A fresh looking Super Rugby introduces fan-friendly initiatives and a simplified finals system so what are the five main things we learnt from the draw?
The Blues narrowly came out on top over the Highlanders as they edged a hugely physical battle 23-15 to clinch the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman crown in front of a crowd of 36 000 at Eden Park.
The Blues held off a late fightback from the Western Force at Eden Park to clinch a 31-21 victory and book their place in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final.
An injury-hit Reds outfit went down 31-24 to the Blues in Brisbane on Saturday, as the men from Auckland moved to the top of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman table.
The Blues made it three wins from three as they cruised to a 38-10 victory over the Brumbies in a one-sided Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash at Eden Park in Auckland.
In a major step for Pacific Island rugby, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Druahave been granted conditional licences to join a planned new competition next year.
After two straight defeats, the Blues returned to winning ways in Super Rugby Aotearoa with a hard-fought 27-17 victory over the Hurricanes in Auckland.