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 Crusaders secured a big 52-26 victory over the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday - but it still might not be enough to secure a place in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final.
The Crusaders showed their class as they thumped the Waratahs 54-28 in Saturday's opening Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash at the WIN Stadium in Wollongong.
Richie Mo'unga scored 31 points, including a hat-trick of tries, as the Crusaders thrashed the Reds 63-28 in a Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash at Suncorp stadium in Brisbane.
The Brumbies nearly snatched an unlikely draw against the Crusaders in Christchurch, who held on for a 31-29 victory despite a fantastic comeback from the visitors.
The Chiefs made it four wins in a row with a dramatic 26-25 victory over the Crusaders at the FMG Stadium, as Damien McKenzie's boot came up trumps once again.
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.
The Crusaders claimed a dramatic 30-27 Super Rugby Aotearoa victory over the Hurricanes on Sunday as David Havili slotted a dropkick in golden point extra time.
Richie Mo'unga produced another virtuoso performance as he scored 28 points to guide the Crusaders to a 43-27 victory over the Blues at Eden Park on Sunday.
