Defending Super Rugby champions the Hurricanes held off a gritty fightback from the Stormers to extend their winning home run to 11 matches on Friday.
The Hurricanes scored seven tries to one in the 41-22 victory, including two apiece for Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape, to inflict the Stormers' fourth straight loss.
Stormers captain Siya Kolisi admitted it was a disappointing end to their three-match New Zealand tour but took heart from a much-improved performance.
"We were playing really good rugby, then we make one mistake and they're going for 80-metre tries," he said.
RESULT
Hurricanes 41
Tries: Cory Jane, Jordie Barrett 2, Julian Savea, Ngani Laumape 2, Beauden Barrett
Cons: Jordie Barrett 3
Pens: 0
Stormers 21
Tries: Ramone Samuels
Cons: Robert du Preez
Pens: Du Preez, SP Marais 4
Cheetahs vs Highlanders
An incredible comeback gave the Highlanders a 45-41 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein early on Saturday.
Trailing by 17 points in the 76th minute, the visitors scored three tries to stretch a winning streak to six matches, a feat they last achieved in 2005.
It was the seventh consecutive loss for the Cheetahs after winning two of their first three matches this season.
RESULT
Cheetahs 41
Tries: Tian Meyer 2, Sergeal Petersen, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Oupa Mohoje, Ox Nche.
Cons: Fred Zeilinga 4
Pens: Zelinga 1
Highlanders 45
Tries: Marty Banks, Rob Thompson, Waisake Naholo 2, Tevita Li, Matt Faddes
Cons: Banks 6
Pens: Banks 1
Rebels vs Lions
A depleted Rebels side was no match for the Lions, going down to the 2016 finalists 47-10.
Tom English scored the only try for the Rebels as the home side tried to get themselves off the bottom of the Australian conference, but a day where they had just 33 per cent of possession, the challenge was simply too much to overcome.
The Rebels were forced to defend in the opening stages, starved of possession as the Lions heaped on the pressure, but it seemed they might be able to stave off the rampant South Africans, or at least quell their elusiveness.
RESULT
Rebels 10
Tries: English
Cons: Hodge
Pens: Hodge
Lions 47
Tries: Smith, Cronje, Mahuza, penalty, Volmink, Whiteley
Cons: Jantjies 4
Chiefs vs Reds
A fatal 14 minutes has exposed the Reds' soft underbelly, as they feebly rolled over to fall 46-17 to the Chiefs.
A 19-point blitz from the Chiefs in the 14 minutes after halftime was all it took for the Reds to roll over after they hung tough in the opening 40 minutes.
The three tries - two to stalwart Stephen Donald - were soft and though the Reds settled to claw some of the margin back, it was more of the same for the underperforming Queenslanders.
RESULT
Chiefs 46
Tries: Hames, Ngatai, Bird, Donald 2, Lowe
Cons: McKenzie 5
Pens: McKenzie 2
Reds 17
Tries: Moore, Nabuli, Magnay
Cons: Cooper
Pens: 0
Waratahs vs Blues
The Waratahs will head to their second 2017 bye back at square one after a 40-33 loss to the Blues on Saturday night.
Down by 26 points at halftime, the Waratahs outscored the Blues 33-14 in the second 40 minutes, but another Jekyll and Hyde showing saw them fall short..
Superstar Blues brothers Rieko and Akira Ioane put the nails in the Waratahs’ coffin, the former with a double and the latter with the match-sealer, but the Waratahs had their own second-half stars, with an Israel Folau double and a super cameo from Will Skelton.
RESULT
Waratahs 33
Tries: Folau 2, Latu, Foley, Ryan
Cons: Foley 2
Blues 40
Tries: R. Ioane 2, Scrafton, A Ioane,
Cons: Francis 2
Pens: Francis 4
Sharks vs Western Force
An overseas win remains elusive for the Western Force in 2017 after a 37-12 loss to the Sharks.
Despite staying with the Durban side for most of the match, two quick tries just before half-time ultimately proved the major difference between the teams.
Sharks flyhalf Curwin Bosch slotted a penalty in the fourth minute, continuing to add to his 2017 tally, and a second five minutes later made it 6-0.
RESULT
Sharks 37
Tries: Ward, Du Preez, Bosch, Am
Cons: Bosch 3, Lambie
Pens: Bosch 3
Force 12
Tries: Verity-Amm, Brache
Cons: Prior
Yellow card: Curtis Rona (37’)
Bulls vs Crusaders
Former Springbok star Naas Botha called for Bulls coach Nollis Marais to be sacked after a humiliating 62-24 loss to the Crusaders in Pretoria early on Sunday.
"In the real world someone would get fired," the SuperSport TV analyst said, clearly referring to Marais. "However, I doubt that it will happen.
"I say with sadness that the Bulls looked like a team that had not been coached," added the dominant South African flyhalf of the 1980s and early 1990s.
RESULT
Bulls 24
Tries: Jesse Kriel, Jamba Ulengo, Jan Serfontein
Cons: Francois Brummer 3
Pens: Tian Schoeman
Crusaders 62
Tries: Peter Samu, Tim Bateman, Scott Barrett, Jack Goodhue 2, Seta Tamanivalu, David Havili, Richie Mo'unga, Andrew Makalio, Mitchell Hunt
Cons: Mo'unga 5, Hunt
Pens: 0
Jaguares vs Sunwolves
The Jaguares snapped a four-match losing streak with a come-from-behind 46-39 victory over Sunwolves on Sunday in a Super Rugby try fest.
The hosts turned a 39-27 deficit 14 minutes from time into a seven-point victory thanks to tries from Matias Alemanno, Agustin Creevy and Matias Moroni.
Jaguares scored seven tries and Sunwolves five at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in a lively conclusion to round 11 of the regular season.
RESULT
Jaguares 46
Tries: Leonardo Senatore, Emiliano Boffelli, penalty try*, Agustin Creevy 2, Matias Alemanno, Matias Moroni
Cons: Juan Martin Hernandez 2, Joaquin Diaz Bonelli
Pens: Hernandez 1
* penalty try worth seven points in Super Rugby
Sunwolves 39
Tries: Will Tupou, Shota Emi, Yu Tamura 2, Sam Wykes
Cons: Tamura 4
Pens: Tamura 2
STANDINGS
Australia Conference
Brumbies 18
Waratahs 14
Reds 11
Force 9
Rebels 7
New Zealand Conference
Crusaders 46
Chiefs 42
Hurricanes 38
Highlanders 32
Blues 26
Africa 1 Conference
Stormers 26
Bulls 14
Cheetahs 11
Sunwolves 7
Africa 2 Conference
Lions 42
Sharks 32
Jaguares 24
Kings 15
Note: conference winners qualify for quarter-finals with next three highest-ranked Australasian teams and next highest-ranked Africa side
NEXT WEEK
Friday May 12
Blues v Cheetahs, Brumbies v Lions
Saturday May 13
Crusaders v Hurricanes, Rebels v Reds, Bulls v Highlanders, Kings v Sharks, Jaguares v Force
Byes: Chiefs, Stormers, Sunwolves, Waratahs