Melbourne have been left to rue another slow start in crashing to the table-topping Hurricanes, who piled on the points in their Super Rugby Pacific clash in Palmerston North.
The NSW Waratahs are losing touch with the Super Rugby Pacific frontrunners after falling 12-10 to their bogey side the Blues in an ugly encounter in Sydney.
The Brumbies have won a see-sawing battle against the Highlanders with the ACT side continuing to find their Super Rugby Pacific form with a 27-21 victory in Dunedin.
The Western Force's finals hopes are already dangling by a thread after they slumped to a 22-14 Super Rugby Pacific loss to Moana Pasifika at HBF Park.
The Crusaders' start to the Super Rugby Pacific season has gone from poor to unprecedented with their fourth straight loss, a 14-10 home defeat by the Wellington-based Hurricanes.