Fullback Callum Harkin scored two tries as the Hurricanes romped to a 42-19 win over the Blues in a top-of-the-table Super Rugby Pacific clash on Saturday, while Chiefs produced a 62-17 demolition of Moana Pasifika.
The Hurricanes head the table with 30 points from seven games, ahead of the Chiefs on 27 points from their eight fixtures and the third-placed Blues, who have 25 from eight.
The home side roared into a 14-0 lead in Wellington as Harkin and Billy Proctor scored, and secured their bonus-point victory after tries from Fehi Fineanganofo, Cam Roigard, and Asafo Aumua.
"The Blues came with a lot to play for and a lot of motivation," Harkin told Stan Sport. "It was a game, we knew we would be tested up front, they want to bang the front door down. It was a case of winning the gain line and just trying to deprive them of the ball for long periods."
The Reds snap a 15 year drought and beat the Crusaders at Suncorp! ✅#SRP30 #SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/SjsbqBmTNV
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 11, 2026
Damian McKenzie became the Chiefs’ all-time record try-scorer in Super Rugby with a double against Moana Pasifika, taking his career tally to 44 and ahead of Sitiveni Sivivatu.
The visitors ran in 10 tries in Rotorua in a dominant display after the fixture was moved when Moana Pasifika failed to find a sponsor to take the game to Tonga as originally planned.
Quinn Tupaea, Kyren Taumoefolau and Tyrone Thompson all managed two each to go with scores for Samipeni Finau and Abraham Pole.
"We are just really happy with the win today," McKenzie said.
"We created a lot of opportunities in the game, we know we are not the finished product, we have shown glimpses of amazing stuff in an 80-minute period and then there is some stuff where we definitely need to improve."
Filipo Daugunu and Louis Werchon scored late tries as the Reds completed a crucial 31-26 victory over defending champions Crusaders in Brisbane.
The game was level at 19-19 into the final six minutes before the Reds made a big push for the play-offs with a pair of scores in a bruising encounter.
Luke Reimer scored a try five minutes from the end as the Brumbies claimed a slender 14-10 victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.
A yellow card for Highlanders replacement hooker Henry Bell late in the piece handed the advantage to the Brumbies as they finish the weekend fourth in the table on 24 points.
"We had to sort of stay in it, keep composed and wait for our opportunity," coach Stephen Larkham told reporters.
"Things didn't go our way but we kept our composure and that's probably a trait of the team that we've seen this year.
"It's putting us in a really good position to win these sorts of games."
A strong second half from the Western Force in which they scored three tries was not enough as they lost 24-22 to Fijian Drua in Lautoka.
"Really physical game," Force captain Jeremy Williams said.
"I thought we did really well with our set piece. We put ourselves in an opportunity to win it. We nail a few other things, we could’ve won that game."