The Reds, with a game in hand, the Highlanders and Force each have nine points, the Waratahs have eight while the Hurricanes, Brumbies and Blues have five points.
It was another competitive round with four of the five games finishing within five points of each other, the Chiefs being the exception with a 15-point winning margin over the Brumbies.
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 48, Harry Godfrey (Hurricanes) 44, Ben Donaldson (Force) 42.
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 5, Kyren Taumoefolau (Moana Pasifika), Kyle Preston (Crusaders) 4.
Most clean breaks: Taumoefolau 8, Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) 7, McKenzie, Corey Toole (Brumbies), Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) 6.
Most carries: Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 56, Tupaea 45, McKenzie 41.
Most defenders beaten: McKenzie 23, Tupaea 14, Dylan Pietsch (Force), Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) 13.
Most lineouts won: Darcy Swain (Force) 14, Rob Leota,Miles Amatosero (Waratahs) 12.
Most metres gained: McKenzie 288, Tangitau 285, Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 228.
Most offloads: Reece 7, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Kini Naholo (Hurricanes) 6.
Most tackles won: Tizzano 64, Ricky Riccitelli (Blues) 54, Nicholas Champion de Crespigny (Force) 53.
Moana Pasifika 29 Highlanders 31
Creating a chance for wing Michael Manson 95 seconds into their game at Albany, the Highlanders scored their first try when halfback Nathan Hastie was on hand for Manson's inside pass. But the home responded with two tries in four minutes to prop Sione Mafile'o, who barged through from a goalline ruck and fullback William Havili on the end of some quick passing. Moana Pasifika looked to grind the Highlanders' defence down, but wing Caleb Tangitau read an attempted long pass well and raced in to take an intercept and run the length of the field to score. That rocked Moana Pasifika, and two minutes later, they were on their goalline again after a box kick by halfback Nathan Hastie was dropped for centre Tanielu Tele'a to secure the loose ball and run on to score. And when lock Mitch Dunshea was able to go over after standing out from a ruck, a lead of 10-31 was conceded by halftime.
Five minutes into the second half, captain and flanker Ardie Savea took a high kick and broke through the defence to run 40m unchallenged for a superb try. In the last quarter, Havili scored his second after wing Solomon Alaimalo took a long ball on the sideline and then fed it back inside to Havili for his second try. Savea was again, standing off a tap penalty and reversing a pass to No8 Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa who crossed beneath the posts to pull his side back within two points. But it was all too late as time ran out, and the Highlanders claimed the win.
Moana Pasifika 29 (William Havili 2, Ardie Savea, Sione Mafile'o, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa tries; Patrick Pellegrini 2 con) Highlanders 31 (Nathan Hastie, Caleb Tangitau, Tanielu Tele'a, Mitch Dunshea tries: Sam Gilbert 4 con, pen). HT: 10-31
Waratahs 29 Drua 24
An unlucky deflection off a Waratah leg at a ruck 55m out from their line produced an 11th-minute try for wing Ponipati Loganimasi in Sydney. The Waratahs used their lineout to secure ruck ball and feed No8 Langi Gleeson, who went low to respond with a try. But unleashing an in-out on Waratahs' defenders, wing Vuate Karawalevu secured the second try for the visitors. However, twice in a move, poor ball control allowed Gleeson to finally drop a loose ball on the goalline for his second try.
Three minutes into the second half, the Waratahs turned to their lineout drive and hooker Dave Porecki extended the lead. But the Drua remained in the hunt after quick ball was fed to the flank where Loganimasi crossed for his second try to get them within three points. With 15 minutes left, the Drua used their own maul to drive Mesulame Dolokoto across. However, in attempting to deny another Waratahs maul, the Drua conceded a penalty try with three minutes left for the home team to win.
Waratahs 29 (Langi Gleeson 2, Dave Porecki tries; Penalty try; Tane Edmed 2 con, pen) Drua 24 (Ponipate Loganimasi 2, Vuate Karawalevu, Mesulame Dolokoto tries; Caleb Muntz con; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula con) HT: 17-12
Chiefs 49 Brumbies 34
Drawing first blood with a try to Brumbies lock Nick Frost six minutes into the game, the Chiefs responded with a 50-metre stunner created after second five-eighths Quinn Tupaea, who was a constant menace, raced through a gap and fired a long ball to wing Manasa Mataele whose in-pass was taken by centre Anton Lienert-Brown who scored. Clever covering by first five-eighths Josh Jacomb allowed him to recover a Brumbies knockdown of a Chiefs pass, and he scored. However, the Brumbies scored their second, with first five-eighths Declan Meredith scoring out wide before wing Corey Toole scored to level at 15-15. That set up an outstanding third quarter where the sides shared two tries, the Chiefs through a Tupaea kick and chase and replacement wing Gideon Wrampling off a Damian McKenzie break, and the Force through replacement hooker Lachie Lonergan and wing Andy Muirhead.
With the scores level at 29-29 and 16 minutes to play, Chiefs skipper and lock Tupou Va'ai picked up the loose ball and provided Wrampling with space to score his second try. Then, with the desperate Brumbies looking to move the ball from their line, a dropped ball allowed Lienert-Brown to touch it down for his second try, capped by Jacomb's dropped goal conversion to complete their third win from three games.
Chiefs 49 (Anton Lienert-Brown 2, Josh Jacomb, Quinn Tupaea, Gideon Wrampling 2 tries; Damian McKenzie 4 con, 2 pen; Jacomb con, pen) Brumbies 34 (Nick Frost, Declan Meredith, Corey Toole, Andy Muirhead 2, Lachlan Lonergan tries; Jack Debreczeni 2 con). HT: 15-15
Hurricanes 29 Blues 33
Vagaries of rugby's ever-changing laws were laid bare in what still managed to remain another in the series of fascinating Blues-Hurricanes games of recent vintage. After the scoring opened with a Blues' penalty try borne of their scrum dominance, the Hurricanes were reduced to 13 men. Captain and lock Patrick Tuipulotu made sure the Blues took advantage in a decisive run to the home team's goalmouth where hooker Ricky Riccitelli was in support to score. However, ill-discipline that saw Hurricanes first five-eighths Harry Godfrey land five penalty goals in a 24-point match haul kept the Hurricanes in the contest.
The Blues saw Godfrey run through vacant space to score the Hurricanes' first try, but the Blues ensured a halftime lead after flanker Cameron Suafoa, who had an outstanding evening, managed to ground the ball through defenders for a try. Midway through the second half, wing Kini Naholo finally scored a second to give the home team a lead of 26-21 which Godfrey extended to 29-21. However, lifting their continuity, the Blues pulled back within a point when No8 Hoskins Sotutu worked a clever move off a tap penalty with replacement halfback Sam Nock to score. With Sotutu given a yellow card that was upgraded to a red for a high tackle, the Blues created a chance via replacement fullback Cole Forbes, Beauden Barrett who had moved to first five-eighths and wing Caleb Clarke before the ball moved right where second five-eighths AJ Lam gave wing Mark Tele'a the chance to pull a stop-start move to create enough room to round his man and score the winner in the corner.
Hurricanes 29 (Harry Godfrey, Kini Naholo tries; Godfrey 2 con, 5 pen) Blues 33 (Penalty try; Ricky Riccitelli, Cameron Suafoa, Hoskins Sotutu, Mark Tele'a tries; Beauden Barrett 3 con). HT: 19-21
Force 24 Reds 28
Out to a 14-0 lead, courtesy of tries scored on their flanks by flanker Carlo Tizzano and lock Darcy Swain, the Force had home fans sensing more winner's points in Perth, but the Reds dug deep, taking only four minutes to level the scores by 28 minutes. Centre Jesse Flook following a Tate McDermott kick to the in-goal to win the race before first five-eighths Tom Lynagh scored after flanker Seru Uru featured twice in set-up plays.
Three minutes into the second half, Northland fullback Heremia Murray showed his class when bursting onto a kick by Force halfback Nick White and breaking three tackles to link with McDermott as Flook was on hand to score his second. With only four points separating the sides, the Force took it to the Reds, but their only reward was another try for Tizzano, who burrowed his way over the line with 12 minutes to play. The home team had their chances but Reds' determination was rewarded when Filipo Daugunu got over with 40 seconds to play.
Force 24 (Carlo Tizzano 2, Darcy Swain tries; Ben Donaldon 3 con, pen). Reds 28 (Josh Flook 2, Tom Lynagh, Filipo Daugunu tries; Lynagh 3 con; Kalani Thomas con) HT: 17-14