The Hurricanes fought back to edge the Chiefs 24-27 in a thrilling denouement with an all-time final attack that will live long in the memory at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton.
Jordie Barrett kicked an 84th-minute penalty to win the game as the heroic Hurricanes upset the Chiefs after an almighty 36-phase attack that lasted more than five minutes.
It was a scrappy but entertaining New Zealand derby, but the game will be forever remembered for the final attacking play.
The Hurricanes rumbled through the phases, keeping possession – and concentration – to set-up a shot at goal after Pita Gus Sowakula gave away the game-winning penalty.
Barrett, who kicked 12 points, stepped up and sealed the deal from distance.
Both teams shared six tries in a bruising Kiwi derby that saw the Hurricanes overcome a 10-point deficit in the final quarter despite playing with 14 men.
TJ Perenar’s 57th-minute yellow card saw the ‘Canes fall 24-10 behind after Shaun Stevenson scored the Chiefs‘ third try a minute later following a second miscue from substitute hooker Asafo Aumua.
Hurricanes hang in the contest and find the resolve to comeback
Stevenson’s try seemed to have sown up the result, but Jason Holland’s charges had other ideas.
They summoned something profound from within and fought back to claim the most unlikely of away victories.
The Wellington side stayed in the game as Barrett kicked a penalty – although he did miss another shot at goal – the Hamilton men could not capitalise as they only managed four points during the 10-minute advantage.
Aumua crashed over with less than nine minutes to play, and Barrett levelled with the conversion.
The stunned crowd could only watch on as their side failed to stop the high-flying Hurricanes.
Two first-half tries sandwiched Lachlan Boshier’s 22nd-minute score from Ben Lam and Fletcher Smith, which saw the Hurricanes take a slender four-point lead into the break.
Both teams eschewed shots at goal after long-range misses from both teams’ kickers, opting for scrums and attacking lineouts instead.
The Chiefs missed a golden opportunity for seven points at the end of the first stanza, spending six minutes on the attack inside the visitor’s 22 after a bulldozing scrum after the hooter sounded.
Warren Gatland’s charges, despite a series of penalties and set-pieces, could not find the try-line as the Hurricanes defence stood firm.
Tumua Manu crossed on 53 minutes to put the hosts back in front, and Stevenson extended before the denouement.
The win moves the Hurricanes up to third in the New Zealand Conference, and to sixth in the overall Super Rugby standings.
Chiefs dominate a see-sawing first half, but trail at the interval
Lam opened the scoring, finishing off a sweeping Hurricanes attack from the first-phase ball off a lineout.
Fletcher Smith combined with Perenara, who danced his way to the Chiefs’ try-line.
Quick-ball was sent wide to Jordie Barrett, who sent Lam away in the corner with a floated skip-pass that took out two defenders.
Barrett converted the sideline kick to make it 7-nil to the visitors on 10 minutes.
Damian McKenzie put the Chiefs on the board with a 16th-minute penalty following some Chiefs pressure.
McKenzie and Barrett both missed long-range penalties from the halfway-line as the two teams leaked penalties at the breakdown.
The Chiefs did manage to cross the chalk themselves.
Mitchell Brown and Sowakula went close after some sustained pressure. Boshier managed to pick-and-go and ground the ball on the line to give the hosts the lead.
A TMO check confirmed the score; McKenzie added the extras.
Super Rugby Video Highlights: Chiefs versus Hurricanes, FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
More penalties led to another try, this time to the visitors after a mistake from Aaron Cruden led to Barrett kicking to the corner.
Holland’s men went to their driving maul, which the Chiefs defended well; however, Gatland’s side employed a series of pick-and-goes, sucking in defenders before Fletcher Smith slipped Aidan Ross’s tackle.
It was a mismatch between prop and first-five, who scored next to the posts.
Barrett made no mistake to put his team up 14-10 on the half-hour mark.
A six-minute attacking siege came to nothing as the Hurricanes survived the Chiefs onslaught.
The second-half immediately burst into life as both sides went close after the restart
Barrett thought he had scored after the break, but referee Jaco Peyper and the TMO decided Barrett and McKenzie both had control of the ball as they slid over the goal-line.
The Hurricanes attacked from the resulting five-metre scrum; however, an intercept led to Stevenson bursting into Hurricanes territory before McKenzie knocked-on after Vince Aso’s recovering tackle.
Too many handling errors and penalties hampered both teams, killing their attacking momentum and allowing the opposition a reprieve.
Another botched lineout led to the Chiefs scoring against the run of play.
Naitoa Ah Kuoi won the lineout, setting the hosts away. Cruden combined with Manu, who slipped past Barrett then Perenara’s tackle to score under the posts.
Perenara yellow card does not prove costly as Chiefs let a 10-point lead slip as Hurricanes draw level
The halfback received a yellow card for a high shot on Solomon Alaimalo; both players clashed heads, but the hit was not malicious.
It was a hammer blow, however, as Stevenson waltzed through the weak Hurricanes defence to make it a two-point ball-game.
Barrett did cut the deficit to a converted try with a 63rd-minute penalty; however, he did miss another chance that would have meant Perenara’s card only costs a point.
It did not matter, though, as Aumua crashed over from a splintered driving maul with nine minutes remaining.
Barrett made no mistake from out wide, levelling the scores with his third conversion.
The Chiefs had their chances but could find another gear. It was, instead, the visitors who dug deep to fight for the points with the monumental five-minute attack that will live long in Super Rugby folklore.
Barrett held his nerve, slotting the winning kick to the dismay of the home support.
Final Score: Chiefs 24 (10) Hurricanes 27 (14)
Scorers
Chiefs
Tries – Boshier, Manu, Stevenson
Pen – McKenzie
Con – McKenzie (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Hurricanes
Tries – Lam, F. Smith, Aumua
Pen – J. Barrett (2)
Con – J. Barrett (3)
Drop –
Cards – Perenara (Yellow, 57′)
Match Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Ref 1: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 2: Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: Aaron Peterson
Teams
Chiefs
Head Coach: Warren Gatland
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Shaun Stevenson, 13 Tumua Manu, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Solomon Alaimalo, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Lachlan Boshier, 5 Mitchell Brown, 4 Michael Allardice, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Mitchell Karpik, 21 Lisati Milo-Harris, 22 Kaleb Trask, 23 Alex Nankivell.
Hurricanes
Head Coach: Jason Holland
15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Kobus Van Wyk, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Fletcher Smith, 9 Thomas Perenara (co-captain), 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Ben May, 2 Dane Coles (co-captain), 1 Fraser Armstrong.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Alex Fidow 19 Scott Scrafton, 20 Vaea Fifita, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Wes Goosen.
