(Reuters) - Canterbury Crusaders secured a comprehensive 42-19 win over defending Super Rugby Pacific champions the Auckland Blues at Eden Park to continue their resurgence and remain in touch with early leaders Waikato Chiefs.
The Chiefs thrashed Moana Pasifika 50-35 on Friday to hold a three-point lead after six rounds, but Clayton McMillan's team have played one match more than a revitalised Crusaders side that has bounced back from a disappointing 2024 campaign.
Queensland Reds notched a 29-23 victory over the Otago Highlanders to secure their first win in Dunedin in 12 years on Saturday as the New South Wales Waratahs recorded a 28-23 win to defeat the ACT Brumbies for the first time in 14 attempts.
Western Force continued their solid early-season form with a 52-15 win over the Fijian Drua on Sunday.
The Crusaders made light work of a Blues side that have struggled to hit the heights of last season, with Vern Cotter's team falling to their fifth defeat in six games and sitting one rung off the bottom.
Dalton Papali'i gave the Blues the lead in the third minute but that advantage was to last only nine minutes as Kyle Preston and Chay Fihaki crossed to put the visitors in front.
Prop Tamaiti Williams extended the Crusaders' lead in the 25th minute before a second from Fihaki and further tries from Tom Christie, Macca Springer and Will Jordan earned the 12-times Super Rugby champions a comfortable win.
"All I was after as a coach was for the boys to express themselves and feel as though they're getting something out of the game and loving their time in the jersey," said Crusaders coach Rob Penney.
"We're nowhere near where we want to be yet; we've still got a bit to do."
Chiefs' flyhalf Damian McKenzie scored one of his side's seven tries as well as kicking six conversions and a penalty to amass a 20-point haul in a win over the Pasifika that keeps the Hamilton-based outfit on top of the standings.
"I think the set piece, and the scrum in particular, functioned really well, it gave us a lot of access into their half and created a lot of pressure on them," said McMillan. "There's always things to work on, but grateful to get the win."
Reds' winger Filipo Daugunu scored two tries in 13 second-half minutes to steer Les Kiss' Queensland team to victory over the Highlanders at Dunedin Stadium.
The win moves Queensland up to third in the table, level on 19 points with the Crusaders.
Centre Joey Walton's converted try eight minutes from time sealed the Waratahs' win over the Brumbies in Sydney, ending the Canberra-based side's run of 13 consecutive wins over their Australian rivals.
First-half tries from Teddy Wilson, Triston Reilly and Rob Leota had put the Waratahs in control at the break but Allan Alaalatoa and Luke Reimer scored to crank up the pressure on the hosts before Walton pounced on Max Jorgensen's kick through.
Western Force hooker Nic Dolly scored a hat-trick of first-half tries to lead his side to a comfortable bonus-point victory over the Drua in Perth.
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Peter Rutherford)
