Chiefs handed the Highlanders a 46-10 thrashing in Hamilton on Saturday with the bonus point win taking the Clayton McMillan-coached outfit back to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings.
Five second-half tries saw the Chiefs pull clear after the teams were separated by three points at the interval, with flanker Kaylum Boshier crossing the line twice as his side climbed above the Crusaders into pole position.
"We're still not the finished product, we've still got a lot to learn but we'll take that win," said Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie. "It's never easy playing the Landers, they're a tough side to beat."
McKenzie's penalty and an eighth minute try by winger Emoni Narawa gave the Chiefs the early advantage but that lead was erased when prop Sefo Kautai's score was converted by Cameron Millar.
McKenzie's penalty put the Chiefs back in front but it was after the interval that the home side stamped their authority on the game, scoring 33 unanswered points.
Winger Leroy Carter extended the lead before Boshier claimed his first and flanker Samipeni Finau increased the advantage.
Boshier crossed the line again with 22 minutes remaining and replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho completed the rout in the 75th minute to take the Chiefs ahead of the Crusaders on points difference.
The Crusaders had needed a pair of late penalties from replacement James O'Connor to notch up a 25-22 win over the Blues on Friday.
The former Wallabies flyhalf, who joined the Crusaders ahead of the season from Reds, levelled the scores in the rain in Christchurch with nine minutes left before slotting over a second penalty in the 81st minute.
"It was a classic," said Crusaders coach Rob Penney. "We had to resort to different tactics. The conditions were really tough but you have to admire the commitment of both sides."
The defending champion Blues held a three-point lead going into the last 10 minutes after a penalty by flyhalf Beauden Barrett but O'Connor twice punished their ill discipline in the scrum to swing the result in the Crusaders' favour.
BRUMBIES CRUISE
Brumbies chalked up a 24-0 win over Moana Pasifika in Auckland on Saturday to move up to third spot, with replacement hooker Billy Pollard scoring a pair of tries.
"The most pleasing part was to keep this side at zero points, a side with attacking flare," said Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa. "There was a lot of pride shown out there by our boys and I was really proud of the effort."
New South Wales Waratahs failed to build on last weekend's impressive win over the Chiefs with Dan McKellar's side slipping to a 28-14 loss against the Fijian Drua in Lautoka.
Flanker Motikiai Murray and winger Ponepati Loganimasi scored tries for the hosts before an infringement by Waratahs fullback Joseph Suaalii gifted the Fijians a penalty try that sealed their second win of the season.
A 79th-minute penalty from Western Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson earned his side a 17-17 draw with the visiting Hurricanes in Perth after neither side could score in the additional 10-minute golden point period.
It is the first draw in Super Rugby this season and lifts the Force to fifth in the table. The Hurricanes are seventh.
A try just past the hour-mark from wing Fehi Fineanganofo, his second of the evening, put the Hurricanes into the lead before the home side levelled with a minute to go via Donaldson's penalty from in front of the posts.
Both teams missed drop-goal attempts in the golden point period, with the Hurricanes' Ruben Love brushing the left-hand upright with the final kick of the game.