With all the fallout surrounding Super Rugby's future still taking centre stage, the on-field performances of those teams rumoured to be culled has come under the spotlight. 

It is a widely held belief that SANZAAR allowed for too much growth in the competition which has diluted the product, leading to more one-sided matchups. 

The Australian Rugby Union has announced that one of either the Force or Rebels will be the team they cut ahead of 2018, in what is a tough time for both players and fans as the pressure on these teams intensifies. 

Beauden Barrett shines as Canes defeat Blues in Auckland

The defending champion Hurricanes stayed in touch in the New Zealand conference thanks to a 28-24 win over the Blues at Eden Park

A frantic start to the fixture saw both sides cross the line in the opening ten minutes, with Mark Abbott smashing his way over to open the scoring for the Canes, before the home side responded through Augustine Pulu following a break up the left flank from Melani Nanai

Mark Abbott scored a brace of tries in the Hurricanes win (image source: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Beauden Barrett's first break of the match then saw the visitors surge ahead, with the playmaker slashing through the defence before offloading Ngani Laumape who ran through two tackles on his way to the line. The Blues though have shown more grit than in previous seasons and after some great play by Steven Luatua, the ball made its way to Nanai who scorched over. 

That was not the end of the scoring in the opening half though, and after a miscue from the Blues backline, Barrett scooped up the loose ball before racing clear from halfway to dot down under the sticks. 

The Blues hit back for the third time in the tit-for-tat contest, and after Bryn Gatland had knocked over an easy penalty goal, Tana Umaga's men went ahead for the first time following Scott Scrafton's score from close range. 

With five minutes left on the clock, the Canes were up hoping for some magic, and it was provided by their 2016 World Player of the Year. Barrett's initial chip and chase put them in position to strike, and after the ball was recycled back to the fly-half, he sent out a cross-field kick to replacement hooker Leni Apisai. Apisai was monstered in the tackle by Luatua but managed to get the ball back on his side, where lock forward Abbott had the smarts to creep down the blindside to score the game-winner and break Blues hearts. 

Chiefs respond to dreadful start in Bloemfontein with bonus point win

The Chiefs fought back from a 24-0 deficit to defeat the Cheetahs 41-27 at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein

Coming off the back of an energy-sapping defeat at Newlands last Saturday, the Chiefs were desperate to get a win on their South African tour, but could not possibly have made a worse start. 

After an early penalty goal from Niel Marais put the home side ahead, three tries in the space of ten minutes from Raymond Rhule, Torsten van Jaarsveld and Francois Venter saw the Cheetahs storm into a shock 24 point lead after the opening quarter. 

The Chiefs were also not helped on the injury front, losing both Mitchell Brown and Anton Lienert-Brown to knocks, but they managed to get back into the game with Toni Pulu maintaining his try scoring form with two five-pointers in the closing stages of the first half.

Toni Pulu dives over in the corner for the Chiefs (image source: Gallo Images via Getty Images)

A yellow card to Chiefs prop Kane Hames, followed by a penalty goal from Fred Zeilinga seemed to give the Cheetahs some momentum but that soon swung back in the tourists favour. Sam McNicol broke on the outside before throwing a sublime offload to Tawera Kerr-Barlow who grabbed the Chiefs third try, and they soon had their fourth with winger James Lowe scything through the defence on his way to the line.

That gave the Chiefs their first lead of the contest, and after Zeilinga missed an opportunity to put the Cheetahs back in front the home side's heads dropped. Facing an uncertain future, they would have been desperate for victory, but it wasn't to be, and late tries from Shaun Stevenson and Hika Elliot helped the Chiefs claim the bonus point victory. 

Another Kiwi side to claim a bonus point win were the Crusaders, who eased to a 50-3 victory over the Sunwolves on Friday evening. 

A hat-trick of tries from Manasa Mataele, plus further efforts from Ben Funnell, Peter Samu, Whetu Douglas, George Bridge as well as the returning Kieran Read led the 'Saders to their seventh consecutive win. 

Rebels hold on to defeat Brumbies in Melbourne & Reds back to winning ways

In a battle between the bottom and top sides in the Australian conference, the Rebels grabbed their first win of the campaign after holding on to defeat the Brumbies 19-17. 

The Rebels only scored one try to their opponents three, but had to endure three yellow cards in a tough encounter at AAMI Park.

An impressive start from the home side saw them surge into a 10-0 lead on the back of a penalty from Reece Hodge, followed by an excellent try from Sefanaia Naivalu who smashed his way through the Brumbies defence. 

All their hard work was undone in a moment of madness, which saw Colby Fainga'a yellow carded for a dangerous tackle, with Lopeti Timani following him to the sin bin after kneeing Rory Arnold in the ensuing scuffle to reduce the Rebels to 13-men. 

Playing with two extra men for a ten-minute period, the Brumbies took full advantage and secured their first points with speedster Henry Speight strolling over before number eight Jarrad Butler touched down following a dominant scrum to put them two points ahead. 

Hodge then kicked the Rebels back in front, but they relinquished their advantage once more when Fereti Sa'aga became the third man binned and Speight crossed for his second try two minutes later.

With their full compliment of players back on the field, the big boot of Hodge reduced the deficit to one and then in the dying moments he kicked them ahead from 35 metres out to complete a much-needed win. 

Rebels players celebrate the shock victory (image source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Earlier in the day, the Reds ended a six-game losing streak thanks to 47-34 win over the Kings at Suncorp Stadium

Back-three members Karmichael Hunt, Izaia Perese and Eto Nabuli each grabbed a pair of tries in the Reds win, while George Smith also crossed the whitewash on the day of his 150th Super Rugby appearance. However, the Kings had the last laugh and scuppered the hosts chances of a bonus point with Makazole Mapimpi scoring two of their three late tries. 

Lions pack help them end Stormers unbeaten start

In a highly-anticipated South African derby, the Lions claimed a major scalp, winning 29-16 at Newlands against the previously undefeated Stormers

The Lions forwards made a statement in the opening stages of the game, when they mauled their way over the line from close range as hooker Malcolm Marx popped up with his sixth try of the season.

Rohan Janse van Rensburg was then forced from the field with a leg injury in a huge blow for the away side, and the Stormers drew level soon after with last week's offload king Dillyn Leyds producing another fine piece of skill, this time a chip, to cross in the corner. 

Van Rensburg's replacement Harold Vorster made an instant impact with ball in hand, hitting the ideal line to smash his way over the line, but the Lions were on the back foot soon after when Jaco Kriel was sin-binned for a dangerous charge. 

SP Marais is tackled by Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe (image source: Gallo Images via Getty Images)

The Stormers failed to take advantage of that ten minute period however, and after returning to the field, Kriel was awarded a try following adjudication from the TMO who decided that he had grounded the ball despite some doubt. 

After building the nine-point half-time lead, the Lions tightened things up after the break, and their late try from Sylvian Mahuza managed to secure a bonus point win, with the Stormers failing to maintain their winning run. 

Over in Pretoria, the Jaguares suffered their second consecutive defeat on South African soil, going down to a 26-13 loss to the stuttering Bulls

16 points from the boot of Handre Pollard were instrumental in the Bulls first victory since week four, with Travis Ismaiel and Lood de Jager adding tries for Nollis Marais' charges. 

VAVEL Logo
About the author