The Stormers held the Crusaders to a draw in Cape Town and the Lions downed the Highlanders in a scrappy, but high-scoring, encounter.
Here is the wrap of Super Rugby's round 14 action.
JAGUARES vs HURRICANES
The Jaguares overcame a horror start to post a maiden win over Hurricanes in a major upset Friday that ended a five-match winning streak for the home team.
After conceding a try in the opening minute, the committed Jaguares piled on the pressure and punished a mistake-ridden performance from the Hurricanes to win 28-20.
They scored four tries to three, with a Hurricanes' effort after the siren flattering the scoreline for the hosts, who had not lost at home to non-New Zealand opposition since April 2015.
It was also the Argentinians first win in three meetings over the Hurricanes and puts them at the top of the South African conference.
"This is really big for us as a team," captain Pablo Matera said as his players celebrated with hugs and kisses on the field.
"To come here and get a victory in Wellington against one of the best teams in the world, it's amazing."
RESULT
Hurricanes 20
Tries: Fifita, Laumape, Leaupepe
Cons: Jordie Barrett
Pens: Jordie Barrett
Jaguares 28
Tries: Agustin Creevy, Jeronimo De La Fuente Julian Montoya.
Cons: Diaz Bonilla 3
REBELS vs BULLS
The Rebels have let a chance to take the Australian conference lead slip away in a 32-17 loss to the Bulls.
Melbourne tried to outrun the Bulls, setting a frantic pace from get-go and dominating the possession and territory for most of the night.
The Pretoria outfit was all too happy to let the Rebels run at them all night, making tackle after tackle and imposing their physicality even in a fairly open match.
It was a strategy that paid off for the Bulls with the visitors letting the Rebels make mistakes in their own attacking zone and then capitalising on their own opportunities.
Their plan ensured they secured their first win outside of South Africa in three years, while the Rebels were left to rue yet another defeat against a South African side.
SCORERS
Rebels 17
Tries: Koroibete 2, Genia
Cons: Cooper
Bulls 32
Tries: Hendricks, Odendaal, Pollard, Specman
Cons: Pollard 3
Pens: Pollard 2
BLUES vs CHIEFS
The Blues have kept their slim chances of reaching the Super Rugby playoffs alive with a 23-8 win over the neighbouring Chiefs in a contentious New Zealand derby.
The Blues profited from two disputed tries at Eden Park on Saturday to post their first win over the Chiefs in 17 meetings since 2011.
A try after the full-time siren also gave them a bonus point which lifted them above the Chiefs into fourth place in the New Zealand conference.
The Chiefs dropped to the bottom of the conference table and are likely out of the playoffs running with four rounds remaining.
The match followed the trend of recent Blues performances - they made all the running, dominated possession and played a more structured game but weren't able to convert those advantages into points.
RESULT
Blues 23
Tries: Plummer, Nanai, Tuungufasi, Cowley-Tuioti
Pens: Plummer
Chiefs 8
Try: Karpik
Pens: McKenzie
WARATAHS vs REDS
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson says finally breaking their close-match hoodoo shouldn't be blown out of perspective despite their victory over the Reds being critical to their season.
Despite having lost four games this season by three points or less, the Tahs maintained their composure in the final 20 minutes and fought back to beat the Reds 40-32 to keep their Super Rugby finals hopes alive.
The Reds scored six tries to three and for much of the night looked as though they would break a 10-match losing streak that stretches back to 2013.
But former Waratah Bryce Hegarty's usually radar boot deserted him and he could manage to slot just one of his six conversion attempts, hitting the post three times and having one kick - from right in front - charged down by a desperate Nick Phipps.
"It's obviously really pleasing for the boys that we've finally won a close one - we've had a number of near misses over the last few weeks and the importance of the outcome is very real, it keeps us in a tight conference and well in the fight," Gibson said
RESULT
Reds 29
Tries: Hegarty 2, Blyth, Campbell, Naivalu, Mafi
Cons: Hegarty
Waratahs 40
Tries: Foley, Wells 2, Newsome.
Cons: Foley 4
Pens: Foley 4
LIONS vs HIGHLANDERS
The Lions beat the Highlanders 38-29 in a scrappy 10-try match that hung in the balance until the 79th minute.
The South Africans clinched victory thanks to a late try from winger Courtnall Skosan and rose three places to sixth while the New Zealanders dropped one place to eighth.
Despite the try fest and the closeness of the score, the match never caught fire with too many handling errors.
The lukewarm post-match reaction of Lions hooker Malcolm Marx confirmed that there was little to celebrate.
"This match was decided in the final five minutes. Highlanders pushed us all the way," said the Springbok.
The lead changed three times in a four-try first half that ended with the Lions leading 14-12 because Elton Jantjies slotted two conversions while rival fly-half Josh Ioane missed one.
Loose forward Kwagga Smith scored his second try to stretch the lead before the Dunedin outfit hit back with winger Jordan Hyland and full-back Matt Faddes scoring.
Although substitute back Dan Hollinshead fluffed both conversions, the Highlanders led 22-21 with 20 minutes remaining.
Jantjies kicked the only penalty of the match to regain the lead for the hosts and tries by substitute Shaun Reynolds and Ioane meant only two points separated the sides on 75 minutes.
Highlanders had chances to snatch victory before Dyantyi showed the form that made him a Springbok regular last season and Skosan applied the finishing touch.
Smith (two), full-back Andries Coetzee, Reynolds and Skosan scored tries for the Lions and Jantjies converted all five and kicked a penalty.
Winger Sio Tomkinson, lock Tom Franklin, Hyland, Faddes and Ioane were Highlanders' try scorers and Ioane and Hollinshead kicked one conversion each.
RESULT
Lions 38
Tries: Coetzee, K Smith 2, Reynolds, Skosan
Cons: Jantjies 5
Pen: Jantjies
Highlanders 29
Tries: Tomkinson, Franklin, Hyland, Faddes, Ioane
Cons: Ioane, Hollinshead
STORMERS vs CRUSADERS
A couple of debatable decisions went against runaway Super Rugby leaders the Crusaders in Cape Town Saturday as they drew 19-19 with the Stormers after a thriller.
Skipper and All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock shook his head to indicate unhappiness with a last-minute penalty awarded against the New Zealanders at a vibrant Newlands stadium.
Stormers substitute fly-half Jean-Luc du Plessis slotted the kick to salvage a draw, although some of his South African team-mates believed they should have kicked for touch and sought a match-winning try.
Crusaders thought they had scored a fourth try with five minutes left of the round 14 match when winger Sevu Reece scored off his kick-and-chase.
But the South African television match official said there was "compelling evidence" that substitute back Braydon Ennor had made a forward pass to Reece and the score was disallowed.
Replays of the incident suggested otherwise with Ennor seemingly passing the ball backwards out of his hands.
SuperSport TV analysts and former Springboks Robbie Kempson and Gcobani Bobo said a try should have been awarded, which would have given the visitors an eight-point advantage.
Rival skippers Siya Kolisi and Whitelock did not discuss the incident, preferring to dwell on one of the liveliest Super Rugby matches this season.
"The Crusaders brought out of the best in us and the crowd support was awesome," said Springboks captain and flanker Kolisi.
Whitelock also hailed the 30,000-plus crowd: "It was a great atmosphere to play in. Now we head home to face the Blues next weekend."
The draw pulled the Crusaders 17 points clear of the second-place Northern Bulls in the combined standings while the Stormers remained 12th.
Flanker Matt Todd, full-back David Havili and Ennor scored a try each and fly-half Richie Mo'unga kicked two conversions for the trophy-holders, who led 12-10 at half-time.
Kolisi scored the lone Stormers try, fly-half Josh Stander kicked a conversion and two penalties and Du Plessis two penalties.
RESULT
Stormers 19
Tries: Kolisi
Cons: Stander
Pens: Stander 2, J du Plessis 2
Crusaders 19
Tries: Todd, Havili, Ennor
Cons: Richie Mo’unga 2
