The TOTW has players from nine different teams after a round that saw three away wins, several yellow cards, a red card and bonus points that continue to prove crucial.
The Blues saved their best for last as they kicked off their Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign with a bonus-point 31-16 victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington.
Taking several lessons from Saturday's warm-up loss to the Hurricanes, the Crusaders have switched their attention to the more important return game - their first in Super Rugby Pacific for 2022.
The opening Super Rugby match in New Zealand between the Chiefs and Highlanders kicked off at the Wakatipu Rugby Club in Queenstown, in the shadow of the rugged, snow-capped Remarkables mountain range.
The Super Rugby Pacific ladder-leading Blues have been given a scare by battlers Fijian Drua before scrambling to a 35-18 victory in their AAMI Park clash.
Improvements in their injury list, and their lineout performance against the Fijian Drua at the weekend, have boosted the Highlanders ahead of their game with Moana Pasifika on Friday in Auckland.
Exhausted Moana Pasifika players have been left praying and rejoicing after resisting a fierce fightback to hang on for an historic 39-36 Super Rugby Pacific win over Fijian Drua.