a tip tackle resulted in Reds fullback Heremaiah Murray kicking ahead to wide-open spaces, using his speed to gather the ball and score the Reds first try. A Lawson Creighton penalty goal gave the Waratahs a momentary lead before the Reds pack went to work for flanker Harry Wilson corkscrew his way across. That was followed by a galloping Reds lineout maul covering 22m that saw replacement hooker Richie Asiata score within a minute of taking the field.
Into the second half, flanker Fraser McReight broke down the sideline from halfway and sold a dummy to Kellaway to create enough room to score in the corner. However, he suffered a shoulder injury and left the field soon after. And replacement forward Angus Blyth went over from a goalline ruck to secure the home win, capped by first five-eighths Tom Lynagh converting all five tries, several of his kicks being from wide out. The Waratahs had a late try to replacement back Langi Gleeson.
Reds 35 (Heremaiah Murray, Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight, Angus Blyth, Richie Asiata tries; Tom Lynagh 5 con) Waratahs 15 (Triston Reilly, Langi Gleeson tries; Tana Edmed con; Lawson Creighton pen). HT: 21-8