There is genuine concern among NZ's franchises they have been thrown a hospital pass with next year's Super Rugby set-up.

The Blues are becoming good at finding new and unusual ways to lose.

The Chiefs produced a performance tonight that suggested that their status as competition favourites is mired in reality, not myth.

Join us here for tonight's live blog of the Super Rugby showdown between the Chiefs and the Crusaders from Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

The Blues are becoming good at finding new and unusual ways to lose.

This has been some road trip for the Hurricanes. Chris Boyd's side has made it three from three with a 42-13 victory over the Western Force in Perth.

Past history has shown that clashes between the Chiefs and Crusaders can be decided by a whistle and a kicking tee.

The Highlanders scored a late try through Waisake Naholo to earn their first win of the season against the Reds in Dunedin.

Gregor Paul on Dan Carter: 'Once he could hop about on one leg and still be the All Blacks' preferred choice at first five."

John Kirwan says his outnumbered Blues team ran themselves to exhaustion in making up for Hayden Triggs' red card in the loss to the Stormers.

Dane Coles will captain the Hurricanes for the first time this weekend when Chris Boyd’s side meet the Western Force in Perth.

Once upon a dreary Hamilton, while we stood on grass and watched on - Scotty Stephenson waxes lyrical on Super Rugby.

Dan Carter could make his comeback from injury on Saturday in what is becoming one of the fiercest rivalries in Super Rugby.

Jerome Kaino reaches a rare and well merited milestone when the Blues face the Cheetahs this weekend.

Only four teams are unbeaten after two weeks of Super Rugby. The Hurricanes, Stormers, Chiefs and Cheetahs are the teams who have not lost.

What was pleasing about Super Rugby over the past weekend was the noticeable lift in skill level and intensity, and that was exemplified by the Crusaders, writes Justin Marshall.