Chiefs 29-14 Stormers Crusaders 40-21 Bulls Highlanders 26-14 Hurricanes Waratahs 37-29 Brumbies Sharks 5-6 Reds Cats 28-35 Blues Super 12 table

Tight-head prop Greg Somerville and Fijian wing Marika Vunibaka scored two tries, while Daniel Carter kicked a total of 20 points.

The Bulls scored the game's first try through Anton Leonard but Carter gave his side a lead they never yielded.

"We got there in the end," said Crusaders captain Reuben Thorne.

"It wasn't much of a match to look at. But we'll take the points. It's pretty close at the top of the table and any points we can get we'll gladly accept."

The Crusaders effectively wrapped up the game when Vunibaka and Somerville both scored during the 10-minute sin-binning of Bulls flanker Piet Krause.

Canterbury's victory lifted them to second in the table, behind the ACT Brumbies, who had to settle for a losing bonus point after scoring four tries in a 37-29 defeat to Australian rivals New South Wales in Sydney.

Otago fly-half Tony Brown kicked 16 points to guide the Highlanders to a 26-14 victory against the Wellington Hurricanes.

Brown's impressive display with the boot was matched by the strong running of Nick Evans, who decimated the Hurricanes' defence to set up second-half tries for Jimmy Cowan and Matt Saunders.

The Hurricanes had edged 11-6 ahead by half-time, after a try by Kristian Ormsby and two David Holwell penalties.

Howell then stretched that lead early in the second half only for Brown to steal the late limelight.

In Durban on Saturday, the Queensland Reds edged the Sharks 6-5, with two penalties from Australian international Elton Flatley enough to eclipse a try from Brendon Botha for the home side.

The score was the lowest in the history of the tournament, breaking the dubious record of 1999 when the Highlanders beat the Brumbies 9-8.

Play was marred by poor handling, turnovers and a lack of imagination. The only positive aspect was the defence from both sides.

Winger Sitiveni Sivivatu scored two tries as Waikato claimed a 29-14 Super 12 win over the Stormers on Friday.

Sivivatu was playing in front of the NZ selectors

The Chiefs scored four tries, claiming a vital bonus point, to move up from fifth to second place in the table alongside South Africa's Stormers.

Fijian-born Sivivatu - who is eligible to play for New Zealand - showed searing pace and a devastating sidestep to score a try in each half.

The victory was the Chiefs' sixth win in nine matches.

The loss marked a huge form reversal for the Stormers who beat defending champions Auckland 51-23 less than a week ago.

Waikato made light of their status as the lowest-ranked of New Zealand's five Super 12 sides.

Sivivatu scored his first try in the 20th minute, darting through a gap on the left-wing side after centre Mark Ranby had made a superb break down the right.

His second came in the ninth minute of the second half when he left former Springbok fullback Werner Greef grasping at air with a huge left-foot sidestep.

Half-back Byron Kelleher scored the Chiefs' first try after 14 minutes, breaking from a ruck on the Stormers' 22, slipping between two tacklers and sprinting to the line.

An interception try by centre Derek Maisey sealed the bonus point five minutes from time.