Hurricanes pip Chiefs in thriller

A penalty goal to Jordie Barrett after the fulltime siren clinched the Hurricanes a breathtaking 27-24 Super Rugby win over the Chiefs in Hamilton last night.

Two days shy of a year ago, the teams had played out a 23-23 draw on the same ground and it looked like ending in another stalemate, only for the visitors to squeak home courtesy of the late drama.

After a whopping 35 phases on attack in the final stages, a late shot by Chiefs No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula on Hurricanes prop Alex Fidow proved the difference, as referee Jaco Peyper blew the infringement, and Barrett stepped up to slot the points from 40 metres out.

It means the New Zealand conference-leading Chiefs have now lost consecutive games at FMG Stadium Waikato, having gone into this one so intent to right their defeat to the Brumbies there three weeks ago.

But, despite shooting to a 24-14 lead at the three-quarter mark, it wasn’t to be, as the Hurricanes showed plenty of fight to bounce back from their disappointing home defeat to the Blues last weekend.

They may not have tidied up everything in the discipline

(Ben Lam, Fletcher Smith, Asafo Aumua tries; Jordie Barrett 3 con, 2 pen) Chiefs 24 (Lachlan Boshier, Tumua Manu, Shaun Stevenson tries; Damian McKenzie 3 con, pen). 14-10. department that they’d wanted, as it looked like they would be left to a rue a 57th minute yellow card to co-captain TJ Perenara for a high tackle on Solomon Alaimalo.

The All Blacks halfback was lucky not to see red, as Peyper ruled it was marginally head-tohead contact initially, and despite the visitors conceding while the skipper was in the bin, they were hearty in staying in the fight.

A Barrett penalty reduced the deficit to three, before a Lachlan Boshier turnover on the tryline then a shanked Barrett penalty looked like making it the Chiefs’ night.

But the Canes kept coming, and Asafo Aumua crashed over from a close-range lineout drive in the 71st minute, with Barrett’s cool conversion tying up the scores.

The second half turned the game into a thrilling, physical, typical Kiwi derby battle, after the first half had been more of a cagey, stop-start affair.

Hurricanes 27

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