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 Brumbies claimed their first win against a New Zealand side in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman with a nailbiting 12-10 victory over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium on Saturday.
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.
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.
The Chiefs secured their first-ever victory in Super Rugby Aotearoa in remarkable fashion by coming from 19 points down at half-time to beat the Hurricanes 35-29.
NZ Rugby has announced the Crusaders Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa Round 2 match against the Hurricanes will be delayed by one day in a bid to allow fans to attend the match.
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.