Western Force have maintained their spot at the head of the NRC ladder after beating Melbourne Rising 38-19 in Perth to take a four-point lead after Round 3 of competition.
The Force notched a comprehensive win in a six tries to three showing to leave the Rising at the foot of the table, without a competition point.
NSW Country Eagles also remain undefeated after their last-gasp draw with defending champions Fijian Drua in Wollongong on Saturday.
Thrilling finishes and upsets were the norm on Saturday as Sydney and the Canberra Vikings added their names to the winners' list.
Catch the replays and highlights of the weekend's action below.WESTERN FORCE VS MELBOURNE RISING
HIGHLIGHTS
The Western Force have extended their unbeaten run to three with a 38-19 victory over the Rising to leave the winless Melbourne based outfit anchored at the bottom of the NRC ladder.
After last week’s away victory in Fiji, the Force returned home full of confidence and were largely untroubled in overcoming an error-ridden Rising to jump four points clear at the top of the NRC competition table.
Under clear skies at the University of WA, the locals got the better of the much bigger and more fancied Rebels-dominated forward pack and by halftime had jumped clear 19-7.
Elusive winger Byron Ralston proved untouchable, racing in three tries for the Force inside the opening half hour to help his side home.
FULL REPLAY
RESULT
Western Force 38
Tries: Ralston 3, Stander, Ready, Bardoul
Cons: Prior 4
Melbourne Rising 19
Tries: Iona, Hardwick, Fa'amausili
Cons: So'oialo 2
NSW COUNTRY VS FIJIAN DRUA
HIGHLIGHTS
NSW Country have forced a dramatic draw with an 81st minute try to keep defending NRC champions Fiji winless after three rounds of competition.
The Drua, who drew with Brisbane City in the opening round before being beaten by the Western Force in Suva last week, looked to have finally opened their account when they led by a converted try in the dying stages of the match.
But having pushed their advantage out to seven points with a successful conversion attempt in the 69th minute, the Drua missed another that would have made them all but unbeatable and the Eagles threw everything at them.
Repeated pick and drive raids paid off when replacement Jack Grant barged over and Connor O'Shea converted from 15m in from the right touch line to maintain the Eagles' unbeaten start to the competition..
FULL REPLAY
RESULT
NSW Country 24
Tries: Horton, Gordon, Nawaqanitawase, Grant
Cons: Kane, O'Shea
Fijian Drua 24
Tries: Matawalu, Radaniva, Tabulawaki
Cons: Malele 3
Pens: Vularika
CANBERRA VIKINGS VS BRISBANE CITY
HIGHLIGHTS
Canberra have bounced back to the NRC winners' circle with a nail-biting one-point win over Brisbane City after nerveless halfback Ryan Lonergan potted a long-range penalty to seal a 36-35 victory.
The Vikings were a different side to the one that capitulated to Queensland Country in the second half last week, holding out repeated attacking raids from the visitors to maintain a lead into the final quarter of the match.
But Brisbane hit the lead inside the final 10 minutes after a pair of converted tries and seemed set to snatch a late victory until Lonergan stepped up.
FULL REPLAY
RESULT
Canberra Vikings 36
Tries: Ross, Gersekowski, Muirhead, Pulu, Wright
Cons: Ryan Lonergan 4
Pens: Lonergan
Yellow card: Gersekowski 27', Abra 65'
Brisbane City 35
Tries: Paenga-Amosa 2, Penalty try, Tela, Tualima
Cons: Lucas 4
SYDNEY VS QUEENSLAND COUNTRY
HIGHLIGHTS
Sydney have put their NRC season back on track with a 47-26 win over Queensland Country in a massive upset at Woollahra Oval.
Country were among the competition favourites this season and while they lost their opening match by just a point in a high-scoring clash against the Force in Perth, they underlined their status with a strong win against Canberra on the Gold Coast last week.
But Sydney were desperate after two losses on the trot and bolstered by the return of their Randwick players - who missed last week's game after being involved in the pre-World Cup match against Argentina - they ignored the form guide.
FULL REPLAY
RESULT
Sydney 47
Tries: Gamble, Clark 2, Foketi 2, Burey, Graham
Cons: Harrison 6
Queensland Country 26
Tries: McDermott, Saifoloi, Fittock, Lucas
Cons: Saifoloi 3
