The numbers that matter
Two tries in three minutes just before the break -- the second a brilliant effort started and finished by All Blacks scrumhalf Cam Roigard -- gave the Hurricanes a 24-10 lead after a tight first half in the New Zealand capital on Friday.
Crusaders halfbacks Noah Hotham and his replacement Rivez Reihana showed their quality with fine tries after the break and Dom Gardner crossed to get the visitors to within seven points of the lead with three minutes to play.
Second-half scores from replacement hooker Raymond Tuputupu and winger Fehi Fineanganofo with his 15th try of the season, however, ultimately proved a sufficient cushion for the Hurricanes to get across the line.
"I guess it was good to have that little bit of buffer with the scoreboard there," said Roigard, who is hoping to help the Hurricanes to their second title a decade after their first.
"The challenge for us is that we're just trying to get better each week. With the draw that we've got, the games are going to get harder and harder."
With the Waikato Chiefs enjoying a bye week, the Auckland Blues took full advantage with a 45-19 thumping of Moana Pasifika on Saturday to move above them into second place in the standings two points behind the Hurricanes.
The Blues made a slow start but scored two tries in three minutes around halftime to take charge before running away with the contest as well as local bragging rights at Auckland's North Harbour Stadium.
The Queensland Reds beat the ACT Brumbies 30-21 in Brisbane in the final match of the round on Saturday to take up the mantle as Australia's most likely title challengers.
Scores from flanker Rob Valetini and centre David Feliuai helped the Brumbies overhaul a 17-7 halftime deficit and take a one-point lead after 55 minutes at a rain-soaked Lang Park.
Reds lock Seru Uru forced his way over the line for a try on the hour mark, however, and Ben Volavola slotted a penalty seven minutes later before the home side held on to condemn the Brumbies to three straight losses for the first time since 2018.
A sixth victory of the season moved the Reds above the Crusaders into fourth spot, nine points behind the third-placed Chiefs with four rounds of the regular season to go.
"Honestly, I think the ladder's irrelevant," said Reds skipper Fraser McReight.
"You can't be looking at it because you have no control of what the other teams are going to do. So for us, it's reviewing this game and just having another good week."
Western Force had a poor start to the season but the Perth-based outfit are probably the form Australian team of the competition after they backed up a win over the Crusaders with a 20-17 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs on Friday.
Winger Dylan Pietsch scored two tries and his fellow former Waratah Ben Donaldson kicked 10 points as the Force kept alive their own slim playoff hopes while putting a severe dent in those of their hosts at Sydney Football Stadium.
Fijian Drua notched their fifth win of the season with a 24-14 victory over Otago Highlanders in Ba on Saturday to move above the Waratahs into seventh spot, five points behind the Brumbies who are in the final playoff slot.
Next weekend's fixtures
