The Hurricanes beat the Chiefs 18-25 in a hard-fought Super Rugby Aotearoa match at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.
The victory is the fifth of sixth for the Wellington men versus the Waikato franchise, who made mistakes throughout the game.
Kobus van Wyk grabbed a brace and Du Plessis Kirifi dotted down for the Hurricanes, who won their first match of the new Super Rugby Aotearoa.
The Chiefs are winless despite having the extra man for 35 minutes at home.
The Hurricanes cruised to a 17-point halftime lead thanks to Jordie Barrett’s boot and Kobus Van Wyk and Du Plessis Kirifi’s tries.
The only points the Chiefs could muster came from the boot of Damian McKenzie, who banged over an 18th-minute penalty.
The Chiefs’ fullback doubled his side’s score within an early penalty-goal after the interval.
Warren Gatland’s side kept coming, but it was side to side; they never looked threatening and the Hurrivcznes kept them out with ease.
Scott Scrafton’s yellow card cost his side nothing as the Hurricanes held on with 14 men to keep their two converted-try lead going into the last quarter.
However, Scrafton was red-carded in the third quarter, costing a penalty try against the visitors.
Lachlan Boshier crossed for the home team late on, but his score was in vain as the Canes held on for the win.
Both sides struggled with the new rules.
This was a dour match, both teams off their game. It was a game that will be consigned to the scrapheap, but the Hurricanes made their slim opportunities count.
Van Wyk scored an easy try after the Canes won a scrum inside the Chiefs’ 22.
On 18 minutes, Kirifi was pinged at the ruck; McKenzie opened the scoring for the Chiefs.
The game was stop-start as both teams struggled with the new rules. The Chiefs had no answer to The Hurricanes, who tested the hosts in their half and made few mistakes at the breakdown.
Kirifi crashed over before halftime to make it 3-15, and Barrett added a couple of kicks to extend the Canes’ lead to 17 on the stroke of halftime.
The Hurricanes dominated despite McKenzie’s early penalty.
The Chiefs fought back, but the Canes had too much for the Hamilton-based team, beating them at then ruck while controlling the game’s tempo.
The hosts fought back but could not get over the try-line. Scott Scrafton was sin-binned for a team infringement at the lineout, which, on reflection, was harsh.
Van Wyk crossed again for the Canes to increase the lead to 19 points for the visitors on the hour mark.
Scrafton saw a second yellow card with 25 minutes remaining for another professional foul as the Chiefs piled on the pressure.
Referee Ben O’Keeffe awarded a penalty try which cut the deficit to 13-25 to give the hosts a shot at a comeback.
Boshier scored at the death but it was too little too late as the hosts crashed to another defeat.
But the visitors kept their cool despite being a man down and hung on for their first Super Rugby Aotearoa win since the restart.
Gatland’s men are still winless, while the Hurricanes get their first win of the new competition.
Final Score: Chiefs 18 (3) Hurricanes 25 (20)
Scorers
Chiefs
Tries – Penalty try, Boshier
Pen – McKenzie (2)
Con –
Drop –
Cards –
Hurricanes
Tries – Van Wyk (2), Kirifi
Pen – J. Barrett (2)
Con – J. Barrett (2)
Drop –
Cards – Scrafton (Yellow, 50′), (Second Yellow, – red – 65′)
Match Officials
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 1: James Doleman
Assistant Ref 2: Angus Mabey
TMO: Glenn Newman
Teams
Chiefs
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sean Wainui, 13 Tumua Manu, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Scott Scrafton (captain), 6 Lachlan Boshier, 5 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 4 Mitchell Brown, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Reuben O’Neill’Neill, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Tupou Vaa’i’i, 20 Dylan Nel, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Kaleb Trask, 23 Solomon Alaimalo
Hurricanes
15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 TJ Perenara (co-captain), 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Du Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Scott Scrafton, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles (co-captain), 1 Fraser Armstrong
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Ben May, 18 Alex Fidow, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Liam Mitchell, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Billy Proctor, 23 Wes Goosen
