Brisbane City and Queensland Country capped round two of the NRC with wins in the double-header at Bond University but Western Force have pushed to the top of the competition ladder after their comprehensive win over defending champions Fijian Drua in Suva.
NSW Country are just a point behind after they notched a second consecutive win with their victory over the Rising in Adelaide on Saturday.
Brisbane City pushed into third place after their 52-26 win over Sydney in the opening round of the double-header at Bond University. They too remain undefeated, although sit a point behind the Eagles on the ladder after a draw with the Drua last week.
Queensland Country moved into fourth after their 36-23 win against Canberra Vikings in the final match of the round.
They lead the Vikings by a point, while the Drua - with a draw and a loss - are in sixth place, just ahead of Sydney and Melbourne, who are both yet to win a match.
Here's what we're talking about after round two.
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY VS CANBERRA VIKINGS
HIGHLIGHTS
Queensland Country have overcome the defensive foibles that led to their opening-round demise, holding the Vikings to just three points in the second half to notch a 36-23 win against the competition heavyweights.
After going down by a point to the Western Force in a 15-try thriller in Perth last week, defence was the priority for Country heading into the second leg of the NRC double-header at Bond University.
And while they would have been dirty with allowing a try just before the break that handed the Vikings a 20-19 lead at the break, they were rock solid in the second term, conceding just a shot at penalty, while adding three tries of their own to seal the win.
The loss was Canberra's first of the competition after their win over Melbourne last week and they showed they remain among the competition favourites despite going down to Country.
FULL REPLAY
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RESULT
Queensland Country 36
Tries: Hoopert, McDermott, Fittock, Francis, Stewart, Wilson
Cons: Gordon 3
Yellow card: Gordon 80'
Canberra Vikings 23
Tries: Hansen 2, Muirhead
Cons: Lonergan
Pens: Lonergan 2
Yellow card: Tom Wright 20’
BRISBANE CITY V SYDNEY
HIGHLIGHTS
Brisbane have marked themselves as genuine NRC contenders with a 52-26 win over Sydney with a pair of debutants contributing five tries to the victory.
Winger Jordan Luke finished with a hat-trick, while fellow winger Maalonga Konelio had a double as City ran in four tries in the final 20 minutes to put an exclamation mark on their victory.
Despite leading from the start, Brisbane was unable to land a knockout punch over Sydney who hit back on several occasions from pick and go tries when they maintained possession and patience.
But a flurry of tries - including an early try of the year nominee finished by Konelio - in the final 20 minutes handed City a convincing win after their opening-round draw with Fijian Drua.
FULL REPLAY
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RESULT
Brisbane City 52
Tries: Luke 3, Henry, Fe'ao, Wallis, Konelio 2
Cons: Henry 2, Lucas
Pens: Henry 2
Sydney 26
Tries: Graham 2, Kioa, Swinton
Cons: Edmed 3
FIJIAN DRUA VS WESTERN FORCE
HIGHLIGHTS
Saturday's action started in Fiji, with defending champions the Drua going down 38-15 to the Western Force in Suva.
The Force fired a warning shot to the rest of the NRC competition with a crushing 38-15 victory against the Fijian Drua in Suva.
Force winger Jonah Placid crossed for the opening two tries of the match and capped a well-deserved hat-trick in the 77th minute when the powerhouse carried three defenders across the line for the final try of the match.
FULL REPLAY
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RESULT
Western Force 38
Tries: Placid 3, Ferris, Ralston, Strachan
Cons: Deegan 3, Prior
Fijian Drua 15
Tries: Vularika, Kurumudu
Cons: Nacebe
Pens: Nacebe
MELBOURNE RISING VS NSW COUNTRY
HIGHLIGHTS
NSW Country have hung on for a 29-19 win against the Rising, defying a late fightback from Melbourne to remain undefeated through their opening two NRC fixtures.
Just like last week when they built a 26-0 lead over Sydney before surviving a late Rays fightback, the Eagles built a 24-5 buffer over the Rising in Adelaide before Melbourne fought back and threatened a late boilover.
A try to Melbourne Rebels forward Ross Haylett-Petty in the shadows of halftime helped the Rising claw back to within 12 points at the break but they were left to rue a poor start to the second half, with the Eagles racing over for their fifth try of the afternoon a minute after the restart.
It was to be Country's final score of the afternoon though and when fullback Justin Marsters reached over to score in the 58th minute and Semisi Tupou converted, the Rising were within 10 points and threatening an upset.
FULL REPLAY
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RESULT
NSW Country Eagles 29
Tries: Blacklock 2, Ah Wong, Vest, Clements
Cons: Kane 2
Yellow card: Pat Tafa 76'
Melbourne Rising 19
Tries: Ukalele, Haylett-Petty, Marsters
Cons: Moloney, Tupou
LADDER
National Rugby Championship Ladder
1. Western Force, 9 points
2. NSW Country Eagles, 8 points
3. Brisbane City, 7 points
4. Queensland Country, 6 points
5. Canberra Vikings, 5 points
6. Fijian Drua, 2 points
7. Sydney, 1 point
8. Melbourne Rising, 0 points