The Brumbies celebrate their win over the Waratahs © Getty Images

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The Brumbies held off a Waratahs fightback to claim the bragging rights thanks to a 28-23 win in Canberra.

The Brumbies trotted into a 20-9 half-time lead with Nic White and Jesse Mogg's tries, alongside 10 points from White, giving them a firm lead. And they started the second 40 in a similar fashion with Tevita Kuridrani's try stretching their lead.

The tide of the game changed in the 60th minute when Matt Toomua was sin-binned for the Brumbies and Michael Hooper struck two minutes later to get the Waratahs back in the game. The Brumbies were issued another yellow card in the 72nd minute and Israel Folau scored but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation effort.

The Lions beat the Blues for the first time since 2006 in a try-filled 39-36 triumph.

The Blues handed a first start to rugby league convert Benji Marshall at fullback and his late try gave the Auckland side hope of pulling off a stunning comeback after they had been blanked in the first period. In the end they did not have enough time as Charlie Faumuina's 31st-minute yellow card proved costly.

At that stage the match was pointless but the Lions crossed over twice, through Faf de Klerk and Courtnall Skosan, while Faumuina sat out to give the Lions a 17-0 interval lead. Charles Piutau, Bryn Hall, Frank Halai, George Moala and Marshall all crossed over as the Blues roared back after the break.

The Lions were able to always keep their noses ahead though as Marnitz Boshoff kicked over 17 of his 24 points after half-time with fullback Coenie van Wyk awarded a controversial try - a score that had a hint of a knock-on in the build-up.

Elsewhere, the Sharks beat the Reds 35-20 in Durban.

Nathan Charles scores for the Western Force © Getty Images

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The Sharks were in control by half-time with Willem Alberts' try and points from the boot of Pat Lambie and Francois Steyn teed up a 25-6 lead for the home side. But credit to the Reds, they struck back and reduced the deficit to 28-20 thanks to efforts from Mike Harris and Will Genia alongside Quade Cooper's boot.

But any hopes of a stunning comeback were quashed when Dale Chadwick scored late on for the Sharks.

Hayden Parker could not convert his own late try as the Highlanders went down to a dramatic 31-29 defeat to the Western Force on Saturday.

With the Force down to 13 men in the closing stages, Parker crashed over out wide but he could not nail the kick that would have levelled the scores in Dunedin.

Shaun Treeby and Malakai Fekitoa also went over for the Highlanders with Lima Sopoaga booting 14 points, while Nathan Charles, Sias Ebersohn, Ben McCalman and Junior Rasolea secured a bonus point for the visitors as Ebersohn added another 11 to the total.

The Hurricanes ended their eight-match Super Rugby losing streak with a crushing 60-27 win over the Cheetahs .

The home side were without a win since May 11 last year but two tries and 23 points from fly-half Beauden Barrett led them to victory with Dane Coles, Chris Smylie, James Marshall, Jeremy Thrush, Matt Proctor, Conrad Smith and Alapati Leiua also crossing.

Willie le Roux, Philip van der Walt and Francois Uys scored tries for the South Africans with Johan Goosen booting 12 points.

The Chiefs' Tom Marshall hacks through against the Stormers © Getty Images

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The Chiefs scored two tries in the final five minutes as they overcame Stormers 36-20 in Hamilton.

First-half tries by James Lowe and Tom Marshall, coupled with the accurate boot of New Zealand fly-half Aaron Cruden put the Chiefs 17-6 up at half-time. The defending champions' ability to generate quick-ball kept the Stormers' usually impressive defence on the back foot, with scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow firing the Chiefs backline.

The Stormers produced a determined second-half fightback, scoring two tries of their own via Gio Aplon and Nizaam Carr. However, three second-half tries from Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tevita Koloamatangi and Tanerau Latimer eventually saw the Chiefs take a five-try victory over the South African side.

The Crusaders ensured it was a good day for New Zealand Super Rugby by defeating the Rebels 25-19 in Melbourne.

The two sides scored a try apiece, but it was the boot of Crusaders' centre Tom Taylor that put the match beyond the Rebels' reach. Taylor knocked over six penalties and a conversion to give the Crusaders two wins from four games so far.

The visitors' try came first, with the Rebels unable to hold off wave after wave of Crusaders attack. Hooker Ben Funnell went over out wide and Taylor duly slotted home the conversion. The Rebels managed to touchdown via flanker Scott Fuglistaller two minutes from time, but it was little more than a consolation effort for the Melbourne side.