The Blues who were on sixth place after their 40-19 win over the Force, were bumped to seventh as Moana Pasifika took sixth, two places ahead of the Blues and the Force.
The Reds slipped to fourth after their 33-36 loss to the Drua while the Chiefs went down 17-35 to the Hurricanes to share the lead with the Crusaders who after the bye at the weekend have a game in hand.
Statistics
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 117, Ben Donaldson (Force) 90, Sam Gilbert (Highlanders 78).
Most tries: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 12, Kini Naholo (Hurricanes), Billy Pollard (Brumbies), Corey Toole (Brumbies), Macca Springer (Crusaders) 8.
Most carries: Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) 154, Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) 134, Elia Canakaivata (Drua) 124.
Most clean breaks: Harry Potter (Force) 19, Toole, Pole Loganimasi (Drua) 18.
Most defenders beaten: Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) 56, Potter 45, McKenzie 42.
Most lineouts won: Pollard 91, Nic Dolly (Force) 83, Ricky Riccitelli (Blues) 77.
Most metres gained: Tom Wright (Brumbies) 831, Potter 718, Mac Grealy (Force) 687.
Most offloads: Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 18, Will Jordan (Crusaders) 13, Hoskins Sotutu (Blues), Potter 12.
Most tackles won: Tizzano 180, Du'Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) 168, Fabian Holland (Highlanders) 148.
Blues 40 Force 19
A penalty to the Blues at the first scrum against the Force at Eden Park was a harbinger of issues the visitors faced all game. They enjoyed a dominance of 61 percent possession overall, but couldn't capitalise on it. Their set-piece, especially the scrum, was under constant pressure and the Blues made the most of it. Poor tactical kicking on a heavier ground than usual also played to the Blues' ability at running the ball back, thanks to much superior catching efforts. First five-eighths, Beauden Barrett again turned on the class, scoring a try and adding five conversions.
The Blues were up 12-7 at halftime and quickly extended the lead when replacement wing AJ Lam scored in the first minute after their return. The Force did make some useful line breaks with wing Harry Potter a constant menace while try-scoring regular Carlos Tizzano picked up another close-quarter try while returning Test fullback Kurtley Beale scored on the end of an impressive backline movement. But, the consistent pressure from the Blues proved too much, albeit with denied tries again. They were required to make nearly 100 more tackles, but their strong defence was shown as they missed only 24 tackles compared to 26 by the Force. They also won eight turnovers to two. The Blues completed their 13th consecutive win over the Force, their only loss being in 2008.
Blues 40 (Marcel Renata, Cole Forbes, AJ Lam, Lachlan McWhannell, Beauden Barrett, Josh Beehre tries; Barrett 5 con) Force 19 (Carlos Tizzano, Kurtley Beale, Nic Dolly tries; Ben Donaldson 2 con). HT: 12-7
Drua 36 Reds 33
Scoring first, due to wing Taniela Rakuro being given enough room on the outside to beat the Reds defence in Fiji, the home side found themselves facing an immediate response as flanker Seru Uru cork-screwed out of tackles to hand fullback Jock Campbell the ball to run in a try. After 16 minutes, a superb break by flanker Etonia Waqa 40m out took him to the line, and while tackled, quick ball saw prop Mesake Doge score. Then, eight minutes later, Waqa got a try standing off a ruck on the blindside, and he easily beat the defence to score in the corner from a standing start. The Reds went to their lineout maul in the 29th minute for hooker Richie Asiata to cross, and five minutes later, they followed that up when, from a blindside pass near the line, Uru scored for the Reds to lead 19-15 at the turn.
Ninety seconds after the break, superb strength in the tackle allowed lock Mesake Vocevoce to score under the posts and secure a lead. Then, from a 54th-minute goal-line ruck, flanker Isoa Tuwai wrigged through the Reds defence to score. Replacement prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen scored as they entered the final quarter. Nine minutes from time, another Reds lineout maul allowed replacement hooker Max Craig to score. Down by four, the Drua attacked and 64 seconds from the end, they lost the ball on the line only to see Uru fail to control the ball, which fell to replacement back Isikeli Rabitu, who went over for what proved the match-winning try.
Drua 36 (Taniela Rakuro, Mesake Doge, Etonia Waqa, Mesake Vocevoce, Isoa Tuwai, Isikeli Rabitu tries; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 3 con) Reds 33 (Jock Campbell, Richie Asiata, Seru Uru, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Max Craig tries; Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 2 con; Tom Lynagh 2 con) HT: 15-19
Hurricanes 35 Chiefs 17
The Hurricanes lost dynamic wing Kini Naholo to a knee injury away from contact six minutes into the game. Little was it realised what impact that would have on the game when Bailyn Sullivan replaced him. Chiefs centre Daniel Rona scored the first try after 22 minutes, but by the 28th minute, Hurricanes' first five-eighths Ruben Love had landed three penalty goals for a 9-7 lead. But after the Chiefs' first five-eighths, Josh Jacomb landed a penalty goal. Despite the halftime siren sounding, the Hurricanes tried to move the ball and Rona picked off an intercept to race 50m to claim a 17-9 halftime lead.
The Hurricanes hit overdrive in the second half, Sullivan taking a long overhead pass from centre Billy Proctor to score in the 46th minute. Just before the final quarter, the Hurricanes, five metres from their line, turned over Chiefs' ball and worked it downfield after strong runs by fullback Callum Harkin and the instigator No8 Peter Lakai and Proctor before it was Sullivan, who punched between two tacklers to score his third. The Chiefs paid dearly for cynical play by fullback Shaun Stevenson, who was sin-binned when six minutes later, after Harkin secured an outstanding 50-22, Love cross-kicked to Sullivan's unprotected wing and he scored an easy third try. Then, with seven minutes left, in the second five-eighths, Riley Higgins slipped a grubber kick through, and Sullivan got to it first for his fourth try.
Hurricanes 35 (Bailyn Sullivan 4 tries; Ruben Love 3 con, 3 pen) Chiefs 17 (Daniel Rona 2 tries; Josh Jacomb 2 con, pen). HT: 9-17
Brumbies 40 Waratahs 17
Four minutes into the game, quality backline work from the Brumbies spelt trouble for the Waratahs in Canberra as wing Corey Toole was given a leisurely run-in for the opening try. Five minutes later, centre Len Ikitau drove over for a second try. Building again in midfield, the Brumbies coughed up an intercept for Waratahs No8 Langi Gleeson, who ran 40m to score unchallenged. They backed that with a lineout move 5m out with fullback Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i joining the line to power his way across and level the scores. Resorting to their lineout maul, the Brumbies opened space on the blindside for hooker Billy Pollard to run in a try.
Ahead 19-12 at the break, the Brumbies extended the lead after five minutes when skipper and prop Allan Alaalatoa scored from a goal-line ruck. They went straight back on the attack from the restart, and in the 49th minute, Pollard scored his second from another goal-line ruck. In the 57th minute, Waratahs' replacement back, Tane Edmed, attempted to gather a kick ahead, but it was taken by Toole, who ran straight and true through a wide gap to score under the bar. The Waratahs scored a consolation try through wing Andrew Kellaway just before full-time.
Brumbies 40 (Corey Toole 2, Len Ikitau, Billy Pollard 2, Allan Alaalatoa tries; Noah Lolesio 5 con) Waratahs 17 (Langi Gleeson, Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i, Andrew Kellaway tries; Lawson Creighton con). HT: 19-12
Highlanders 29 Moana Pasifika 34
Attempting to run the ball out of their 22m area in Dunedin, Moana Pasifika failed to control the ball, and Highlanders fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens was able to pick up and run in the opening try. But Moana Pasifika scored three minutes later in the eighth minute after using the width of the field to create a chance for second five-eighths Danny Toala to respond. Wing Jonah Lowe was off his wing in the midfield after 14 minutes to reward lock TK Howden's set-up work by reclaiming the lead for the home side. In the 19th minute, Moana Pasifika built play from a five-metre lineout, and Moala's grubber kick to the in-goal saw wing Lalomilo Lalomilo win the race to score. A penalty goal by fullback William Havili saw Moana Pasifika take a 17-12 lead to the break.
However, Havili was sin-binned soon after the second half started for head contact in a tackle. But Moana Pasifika was undeterred, and captain Ardie Savea, in the 45th minute, put a kick through in midfield, toed the ball on and reclaimed the ball to slide in for a key try. The Highlanders got a try back when replacement halfback Folau Fakatava back-passed from a goal-line ruck to Lowe, who levelled the scores at 22-22. In the 66th minute, Savea's overhead pass saw wing Kyren Taumoefolau feed flanker Miracle Fai'ilagi outside to score. Seven minutes from the end, a Highlanders' lineout maul saw replacement hooker Jack Taylor cross for a try that regained the lead with Taine Robinson's conversion. However, from the restart, Robinson had his clearing kick charged down, and replacement back Melani Matavao claimed the rebound to score the winning try.
Highlanders 29 (Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Jonah Lowe 2, Jack Taylor tries; Cameron Millar 2 con, pen; Taine Robinson con) Moana Pasifika 34 (Danny Toala, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Ardie Savea, Miracle Fai'ilagi, Melani Matavao tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 con; William Havili pen; Patrick Pellegrini con). HT: 12-17