Every rugby fan wants to see a competition with some unexpected results.
And every rugby fan wants to see the Crusaders with a winless record.
Super Rugby Pacific is far from perfect and the season is not even a quarter done but the weekend threw up some results that will cheer the hearts of even those who believe the competition is running on fumes.
There were upsets, tense finishes and another clear sign that — to use the phrase uttered about 100 times already — an empire is crumbling.
The Hurricanes are the last unbeaten team in the competition as the dust settles and have a three-point buffer at the top of the table.
They were good value for their 29-21 win over the Blues in Wellington, especially as they started a tricky period with talismanic midfielder Jordie Barrett serving a suspension.
Underrated winger Josh Moorby grabbed a brace of tries, while fellow outside backs Kini Naholo and Ruben Love looked dangerous and Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard easily out-pointed Blues opposite Finlay Christie.
The Canes lack some star power in the pack in the absence of Ardie Savea — captain Brad Shields and the relentless Du’Plessis Kirifi were also sidelined — but they have a surprising amount of steel.
Returning from Australia with two wins and knocking off the Blues on their return has the Hurricanes in a handy spot with their best start to a season in a decade.
There will now be immense interest in whether they can back it up on Christchurch on Friday night.
Playing the Crusaders at home is usually a death warrant — but perhaps times have changed.
There is a mix of angst and defiance in Crusaders territory as their beloved perennial champions have slumped to 0-3, losing their opening three games of a season for the first time since 1996.
They, like every other team, found the going tough in Fiji on Saturday, falling 20-10 to the Drua.
The Crusaders actually led 10-0 but could not score another point as the heat and the intensity of their better-at-home opposition caught up with them.
They do not tend to panic at the home of Super Rugby’s kings — and everyone knew this season might be tricky following the departures of beloved coach Scott Robertson and Richie Mo’unga, the competition’s best player — but they will really want to get things back on track soon.
Also feeling the sting of defeat at the weekend were the Chiefs, tipped by many to go the whole way this season after faltering at the final step in 2023.
They suffered their first loss of the year when they were beaten 25-19 by the Reds in Brisbane.
The Chiefs were camped on the Reds’ line for the final few minutes but could not get through the Queenslanders, who rebounded from the heartbreak of their golden-point loss to the Hurricanes.
In an Australian derby, the Brumbies bounced back from their hammering by the Chiefs to pip the Force 22-19.
The Crusaders-Hurricanes derby is clearly the game of the upcoming fourth round, but a couple of other clashes also intrigue.
The Highlanders will get another good chance to gauge their progress when they host the Brumbies, the Blues face the Waratahs in Sydney, the Chiefs host the Drua, the bankrupt Rebels get a chance to unexpectedly move to 3-1 when they host the Reds, and Moana Pasifika head to Perth to play the Force.
