It was a roller coaster weekend of Super Rugby.
Missed anything? We've got your covered.
Blues vs Hurricanes
Sonny Bill Williams' return for the Blues couldn't prevent the Hurricanes winning their Super Rugby derby 36-15 to claim the competition lead.
Cross-code star Williams returned from a lengthy injury layoff to set up a try with a trademark offload but was otherwise subdued for the home side, who fell away in the second half at Eden Park on Friday.
The Hurricanes scored five tries to two in notching a ninth successive win.
RESULT
Blues
Tries: Leger, Tuungufasi
Cons: Perofeta
Pens: Perofeta
Hurricanes
Tries: Riccitelli, Evans, Milner-Skudder, Lousi, Proctor
Cons: B Barrett 4
Pens: B Barrett
Sunwolves vs Reds
The Reds have dragged Australian rugby to a new low, mercilessly flogged 63-28 by the winless Sunwolves in Tokyo.
The Reds were nothing short of embarrassing from the opening whistle, offering little resistance as the home side scored points for fun.
Gone was the Queensland side which held the Lions scoreless in the first term last start, replaced by a team that looked as though they expected to win.
Read the full match report here
RESULT
Sunwolves 63
Tries: Saumaki 3, Hattingh, Little, Penalty
Cons: Parker 5
Pens: Parker 7
Reds 28
Tries: Paenga-Amosa, Lucas, Scott-Young, Daugunu
Cons: Lance 4
Crusaders vs Waratahs
The Waratahs have lost a heartbreaker to the Crusaders, 31-29, in Christchurch, after leading 29-0.
Flyhalf Bernard Foley missed two vital penalty chances that would have given the Waratahs the advantage late in the game, including one in the 77th minute.
The Waratahs led until the 68th minute in Christchurch, after four unanswered tries in the opening half hour were all but nullified by half-time, and a penalty try put the hosts in front for the first time.
A 14-7 penalty count against the Waratahs didn’t help the situation, with Nick Phipps and Taqele Nayaravoro yellow-carded, and two seemingly blatant offences going unnoticed by the referees.
Read the full match report here.
RESULT
Crusaders 31
Tries: Moody, Taylor, Tamanivalu, Ennor, Penalty
Cons: Mounga 2
Waratahs 29
Tries: Clark, Naiyaravoro, Folau, Rona
Cons: Foley 3
Pens: Foley
Yellow Cards: Phipps (40+2), Naiyaravoro (53')
Highlanders vs Lions
South African conference leaders the Lions have suffered a rare streak of three Super Rugby losses after they went down to the Highlanders 39-27 in Dunedin on Saturday night.
The Highlanders held off a late charge by the Lions to extend their home winning streak to 11 matches and leave the South Africans still chasing their first victory over New Zealand opponents this season.
RESULT
Highlanders 39
Tries: Sopoaga, Coltman, Whitelock, Naholo, Walden
Cons: Sopoaga 4
Pens: Sopoaga 2
Lions 27
Tries: Coetzee 2, Vorster, Schoeman
Cons: Jantjies 2
Pens: Jantjies
Brumbies vs Rebels
A second-half Reece Hodge masterclass has kept Melbourne's finals hopes alive and all but killed ACT's in the process, as the Rebels claimed a thrilling 27-24 win in Canberra.
The visitors entered the match on a five game losing streak and trailed 21-10 at the break but looked a different outfit when Hodge replaced Jack Debreczeni at flyhalf in the 51st minute, outscoring the home side 17-3 in the second term.
Melbourne were rewarded for throwing the ball around from deep in their own term with Hodge the marshall, crossing twice in five minutes through Jack Maddocks and Semisi Tupou to set up a grandstand finish at 24-all with 15 to play.
It was a Hodge penalty from the left sideline with two to play that stole the win, keeping his side within one point of the Australian Conference lead - behind the Waratahs - in the process.
Read the full match report here.
RESULT
Brumbies 24
Tries: Cusack, Sione, Valetini
Cons: Hawera 3
Pens: Hawera
Rebels 27
Tries: English 2, Maddocks, Tupou
Cons: Hodge 2
Pens: Hodge
Stormers vs Chiefs
Damian McKenzie atoned for three misses from the tee by slotting a 75th-minute penalty that sealed success for Chiefs, who remained fifth in the
combined standings.
Stormers led twice through Damian Willemse penalties before a penalty try on 65 minutes swung a tight tussle in favour of Chiefs.
All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick was voted man of the match and he said the victory made up for the home defeat by Jaguares.
"We knew the match would be won up front and the boys did very well, particularly at scrum time," he said.
RESULT
Stormers 9
Pens: Willemse 2, Marais
Chiefs 15
Tries: Lienert-Brown, Penalty
Pens: McKenzie
Bulls vs Sharks
The Bulls won a typically frenetic South African derby full of skill and smart off-loads, but also numerous errors.
The Pretoria outfit trailed only once and responded with tries from Johnny Kotze and Lood de Jager to build a 16-point advantage.
"It was nice to see the number of metres gained when we sent the ball wide and some of the passing among the forwards was outstanding," said Bulls skipper Burger Odendaal.
RESULT
Bulls 39
Tries: Gelant, Kriel, Smith, Kotze, De Jager
Cons: Pollard 4
Pens: Pollard 2
Sharks 33
Tries: Bosch, Vermuelen, du Preez
Cons: du Preez 3
Pens: du Preez 3, Bosch
