The Chiefs are still in first place, three points ahead of the Crusaders and Reds, but as they head into a bye weekend, that is likely to change.
The Waratahs are fourth, two points ahead of the Brumbies who they beat at the weekend while the Force cruised to a big win over the Drua to sit in sixth place.
Statistics:
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 85, Ben Donaldson (Force) 59, Harry Godfrey (Hurricanes) 55.
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 8, Sevu Reece (Crusaders), Macca Springer (Crusaders) 6.
Most carries: Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 92, Harry Wilson (Reds), Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) 69.
Most clean breaks: Reece 11, Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders), Kyren Taumoefolau (Moana Pasifika) 10.
Most defenders beaten: McKenzie 34, Reece, Tavatavanawai 25.
Most lineouts won: Nick Frost (Brumbies) 28, Josh Canham (Reds) 28, Mesake Vocevoce (Drua) 25.
Most metres gained: Tangitau 577, Liam Wright (Brumbies) 501, Reece 430.
Most tackles won: Tizzano 95, Wilson 91, Champion de Crespigny (Moana Pasifika 90).
Moana Pasifika 35 Chiefs 50
Anyone down 7-43 at halftime against a team like the Chiefs has a job ahead of them, but Moana Pasifika gave it a shot in Pukekohe. The Chiefs ran amok. Hooker Bradley Slater was out in the middle of the backline to score their first try after nine minutes. Fullback Shaun Stevenson, whose gap created the first try, stepped inside a defender five minutes later to score the second. Slater took mauled ball to the line, giving halfback Xavier Roe a dive at the line to score. While Moana Pasifika captain and lock Tom Savage was in the sin bin, wing Leroy Carter sniffed a chance and took it to score. Fullback William Havili made use of not being held in a tackle to respond for a try to Moana Pasifika five minutes from the break. But almost from the restart, Chiefs locking partners Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Manaaki Selby-Rickit combined for the latter to step through the defence to score. And there was still time for first five-eighths Damian McKenzie to glide through at speed to score on halftime.
Three minutes into the second half, prop Abraham Pole scored under the posts, and then, in a final quarter barnstorm, Moana Pasifika came roaring home. A tap penalty provided ball for hooker Sama Malolo to score. Next, a cross-kick by first five-eighths Patrick Pellegrini sat up for wing Tuna Tuitama in-goal to score. Six minutes from the end, Havili pulled off an intercept to score, and they were within touching distance. But, a five-metre lineout maul was fodder for replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho to score and seal a win.
Moana Pasifika 35 (William Havili 2, Abraham Pole, Sama Malolo, Tuna Tuitama; Patrick Pellegrini 5 con) Chiefs 50 (Bradley Slater, Shaun Stevenson, Xavier Roe, Leroy Carter, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Damian McKenzie, Samisoni Taukei'aho tries; Damian McKenzie 6 con, pen). HT: 7-43
Highlanders 23 Reds 29
Making a flying start at Forsyth Barr Stadium, the Reds showed they were trying to end 12 years without success in Dunedin. Within 10 minutes, centre Kalani Thomas easily broke the home defence to be followed by hooker Richie Asiata scoring from a classic driving lineout maul. But, when finally retaining the ball and reaching the Reds' goalmouth, wing Timoci Tavatavanawai wrestled his way over the line through defenders to open the home team's scoring in the 15th minute. Eight minutes from the break, Tanielu Tele'a showed that anything Thomas could do, he could also do, and with first five-eighths Taine Robinson's conversion and an earlier penalty goal, the Highlanders led 17-12.
A Robinson penalty goal with 30 minutes left pushed the home team to an eight-point lead. From a five-metre scrum, the Reds secured the ball and moved it for a gap to open up for centre Filipo Daugunu to score. The Highlanders lost prop Ethan de Groot to the sin bin in their 22m area, and the Reds used it to the maximum, with miss-out passes, so that Wing Lachie Anderson could claim the lead in the corner. Rapidly back on attack with de Groot still absent, Daugunu played halfback at a ruck and put the ball through the legs of his forwards to score a second try and secure a win.
Highlanders 23 (Timoci Tavatavanawai, Tanielu Tele'a tries; Taine Robinson 2 con, 2 pen; Sam Gilbert pen) Reds 29 (Kalani Thomas, Richie Asiata, Filipo Daugunu 2, Lachie Anderson tries; Tom Lynagh 2 con). HT: 17-12
Blues 19 Crusaders 42
Not even playing a resurgent Crusaders team could lift the Blues to a higher pitch in performance, and they suffered the most humiliating loss of their season at Eden Park. Frustrated by late injuries, they did score first when first five-eighths Stephen Perofeta put hooker James Mullan into a gap. Mullan linked with flanker Dalton Papali'i, who ran in the opening try. It was a rare display of continuity from the home team. Crusaders second five-eighths and captain David Havili's run across the goalposts set up their first try to halfback Kyle Preston after 10 minutes. Two minutes later, a long Havili pass found wing Chay Fihaki, and he blitzed the defence in a 25-metre sprint to score. Prop Tamaiti Williams muscled his way over the line at a second attempt to score in the 26th minute to give his side a 20-7 halftime lead.
In traditional Crusaders style, they scored within 40 seconds of the second half starting, with Fihaki scoring his second try. Flanker Tom Christie added to that from a lineout maul. At 7-30, Blues substitute prop Marcel Renata scored, but some class from replacement first five-eighths James O'Connor saw his crosskick taken by Macca Springer to wipe out the Blues response. Replacement halfback Finlay Christie scored for the Blues; however, the visitors, who had the least possession and were down on the Blues in most statistical areas, capped their win with fullback Will Jordan scoring at full-time.
Blues 19 (Dalton Papali'i, Marcel Renata, Finlay Christie tries; Xavi Taele con; Harry Plummer con) Crusaders 42 (Kyle Preston, Chay Fihaka 2, Tamaiti Williams, Tom Christie, Macca Springer, Will Jordan tries; Taha Kemara con; James O'Connor con, pen). HT: 7-20
Waratahs 28 Brumbies 23
Down by two Brumbies penalty goals, the Waratahs, who hadn't beaten the Brumbies in 13 games and in 10 years at Sydney, launched an attack through prop Taniela Tupou and flanker Rob Leota down the left flank. Leota's inside pass found halfback Teddy Wilson, who scored the first try in the 17th minute. In the 24th minute, Brumbies first five-eighths, Noah Lolesio, lost the ball in a midfield tackle and wing Triston Reilly received the ball, kicked ahead and won the race to score. Leota, patrolling the left flank again, got a long ball after 35 minutes and bumped off the defence to score to give the Waratahs a 21-6 lead at the break.
The Brumbies resorted to their maul 11 minutes into the second half to score their first try through prop Allan Alaalatoa, then in the 67th minute, used a lineout maul for Luke Reimer to score and get within three points. But with eight minutes left, the Waratahs worked the ball to wing Max Jorgensen. He kicked ahead, then toed the ball on for second five-eighths Joey Walton to race through and score. The Brumbies got one back when replacement five-eighths Jack Debreczeny kicked to the corner, where wing Andy Muirhead took the ball and scored.
Waratahs 28 (Teddy Wilson, Triston Reilly, Rob Leota, Joey Walton tries; Lawson Creighton 3 con; Tane Edmed con) Brumbies 23 (Allan Alaalatoa, Luke Reimer, Andy Muirhead tries; Jack Debreczeni con; Noah Lolesio 2 pen). HT: 21-6
Force 52 Drua 15
Lineout variations, two mauls and a long throw took home team, the Force, to a 19-0 lead in the opening 13 minutes, hooker Nic Dolly scoring two of the tries. But then wing Harry Potter took advantage of some pitiful Drua defence when a quick throw-in was made 55m out from the Drua line. He wove his way through, around and past five defenders to score an outstanding individual try. Five minutes from halftime, the Force's maul created a hat-trick of tries for Dolly. Scoreboard relief finally came for the Drua when fullback Ilaisa Doasese followed up a cross-kick to get the favourable bounce to score.
In the third minute of the second half, wing Ilaisa Doasese took an inside pass to score their second. But the Force responded by running the ball back downfield for flanker Carlo Tizzano to score his second try. A slippery ball saw Donaldson lose control of a pass, and Drua flanker Etonia Waqa secured the ball and outsped the cover to score. But Potter produced some more magic when joining from the blind wing to kick ahead and then win the bounce to score his second try. A blindside move resulted in first five-eighths Ben Donaldson completing the scoring and a third win for the Force.
Force 52 (Nic Dolly 3, Harry Potter 2, Carlo Tizzano 2, Ben Donaldson tries; Donaldson 6 con) Fijian Drua 15 (Ilaisa Doasese, Taniela Rakuro, Etonia Waqa tries). HT: 33-5