Status quo for the leading four teams in Super Rugby Pacific after 11 rounds

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Super Rugby Pacific’s playoff race changed only marginally in the weekend’s 11th round as the pacemakers showed few signs of faltering and the others jostled to keep up.

The Wellington-based Hurricanes are still first, the Auckland-based Blues second, the ACT Brumbies still third and the Hamilton-based Chiefs fourth, an order that has remained unchanged for the last several weeks.

Behind them, the Queensland Reds moved up to fifth with a win over the defending champion Crusaders, the Melbourne Rebels dropped back to sixth after losing to the Blues, the Dunedin, New Zealand-based Highlanders are in seventh place after a win over Moana Pasifika in the first Super Rugby match played in Tonga, and the Fijian Drua hung on to remain in the top eight.

The prospects of teams outside the top-eight playoff zone are beginning to fade. Moana Pasifika is now three points behind the Drua in ninth place, the Christchurch-based Crusaders are a further point back in 10th, the New South Wales Waratahs are a full five points behind the Drua in 11th and the last-place Western Force are all but out of the race.