The Blues are on 45 points, with the Hurricanes two points behind.
The Brumbies are in third place after coping best with torrential rain during the second half of their game in Sydney against the Waratahs, who slipped to the bottom of the ladder.
The Highlanders ended a 19-game losing streak to New Zealand teams and won only their second in 11 matches against the Crusaders with a 32-29 win. Their last win over the Crusaders was in April 2021. They lifted themselves to seventh on the points table.
Statistics watch:
Most tries: Sevu Reece (Crusaders) 11, Hoskins Sotutu (Blues) 9, Mark Tele'a (Blues), Cortez Ratima (Chiefs), Emoni Narawa (Chiefs) 8.
Most carries: Harry Wilson (Reds) 139, Tele'a 130, Rob Veletini (Brumbies) 111.
Most clean breaks: Joshua Moorby (Hurricanes) 16, Tele'a 15, Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs), Chase Tiatia (Force) 13.
Most defenders beaten: Iosefo Masi (Drua) 62, Tele'a 52, Selestino Ravutaumada (Drua) 49.
Most lineouts won: Liam Wright (Reds) 56, Josh Canham (Rebels) 46, Nick Frost (Brumbies) 44.
Most metres gained: Tele'a 843, Tom Wright (Brumbies) 821, Caleb Clarke (Blues) 819.
Most offloads: Reece 18, Hoskins Sotutu (Blues) 15, Wright 14.
Most points: Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) 119, Noah Lolesio (Brumbies) 99, Tane Edmed (Waratahs) 91.
Most tackles: Carlo Tizzano (Force) 188, Tom Christie (Crusaders) 162, Ryan Smith (Reds) 154.
Moana Pasifika 7 Chiefs 43
Taking time to find their attacking cohesion, it was on their third visit into the Moana Pasifika 22m area that the Chiefs opened their try-scoring. It came as a result of some fine evasion skills displayed by second five-eighths Quinn Tupaea on the end of the line. Their second try, scored by first five-eighths Josh Jacomb, was more a classic eye for a gap when running on the blindside from a scrum, and then accelerating past the defence to score. Into the second half, fullback Etene Nanai-Seturo showed the benefit of individual skill when popping a chip kick over the defence, and getting the bounce to run away to score. Centre Anton Lienert-Brown's support play was rewarded with a try on the end of a 21-phase movement. Flanker Simon Parker took a well-timed pass from Jacomb to score his try. Flanker Luke Jacobson battled over from a goalline ruck and Liam Coombes-Fabling was fed on his way to a try by Lienert-Brown taking a gap to complete an all-round display of the Chiefs' try scoring arsenal. Moana Pasifika wing Anzelo Tuitavuki used a slight pause and an outside break to score for the home team.
Missing 43 tackles to 16, having two players, Irie Papuni and Aisea Halo, sin-binned and overlapping their suspensions for three minutes allowed the Chiefs to take a 12-0 lead to the break, but it was merely an appetiser for the visitors to run in five tries in the second half. That was on the back of dominating possession and runnings 665 metres to 388. The Chiefs dominated in the loose winning 123 rucks to 84 and they enjoyed a 14-7 advantage in the lineouts.
Moana Pasifika 7 (Anzelo Tuitavuki try; D'Angelo Leuila con) Chiefs 43 (Quinn Tupaea, Josh Jacomb, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Anton Lienert-Brown, Simon Parker, Luke Jacobson, Liam Coombes-Fabling tries; Jacomb 4 con). HT: 0-12
Reds 26 Rebels 22
Yellow cards proved decisive during at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. In a game where for long periods seemed a test of whose rolling lineout maul could produce the most tries, the only running movements where achieved when the sides had players in the sinbin. The Reds lost second five-eighths Hunter Paisami to a card midway through the first half resulting in the Rebels scoring through Sam Talakai. But it was the loss of Rebels wing Lachie Anderson, in the 54th minute, that proved a crucial difference. The Reds scored three tries in the 10 minutes he was absent to secure their winning advantage. The try scored by fullback Jock Campbell was an example of what one man missing from the defensive line can allow. He beat three defenders with ease.
Overall the Reds beat 25 defenders to 12, a significant difference in a game where neither side gained a significant benefit in most of the statistical measures. The loss left the Rebels vulnerable in sixth place on the points table, within reach for teams clambering to be included in the playoffs. The Reds are assured of their place sitting at fifth on the ladder, however they will be without flanker Harry Wilson who broke his arm during the game.
Reds 26 (Matt Faessler, Fraser McReight, Jock Campbell, Tim Ryan tries; Lawson Creighton 2 con; James O'Conner con) Rebels 22 (Andrew Kellaway, Sam Talakai, Maciu Nabolakasi tries; Carter Gordon 2 con, pen). HT: 5-15
Blues 31 Hurricanes 27
Defence has been the cornerstone of the Blues' season, and so it proved again. Most significantly, that was telling when the desperate Hurricanes sought something different to score in the last minute. After being unable to break through the Blues' defensive line so often, they opted for a tap penalty five metres from the Blues line. But that allowed the Blues to continue to hold them up and then have replacement halfback Sam Nock secure the ball in the maul to kick it dead to achieve their win in front of 25,900 fans.
Leading 14-10 at the turn, after tries to second five-eighths Bryce Heem and replacement fullback Cole Forbes, who replaced the luckless Zarn Sullivan, who appeared to suffer an injury on the opposite knee to that which kept him out for six weeks. The Hurricanes scored through flanker Brad Shields and wing Josh Moorby. The Blues saw the Hurricanes claim the 17-14 with 30 minutes to play, but it was only for six minutes. The Blues muscled up again and responded with wing Mark Tele'a crossing. Replacement prop Angus Ta'avao got over to give the Blues a buffer they managed to hold. Supplementing the try-scoring was a 100 per cent goal-kicking effort by first five-eighths Harry Plummer. The Blues made 160 carries to 114, beat 23 defenders to 14, made 154 tackles compared to 221 and only missed 14, compared to 23.
Blues 31 (Bryce Heem, Cole Forbes, Mark Tele’a, Angus Ta’avao tries; Harry Plummer 4 con, pen) Hurricanes 27 (Brad Shields, Josh Moorby, Peter Lakai, TJ Perenara tries; Jordie Barrett 2 con, pen). HT: 14-10
Highlanders 32 Crusaders 29
The Crusaders could only wonder where their luck had gone after the Highlanders opened the scoring from a 'header'. The ball rebounded from No8 Nikora Broughton's head as lock Jamie Hannah attempted to pass. Highlanders centre Tanielu Tele'a used the axiom to play until the whistle and ran away for the try. But wing Sevu Reece opened the Crusaders' response, and then they claimed the lead from a break by fullback Johnny McNicholl. He passed to halfback Noah Hotham, whose backhand pass struck second five-eighths Dallas McLeod's foot. He regathered and scored. It was the only time they held the lead as a break by Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava in the 22m area saw him pass to first five-eighths Cameron Millar, who scored the try. Fullback Chay Fihaki found a gap in the second half and lobbed an overhead pass to Reece for his second try. With Millar continuing to punish Crusaders' transgressions with penalty goals, a late try to replacement wing Macca Springer was only enough to ensure a bonus point.
The Crusaders had 54 per cent of possession but conceded 13 penalties to six, six of which Millar converted into points, finishing with 27 points. They did force the Highlanders to make 214 tackles compared to 14, but in most statistical areas, there was little difference between the sides.
Highlanders 32 (Tanielu Tele'a, Cameron Millar tries; Millar 2 con, 6 pen) Crusaders 29 (Sevu Reece 2, Dallas McLeod, Macca Springer tries; Chay Fihaki 3 con, pen). HT 26-14
Waratahs 21 Brumbies 29
It was a case of scoring before a downpour afflicted conditions in Sydney. Brumbies flanker Charlie Cale took the short route, over a goalline maul, to open the scoring with a try before a loose ball was picked up by Waratahs wing Dylan Pietsch in midfield. He raced ahead and passed to halfback Jake Gordon, who scored. Brumbies replacement first five-eighths, Jack Debreczeny, provided scoring impetus in the second half, firstly when breaking back on the angle to the goalline for flanker Rob Valetini to plough over under defenders and then in making a break and feeding wide to centre Leni Ikitau who powered over in the corner.
Heavy rain in the second half made the ball difficult to handle, and when the Brumbies failed to control it, centre Joey Walton toed it ahead to score. The ground was awash in the final 10 minutes when a penalty from a scrum saw a tap kick taken, allowing replacement first five-eighths Tane Edmed to score. Two minutes from the end, replacement Sosefo Kautai defied the pond-like conditions to score from a maul to seal the 13th consecutive Brumbies win over their neighbours.
Waratahs 21 (Jake Gordon, Joey Walton, Tane Edmed tries; Will Harrison 2 con; Edmed con) Brumbies 29 (Charlie Cale, Rob Valetini, Leni Ikitau, Sosefo Kautai tries; Ryan Lonegan 2 con, pen; Jack Debreczeny con). HT: 7-10
Force 48 Drua 10
The Force scored after 52 seconds when an outstanding run by lock and captain Jeremy Williams put wing Chase Tiatia in at the corner. They followed that with a try to flanker Carlo Tizzano from a goalline ruck. Leading 17-3 at the turn, the Drua scored through wing Selestino Ravutaumada, but they could make no further headway. A Force tidal wave engulfed them as three tries were scored in the last 12 minutes, with first five-eighths Ben Donaldson's the best as he ended with a 23-point haul.
The Drua had 56 per cent of possession but couldn't convert that into points. They won 98 rucks to 65 and beat 35 defenders to 19 but made only four clean breaks to 10 and conceded 24 turnovers to 13. The Force had to make 174 tackles to 81. They missed 35 tackles to 19 and conceded 11 penalties to five, yet the Drua were unable to capitalise. They hold eighth place, but the Force are two points behind, and Moana Pasifika and the Crusaders are three points back.
Force 48 (Chase Tiatia, Carlo Tizzano, Michael Wells, Lopeti Faifua, Bayley Kuenzle, Ben Donaldson tries; Donaldson 6 con, 2 pen) Drua 10 (Selstino Ravutaumada try; Isaiah Armstrong con, pen). HT: 17-3