Sydney, March 7 NZPA - Famine almost exclusively followed feast for New Zealand's Super 14 rugby teams as the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Blues were forced to digest unpalatable fourth round outcomes.

A week after New Zealand's teams came within a try of all securing maximum points, the standard bearing Crusaders were the only side to savour a win, though even their 33-20 victory over the Blues last night came at a cost -- they could not conjure up a four-try bonus point to maintain a place in the top four and halfback Andy Ellis left AMI Stadium befuddled after a head knock.

Former teammate Stephen Brett suffered the same fate when his homecoming ended in ignominy -- and concussion -- as Robbie Fruean barrelled over for the game-sealing score.

Fruean's first try since arriving from Wellington and a timely intercept by midfield partner Ryan Crotty enabled the Crusaders to pull clear from a tenuous 16-15 lead midway through the second half.

Inevitably Brett was condemned to play in the shadows of Daniel Carter, the All Blacks' playmaker laid on the Crusaders opening try and recorded a perfect seven from seven goal kicks for a haul of 18 points.

However, Brett was far from outpointed until Fruean's knockout blow, contributing four penalties and a first half dropped goal to keep the Blues within range.

Carter aside, it was generally a forgettable weekend for New Zealand's less than perfect 10s.

Stephen Donald was astray with four goal kicks before the Reds' remarkable recovery in Hamilton on Friday night, Aaron Cruden's first start for the Hurricanes culminated in a 12-28 loss in Bloemfontein while Michael Hobbs had a kick charged down to provide the predatory Bryan Habana with the Stormers' bonus point try as the Highlanders were blanked 33-0 at Cape Town in today's other match.

The Chiefs' 18-23 loss at Waikato Stadium, a barely conceivable outcome after they produced three sublime tries inside the opening quarter, left the Hurricanes as the only unbeaten New Zealand side -- though only briefly.

They were also the architects of their own demise -- Meyer Bosman and Naas Olivier together booted 23 points to negate tries by David Smith and Cory Jane and propel the Cheetahs to their first win over the Hurricanes since 2006.

New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence frequently found fault with the Hurricanes at the breakdown and yellow carded Ma'a Nonu for upending Springboks flanker Juan Smith in the 32nd minute.

The Hurricanes' pointless return on the first leg of their three-match road trip to the Republic ensured the inactive Bulls remained at the top of the table on 15 points with a game in hand over the Chiefs.

The Highlanders' success against the Cheetahs last weekend was tempered by their own pointless exercise as they were held scoreless for the first time since Queensland won 11-0 in 1999's edition of Super 12.

Habana's last-minute try propelled the Stormers into third on points differential.

The 11th-placed Highlanders rarely threatened to break their duck -- a Jimmy Cowan touchdown was ruled out by a knock on in the 50th minute, a prelude to the All Black halfback dislocating a finger and being in doubt for an unenticing task in Pretoria next week.

Meanwhile, it was not all good news for the South Africans as the winless Sharks were controversially denied a penalty try in the latter stages of their 25-21 loss to the Waratahs in Sydney last night.

The Sharks were livid Australian referee Paul Marks did not award the guaranteed seven-pointer when Kurtley Beale batted down a Stefan Terblanche pass destined for Ryan Kankowski, who had an unimpeded 40-metre run to the line in the 78th minute.

Marks simply sinbinned Beale and then added to the Sharks frustrations when pinging them for obstruction 5m from the Waratahs line from the resulting lineout.

In Canberra, the ACT Brumbies recovered from their long haul back from South Africa by beating the Lions 24-13 on Friday night.

The two-time champions are the best-placed Australian side in sixth on 13, a point behind the clustered Stormers, Hurricanes and Crusaders.