The Hurricanes beat the Waratahs 41-12 in Wellington, while the Blues beat the Rebels 38-11 in Melbourne.
The Brumbies held third place, six points behind the Blues, with their 28-20 win over the Drua, while the Chiefs swamped the Force 56-7 to remain in fourth.
The Reds' historic win in Christchurch over the Crusaders lifted them to fifth, while the Highlanders' win in wet conditions in Tonga over Moana Pasifika lifted them to seventh on the ladder.
The remaining games for the top four sides are Hurricanes (Blues, Moana Pasifika (h), Chiefs, Highlanders (h); Blues (Hurricanes (h), Highlanders (h), Crusaders, Chiefs (h); Brumbies (Waratahs, Crusaders (h), Rebels (h), Force (h); Chiefs (Moana Pasifika, Rebels, Hurricanes (h), Blues).
Stats watch:
Most tries: Hoskins Sotutu (Blues), Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 9, Emoni Narawa, Cortez Ratima (Chiefs) 8.
Most carries: Harry Wilson (Reds) 131, Mark Tele'a (Blues) 119, Jacob Ratumataivuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders) 100
Most clean breaks: Tele'a, Josh Moorby (Hurricanes) 14, Chase Tiatia (Force) 13
Most defenders beaten: Iosefo Masi (Drua) 56, Tele'a 47, Selestino Ravutaumada (Drua) 41
Most lineouts won: Liam Wright (Reds) 48, Nick Frost (Brumbies), Josh Canham (Rebels) 41
Most metres gained: Tele'a 773, Caleb Clarke (Blues) 768, Tom Wright (Brumbies) 756
Most offloads: Reece 17, Sotutu 15, Wright, Wilson 13
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 119, Noah Lolesio (Brumbies) 99, Tane Edmed (Waratahs), Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (Drua) 84
Most tackles: Carlos Tizzano (Force) 171, Tom Christie (Crusaders) 157, Billy Harmon (Highlanders) 150
Hurricanes 41 Waratahs 12
The Hurricanes showed that nothing quite focuses the mind so much as a loss. And, having been hit hard by how they were stunned by the Brumbies in the first half of that loss last week, the Hurricanes turned the lesson around to shut the Waratahs out of Friday's encounter in the first quarter. They used their scrum power as the blunt force to create chances. The backs ensured those chances were taken when centre Billy Proctor, from a tighthead, first five-eighths Brett Cameron and wing Josh Moorby scored before the first of the forwards, No8 Brayden Iose, rewarded the pack's effort. They were unable to maintain the momentum on either side of halftime. But into the final quarter, the substitutes stepped up with powerful wing Salesi Rayesi, who showed his skills in scoring twice. At the same time, veteran halfback TJ Perenara capped the night by scoring his 63rd try to become Super Rugby's leading try scorer.
The visitors could not stem the constant flow of the ball, and the game had gone by the time they could take advantage of the chances they had created. Their defence could have been stronger; they leaked 41 missed tackles to only 15 by the Hurricanes, who also made 14 clean breaks to four, and the home team won seven turnovers to three. Most importantly, the Hurricanes maximised their scoring chances when getting into the Waratahs 22m area, especially in the first half.
Hurricanes 41 (Billy Proctor, Brett Cameron, Josh Moorby, Brayden Iose, Salesi Rayasi 2, TJ Perenara tries; Cameron 3 con) Waratahs 12 (Hugh Sinclair, Vuate Karawalevu tries; Tane Edmed con). HT: 26-0
Shaking off a malaise that restricted their first half, the Blues found their winning gear in the final quarter in Melbourne, scoring three tries to locks Patrick Tuipulotu and Sam Darry, who scored two identical tries from close quarter pick-ups where, despite his height, he was able to burrow under defences. Their move to deny the Rebels the ability to upset them by resorting to forward power up the middle finally shook the home team off their shoulders. With a slight majority of possession, the Rebels created opportunities but lacked the finish to punish the Blues, who utilised their effective defence to deny the home team all but one try. Long stanzas were played out on the Blues' line, but the defence proved impenetrable. When able to move the ball consistently, the Blues utilised the running skills of wings Mark Tele'a and Caleb Clarke to set up the drives that proved so successful. However, the win came at a cost with centre Rieko Ioane assisted from the field.
The Blues did suffer frustrations at the lineout in the first half but turned that around in the second half to take the Rebels' ball and put it to good use. Tele'a was again a constant menace with the ball in hand, carrying the side across the advantage line often while showing his class with his two tries.
Rebels 11 (Ryan Louwrens try; Carter Gordon 2 pen) Blues 38 (Mark Tele'a 2, Sam Darry 2, PJ Sheck, Patrick Tuipulotu tries; Harry Plummer 4 con). HT: 11-12
Moana Pasifika 17 Highlanders 28
Heavy rain and a muddy surface dictated the way this inaugural contest in Nuku'alofa, Tonga would be played. The teams scored two tries apiece in the first half, prop Abraham Pole and fullback William Havili scoring for Moana Pasifika and fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens scoring twice for the Highlanders. In the second half youthful first five-eighths Cameron Millar stepped up for the Highlanders, cleverly directing his side around the field with an array of kicks that kept the pressure on the home team. Some of his longer punts made life a lot easier for his big forwards, and they thrived. He landed three second half penalty goals to put the game out of the reach of Moana Pasifika with eight minutes to play.
Despite the conditions, the Highlanders gained 309m to 170 and made five clean breaks to two. They forced Moana Pasifika to make 124 tackles to 72 while winning 81 rucks to 41. The Highlanders lineout was more effective winning 17 throws to six while Moana Pasifika also made life difficult for themselves by conceding 13 penalties to six.
Moana Pasifika 17 (Abraham Pole, William Havili tries; Havili 2 con, pen) Highlanders 28 (Jacob Ratumaitaivuki-Kneepkens 2, Conor Garden-Bachop tries; Cameron Millar 2 con, 3 pen). HT: 17-19
Crusaders 28 Reds 33
The Reds completed a generational victory in Christchurch, their first win over the Crusaders since 1999. No surprise surrounded the fact the Reds' loose forwards Fraser McReight, Liam Wright and Harry Wilson hounded the home team, especially with their support and ball-in-hand play. It didn't help the Crusaders' cause that they lost talisman skipper and lock Scott Barrett after 15 minutes with an apparent back injury. Reds wing Tim Ryan continued his rise as one of the best finishers in the competition with two tries, the first of them an 80-metre effort. The scores were tied 21-21 at the three-quarter mark, but a Wilson charge of an attempted clearing kick by David Havili gave the Reds their winning impetus. Wing Sevu Reece got the Crusaders back within touching distance with seven minutes to play, but the Reds' defence held for the win.
The Reds made better use of the ball they received. They were well down on the Crusaders in metres gained, 343-622, carries made 86-172, and rucks won 68-113 for only 38 per cent of possession. They were forced to make 211 tackles to 112, conceded 14 penalties, eight of them in the first 16 minutes, to seven, and won 68 rucks to 113, yet made far better use of their opportunities.
Crusaders 28 (Dallas McLeod, Corey Kellow, Quinten Strange, Sevu Reece tries; Lee Halfpenny con; Chay Fihaki 3 con) Reds 33 (Fraser McReight, Tim Ryan 2, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Harry Wilson tries; Lawson Creighton 4 con). HT: 7-12
Chiefs 56 Force 7
Moving the ball to the flanks as often as possible, the Chiefs ran rampant against the Force in Hamilton, scoring nine tries to a penalty try. The Force paid the price for failing to cover the blindside from scrums as left wing Daniel Rona and first five-eighths Damian McKenzie scored to give the Chiefs a run-a-minute lead after 20 minutes. Rona was the main beneficiary, scoring three tries and almost a fourth, but he went to the ground to secure a kick ahead. Still, he gathered the ball and sent it to replacement five-eighths Josh Ioane, who scored. The Chiefs pack out-muscled the visitors with lock Tupou Vaa'i, prop Bradley Slater and replacement hooker Tyrone Thompson each powering their way to tries. The Force's only points came courtesy of their penalty try just before halftime from a lineout maul.
The Chiefs enjoyed a 58 per cent possession advantage and used it to the full. They beat 27 defenders to 12 and made 13 clean breaks to 4. They won seven rucks to two and saw the Force concede 12 penalties to six.
Chiefs 56 (Emoni Narawa, Daniel Rona 3, Damian McKenzie, Tupou Vaa'i, Bradley Slater, Tyrone Thompson, Josh Ioane tries; McKenzie 4 con, pen) Force 7 (Penalty try). HT: 29-7
Brumbies 28 Drua 20
Two early tries, the first to centre Leni Ikitau and the second to prop Alan Alaalatoa, within 10 minutes in Canberra, left a challenging task for the Drua to get back into the game. That was harder when Ikitau ran onto a well-placed grubber kick from second five-eighths Tamati Tua in the Drua 22m area. Ikitau ran hard onto the ball to score his second. The Drua gave themselves a chance, when lock Isoa Nasilasila, scored from a maul just before halftime. Then, after replacement prop Harry Vella was sin-binned 10 minutes into the second half, the Drua scored when replacement halfback Simi Kuruvoli crossed from a five-metre scrum to get within four points. But 15 minutes from the end, replacement loose forward Luke Reimer scored from a Brumbies drive to put the margin beyond the Drua.
The Brumbies knew they had been in a contest as they had only 45 per cent of possession to play with. The Drua gained 352m to 251, beat 32 defenders to 15, and forced the Brumbies to make 130 tackles to 115. The Drua won 12 scrums to three and 79 rucks to 71. They also conceded fewer penalties, 11-16.
Brumbies 28 (Leni Ikitau 2, Alan Alaalatoa, Luke Reimer tries; Noah Lolesio 4 con) Drua 20 (Isoa Nasilasila, Simi Kuruvoli tries; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 21-10