The Chiefs battled hard for a win, the Lions scraped home and the Brumbies claimed victory despite a player red-carded during Super Rugby matches last night.
CHIEFS 39 WARATAHS 27
Two second-half tries to Tony Pulu gave the Chiefs the breathing space they needed as they battled back from a 14-0 deficit to beat the Waratahs on Saturday night.
Chiefs' first five-eighth Damian McKenzie scored after the final hooter to not only gave the home side a bonus point, but deny the Waratahs a vital extra competition point for finishing within seven on the scoreboard.
The Waratahs had been trailing 32-27 as the hooter sounded but McKenzie capitalised on a broken defensive line from an attacking scrum to score his side's sixth try and move them to 37 points on the competition table.
The Sydney-based side still lead the Australian conference on 31 points but have just a one-point lead over the Melbourne Rebels.
STORMERS 23 LIONS 26
Madosh Tambwe scored a try five minutes from time as the Lions clawed their way to a precious victory over an ill-disciplined Stormers at Newlands on Saturday.
The home side led 17-7 after 10 minutes of the second half but when wing Raymond Rhule received a red card for dangerous play, the game turned in the favour of the visitors as they were able to make their numerical advantage count.
The home side also had yellow cards for JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Coetzee as their discipline let them down in a season that is lurching from bad to worse for the Cape Town-based side.
Replacement hooker Corne Fourie scored two tries for the Lions and halfback Nic Groom the other, as Tambwe's effort in the corner took them to a six-point lead at the top of the South African conference.
BULLS 28 BRUMBIES 38
Fullback Tom Banks scored a brilliant late try as the Brumbies claimed victory at Loftus Versfeld despite finishing the game with 14 players for the second week running.
Hooker Folau Fainga'a received a deserved red card for a head-butt on the hour mark, after which the Brumbies trailed by four points and looked to be up against the ropes.
But Banks's mazy run from 60 minutes gave them the lead in the final 10 minutes and when wing Andy Muirhead crossed for their fifth try, they were able to seal an unlikely victory.
The Bulls had led 14-10 at halftime but wasted opportunities to score and saw their play-off hopes take a dive.
JAGUARES 29 SHARKS 13
Wing Ramiro Moyano scored a hat-trick as the Jaguares beat the Sharks for a sixth consecutive victory on Saturday.
The Argentine side's eight wins in 13 matches so far is their best performance in three seasons in Super Rugby with another three games to play after the June international break in which most of their players will be on duty for the Pumas.
The Sharks, who beat the Jaguares in their four previous meetings, had captain Ruan Botha sent off six minutes from time for a dangerous shoulder charge on centre Matias Orlando's head with Moyano's third try soon after clinching the bonus point.
Moyano scored twice in three minutes in the first half and Bautista Delguy went over 10 minutes from the end from his fellow winger's pass, while lock Botha got the Sharks' try on the halftime hooter.
CRUSADERS 24 HURRICANES 13
A depleted Crusaders gave the Hurricanes a lesson in wet-weather rugby to end the visitors' 10-match winning streak and record victory in damp conditions in Christchurch on Friday night.
The Crusaders, without at least seven front-line players through injury or suspension, controlled the ball through their forwards, punished their opponent's poor discipline and produced a bruising defence to drive them back behind the advantage line.
The victory was the Crusader's ninth in succession this year and moved them to 50 points, extending their lead over the Hurricanes (45) at the top of the New Zealand conference and on the overall standings.
Lock Scott Barrett, prop Michael Alaalatoa and loose forward Heiden Bedwell-Curtis scored tries for the home side, while Reed Prinsep scored the only try for the visitors.