Two-time winners Queensland Reds maintained their unbeaten record to join the Otago Highlanders at the top of the Super 12 standings this weekend.

The Reds handed champions Canterbury their first loss of the tournament with a 36-23 win in Christchurch on Saturday with out-half Nathan Spooner's goal-kicking proving decisive after both teams scored three tries each.

Queensland, who won in 1994-95, pulled alongside New Zealand's Otago, who came to grief in Durban on Friday with the Sharks scoring four tries to one in a comprehensive 32-8 win, ending Otago's unbeaten four-match start to the campaign.

The Sharks moved to within two points of third-placed New South Wales, who were beaten at home for the first time in a year by South Africa's Stormers 28-18 in Sydney on Friday.

And The ACT Brumbies, finalists two seasons ago, continued their charge up the table with a 73-9 humiliation of the Northern Bulls in Canberra on Saturday, the hapless South Africans conceding 10 tries overall and 50 points in the second half.