With rumours rife of Super Rugby cutting back on the number of franchises set to compete in the competition starting in 2018, performances this year could be of vital importance.
SANZAAR have been meeting in London to discuss the competition's format going forward, meaning coaches and players could be playing for their future's in the Southern Hemisphere's premier club competition.
A formal statement on the tournament's format will be made in the coming days and with many of the teams on high alert, pressure off the pitch could be seen on it during the next few weeks.
Chiefs and Highlanders come out on top in Kiwi derbies
On Friday in a drenched-Dunedin, the Chiefs picked up their third straight win to start the season over a New Zealand rival thanks to a 26-18 triumph against the previously-unbeaten Hurricanes.
The Chiefs played the conditions much better than their opponents in the opening half to open up an 11-point lead at the break, with the Canes twice reduced to 14-men during. Ardie Savea was first to see a yellow-card after he was adjudged to have collapsed a maul close to his own line, with Brodie Retallick scoring the game's first try just two minutes later.
Michael Fatialofa was next to head to the bin for a foolish no-arm tackle, and despite the visitors holding out during that ten-minute period, their defence broke down on the cusp of half-time when Toni Pulu was first to Tawera Kerr-Barlow's chip beyond the try-line.
Damian McKenzie's excellent kicking display saw him nudge over a pair of penalties to go alongside his two conversions to extend the lead to 20-6, before the Hurricanes got their first try of the game just after the hour-mark through TJ Perenara who produced a great second-effort to dot down.
McKenzie added another penalty before the Hurricanes looked to have secured a losing bonus-point following Julian Savea's late try. However, their discipline cost them once more and McKenzie knocked over another three-pointer as time expired to leave the away side with nothing for their efforts.
In Auckland, the injury-ravaged Highlanders secured their first win of the campaign following a 16-12 win over the Blues. A game devoid of much skill saw only one try scored 15 minutes into the clash, with Malakai Fekitoa feasting on some lacklustre kick defence from the Blues back-three to crash over in the corner.
Ihaia West knocked over three penalties, and Piers Francis one for the Blues who trailed throughout the contest and are now 0-2 against Kiwi opposition to start the season.
The result came at a cost for the Highlanders who lost Waisake Naholo and Lima Sopoaga to injuries ahead of a trip to Wellington when they will take on a smarting Hurricanes side in round four.
Mitchell Hunt keeps his nerve as comeback Crusaders strike again
Staring down the barrel facing 17-0 and 20-7 deficits during the game, the Crusaders used their second get-out-of-jail-free card in a week to claim a 22-20 win in Brisbane against the Reds.
Having surged back from 27-6 down to defeat the Highlanders 30-27 in round two, the Crusaders started slowly again at Suncorp with the Reds scoring two tries in the opening 23 minutes.
Quade Cooper kicked the Reds into an early lead before Samu Kerevi scored his third try of the season following a typically rampaging run through the heart of the defence. The Kiwi franchise then lost Israel Dagg and Seta Tamanivalu to worrying-looking leg injuries, before Eto Nabuli capitalised on a Kerevi break to touch down and extend the lead to 17 points.
The Crusaders lost another player to a lower-leg injury with Pete Samu forced from the field, but that seemed to kickstart them into action with Mitchell Drummond doing enough to convince the TMO he had scored.
Heading into the final quarter, the Crusaders were 13 points down and it was Drummond's replacement at scrum-half who turned the game on it's head. Less than ten minutes after entering the field of play, Bryn Hall found himself on the end of a stunning move to race over in the corner.
The fightback seemingly hit the buffers somewhat when Jordan Taufua was yellow-carded for throwing a punch, yet the Reds had nothing to give even against the 14-man opposition.
A knock-on by Cooper gave Scott Robertson's side the ball deep in Reds territory, and after an assault at the line, Hall had the nouse to place the ball on the base of the post-protector to cut the deficit to one point with three minutes to play.
Doing everything they could to kill the clock in their own half without giving the Crusaders possession, the Reds were penalised for sealing off the ball just prior to the full-time hooter sounding. That gave Mitchell Hunt the opportunity to steal victory, and he did just that, knocking a tough penalty goal straight through the uprights to complete another stunning comeback for the Crusaders.
Elsewhere on Australian soil, tries from Henry Speight, Kyle Godwin, Robbie Abel and the impressive Wharenui Hawera helped the Brumbies claim their first win of the season as they defeated the Force 25-17.
Lions fall in Argentina again, while Stormers remain perfect
Johan Ackermann's decision to rest key players in Buenos Aires backfired significantly in the 2016 playoff picture, and it is too soon to say how much a similar selection will affect his Lions side who went down to a 36-24 defeat to the Jaguares.
Nicolas Sanchez was the standout performer for the Argentinians, scoring one second-half try to go alongside the 16 he mustered from the kicking tee as the Jaguares claimed their second win of the season.
The precedent was set early in the piece when a flowing move was finished off by Joaquin Tuculet to get the home side off to a flying start, with right-winger Ramiro Moyano also crossing before the break.
Yellow cards to Andries Ferreira and Robbie Coetzee for high-tackles didn't help the Lions cause, who were only 12 points down with an hour on the clock thanks to tries from Jacques van Rooyen and skipper Warren Whiteley.
From that moment, the Jaguares stepped it up a gear with Jeronimo De La Fuente and Sanchez scoring five-pointers to put the result beyond doubt, with Malcolm Marx and Whiteley driving over for tries in the closing stages for the tourists.
The only undefeated team left in South Africa are the Stormers after they secured a 41-10 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium against the Kings.
The Stormers were rampant and had four tries just after half-time, with Dillyn Leyds, Bjorn Basson, Rynhardt Elstadt and Robert du Preez each dotting down. Makazole Mapimpi reduced the arrears with a well-taken try before breakaway scores from James Phillips and EW Viljoen in the final five minutes wrapped-up the away win.
Sharks and Cheetahs go two-from-three following home wins
27 points from wonderkid Curwin Bosch helped the Sharks to a comfortable 37-14 win at home to the Waratahs.
Following a disheartening loss to the Lions in round two when they shipped 55 points, the Waratahs will have hoped for an improvement in defence on the second game of their South African tour. That didn't materialise in the early stages however, and Tera Mtembu was on hand to touch down in the corner for the game's first try just over 100 seconds into the encounter.
Patrick Lambie was then forced from the field with Bosch taking his place, and after knocking over two penalty goals, the 19-year-old capitalised on a loose ball which he scooped up and raced away to score the Sharks second try.
A fortunate bounce allowed Israel Folau to score the Tahs first points at Kings Park, but their joy was short-lived as the Sharks scored their second breakaway try of the half when Kobus van Wyk intercepted a ball before scoring from halfway. Bosch added six more points after halftime to complete his personal haul, with Folau scoring the only try after the break as the Sharks strolled to victory.
In a to-and-fro encounter in Bloemfontein, the Cheetahs secured their second win of the season after defeating the Sunwolves 38-31.
The Cheetahs won this fixture 92-17 last season yet they found themselves 7-0 down inside the opening minutes of this clash when Shota Emi scored the game's first try for the Japanese side.
Torsten van Jaarsveld broke from the back of a ruck to level things up, with Hayden Cripps darting through to help the visitors retake the lead before Oupa Mohoje raced away to give the Cheetahs a 20-17 halftime lead.
Fred Zeilinga's boot was helping the Cheetahs add to their advantage before Clinton Swart found a whole in the defence to take the lead out to 13 points. That kicked the Sunwolves into life, with a quickfire brace from Kenki Fukuoka helping them move a point ahead but they were unable to hold on, and after a yellow card was awarded to Takuma Asahara, the Cheetahs took advantage as Ryno Benjamin scored the winning try.