The Chiefs are on top by one point, but four of the teams behind them on the ladder have a game in hand. The Chiefs went down to the Drua 24-28 as the Fijians claimed their first win of the season.
It was the same for Moana Pasifika who thumped the Hurricanes 40-31 at Albany, a win achieved with captain and No8 Ardie Savea unable to play in the second half.
The Waratahs head the Australian challengers and are in second place after beating the Force 34-10 while the Brumbies' 21-20 win over the Blues has them with a share of third.
Statistics:
Most points: Harry Godfrey (Hurricanes) 50, Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 48, Ben Donaldson (Force) 42.
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 5, Kyren Taumoefolau (Moana Pasifika), Ponipate Loganimasi, Vuate Karawalevu (Fijian Drua), Kyle Preston (Hurricanes) 4.
Most carries: Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 73, Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) 56, Tizzano 42.
Most clean breaks: Taumoefolau 10, Tupaea 7, McKenzie, Corey Toole (Brumbies), Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) 6.
Most defenders beaten: McKenzie 23, Angus Bell (Waratahs) 17, Tupaea, Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 15.
Most lineouts won: Darcy Swain (Force) 17, Rob Leota (Waratahs) 16, Caleb Delany (Hurricanes) 14.
Most metres gained: Tom Wright (Brumbies), Taumoefolau 291, Tangitau 285.
Most offloads: Reece 8, Kini Naholo (Hurricanes) 7, Meli Derenalagi (Drua), Du'Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) 6.
Most tackles: Tizzano 76, Champion de Crespigny (Force) 73, Ricky Riccitelli (Blues) 70.
Blues 20 Brumbies 21
Beginning as a contest with the Brumbies full of crash, bang and wallop, that saw Blues first five-eighths Beauden Barrett delivering a masterclass in the value of applied speed to set up a 20-10 halftime lead, including a thrilling try of his own, their game disintegrated in the second-half when the flow that produced centre Rieko Ioane's try evaporated. Their decline coincided with Barrett's non-return from the break due to a hand injury that must be x-rayed. The Blues went scoreless while the Brumbies held the ball for long phases that recalled their days under coaching maestro Rod Macqueen and denied the home team the oxygen they needed to play their game. Brumbies first five-eighths, Declan Meredith, was a worthy playmaker for his side, constantly working the ball and showing his skills in picking up a first-half try.
The depth of the Blues' second-half collapse was evident in the statistics. Their first-half possession of 56 was reduced to 47 for the game overall. They made 29 more carries in the first half, but in the second half, the Brumbies reversed that to end the game with 151 carries, 30 more than the Blues. The first-half tackle count favoured the Blues 65-100, but by the game's end, they needed to make 205 tackles to 169. That was their punishment for their failure to catch high kicks in the rearguard, an inability to compete at the breakdown where the Brumbies' loose forwards Charlie Cale, Rory Scott and Tom Hooper were outstanding, as they won 138-88 rucks, and forced a lack of coherent teamwork despite the Blues managing to beat 25 Brumbies defenders to 11.
Blues 20 (Beauden Barrett, Angus Ta'avao, Rieko Ioane tries; Barrett con, pen) Brumbies 21 (Declan Meredith, Alan Alaalatoa tries; Meredith con, 2 pen). HT: 20-10
Drua 28 Chiefs 24
Starting in heavy rain at Lautoka made no difference to Chiefs hooker Samisone Taukei'aho as he got on the back of a lineout maul to score the first try against the Drua in the third minute. More driving play and ball security resulted in No8 Jimmy Tupou scoring 23 minutes later. But the change of direction, after being down 6-12 at the break, inspired the Drua, who mounted their mauling play and from a ruck No8 Meli Derenlagi was on the end of a long pass to score between the posts. However, four minutes later, Chiefs centre Anton Lienert-Brown demonstrated his aqua-planing skills to gather a kick ahead by wing Leroy Carter to reclaim the lead.
On the three-quarter mark, fullback Vuate Karawalevu was perfectly placed inside wing Ponipate Loganimasi to accept a tapped down a long pass for their second try. Five minutes later, Loganimasi was in the action again to rock the Chiefs by accepting a midfield chip with ease, beating the defence, chipping ahead, and then winning the race to the in-goal to push the Drua to an eight-point lead. First five-eighths Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula's 77th minute penalty goal put the issue beyond doubt. There was time for the Chiefs to secure a loser's bonus point when skipper and lock Tupou Vaa'i picked up from a goalline ruck to be driven over nearly two minutes into injury time.
Drua 28 (Meli Derenlagi, Vuate Karawalevu, Ponipate Loganimasi tries; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 2 con, 3 pen) Chiefs 24 (Samisoni Taukei'aho, Jimmy Tupou, Anton Lienert-Brown, Tupou Vaa'i, tries; Josh Jacomb 2 con). HT: 6-12
Moana Pasifika 40 Hurricanes 31
Hurricanes No8 Brayden Iose was too strong off the back of his scrum for the Moana Pasifika defence at Albany. His try opened the scoring 15 minutes after the start. But the home team demonstrated their level of defiance when, three minutes later, flanker Miracle Fai'ilagi powered out of a lineout maul to reply. Hurricanes fullback Ruben Love scored next, a pass from inside rebounding off his knee for him to pick up and score. Moana Pasifika's ruck play resulted in No8 Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa corkscrewing his way over beside the posts and the home team went to the break 14-12 up.
Returning, Moana Pasifika made full use of the absence of Hurricanes No8 Iose in the sin bin to take 59 seconds to score after two kicks ahead allowed flying wing Kyren Taumoefolau to head Love in the race for the touchdown. The influence of first five-eighths Patrick Pellegrini grew as the game progressed, and when he fielded a Hurricanes kick in midfield, he created the chance for Taumoefolau to run riot on a superb run before the ball was moved for Fai'ilagi to cross for his second try after 44 minutes. Pellegrini ensured maximum points were achieved with conversions from either sideline to give the side a 26-12 lead before Iose returned. They extended the lead when hooker Millennium Sanerivi crossed from a driving maul after 58 minutes. Flanker Peter Lakai scored for the visitors, but any hope of a revival was undone when Fai'ilagi crossed moments later to complete a hat-trick of tries - the first for a Moana Pasifika player. Wing Ngane Punivai and replacement Jone Rova got the Hurricanes closer, but the clock and Moana Pasifika's momentum gave them no chance.
Moana Pasifika 40 (Miracle Fai'ilagi 3, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, Kyren Taumoefolau, Millennium Sanerivi tries; Patrick Pellegrini 5 con) Hurricanes 31 (Braydon Iose, Ruben Love, Peter Lakai, Ngane Punivai, Jone Rova tries; Hayden Godfrey 3 con). HT: 14-12
Waratahs 34 Force 10
Building on their best start in Super Rugby since 2009, the Waratahs took seven minutes for wing Max Jorgensen to cap a long pass to score the first try. The Force levelled when flanker Carlo Tizzano picked up the ball from lock Darcy Swain's drive to score. Tries in the 29th and 33rd minutes to flanker Rob Leota and Jorgensen, who intercepted a no-look Waratahs pass to run away and score, gave the Waratahs a 15-5 lead at the break.
Effective, almost old-fashioned, backline passing created a chance on the flank that wing Darby Lancaster took in the 53rd minute while replacement Felix Kalapu's 69th-minute pick-and-go try on the Force line ended any Force hopes of success. That was reinforced when fullback Andrew Kelleway crossed in the 77th minute. The Force got a consolation try when replacement prop Ryan Coxon scored in injury time. With a game in hand, the Waratahs moved to second on the ladder, one point behind the Chiefs.
Waratahs 34 (Max Jorgensen 2, Rob Leota, Darby Lancaster, Felix Kalapu Andrew Kellaway tries; Lawson Creighton 2 con; Tane Edmed con) Force 10 (Carlo Tizzano Ryan Coxon tries). HT: 15-5
Crusaders 43 Reds 19
In perfect late-summer conditions in Christchurch, Crusaders flanker Cullen Grace was on hand as wing Sevu Reece tried to uncork the Reds' defence to drive over from the ruck seven minutes into the game. Then, in the 19th minute, a break by halfback Kyle Preston put fullback Will Jordan through, and the end result was a try for Reece. But four minutes later, a superb run by Reds lock Josh Canham took play to the 22m line and on the end of the line, centre Filipo Daugunu scored. However, the Crusader response was immediate and Reece scored his 61st Super Rugby try. Then, after 32 minutes, Jordan broke the line and outpaced the defence to score. Three minutes later, Jordan chased a kick from first five-eighths Taha Kemara to score his second. The Reds' combination of halfback Tate McDermott, flanker Liam Wright and No8 Harry Wilson used clever passing to put the latter in just before halftime with the home team up 29-14.
Two minutes after the restart, a strong sideline run by second five-eighths David Havili saw No8 Christian Lio-Willie pick up the ball and crash across out wide for the try. Lachie Anderson had a reward for the impetus he gave the Reds when the ball found out on the right flanker to score. But a backline communication glitch saw the Reds concede the ball, and replacement centre Levi Aumua pounced to score under the posts to seal the home win.
Crusaders 43 (Sevu Reece 2, Will Jordan 2, Cullen Grace, Christian Lio-Willie, Levi Aumua tries; Taha Kemara 3 con; James O'Connor con) Reds 19 (Filipo Daugunu, Harry Wilson, Lachie Anderson tries; Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 2 con). HT: 29-14