The Chiefs have again fallen just centimetres short of breaking their Super Rugby Aotearoa losing streak, succumbing 21-17 to the Blues at Auckland's Eden Park.
Leading 17-14 inside the final half hour, the Hamilton-based franchise conceded a late try and narrowly failed to score a winner in the final moments, as they slumped to their seventh straight defeat - their sixth in the revamped post-coronavirus competition.
After the Hurricanes' victory over the previously unbeaten Crusaders on Saturday, this result sets up a three-way battle for the title over the next three weeks, with the Blues edging ahead of the Wellingtonians into second on the standings.
The home side bolted out of the blocks, with fullback Matt Duffie scooting 30 metres to score after just five minutes. From an attacking scrum, the ball travelled left along the backline, with Reiko Ioane putting Duffie untouched into a gap.
Eight minutes later, skipper Patrick Tuipulotu was driven over from close range by two teammates and the Chief seemed like deer in the headlines.
But moments later, flanker Lachlan Boshier closed the deficit to trail just 14-7 at halftime. They drew level with a long-range try to Solomon Alaimalo soon after the restart and went ahead 17-14 through a Damian McKenzie penalty.
Alaimalo's try began deep in the Chiefs half, when halfback Brad Weber pounced on a loose pass and sent Aaron Cruden away. He linked with Anton Leinert-Brown, who drew the last defender, before offloading for his flying winger to score in the corner.
Suddenly, with all the momentum, the Chiefs heartache seemed over - they had scored 17 straight points and held their rivals scoreless for more than 40 minutes.
But the Blues rallied, with prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi rumbling towards the try-line and halfback Finlay Christie eventually diving over to retake the lead.
The Hamiltonians weren't done yet and threw everything at their opponents to produce a matchwinner. They seemed to have achieved that in the dying moments, when No.8 Pita Gus Sowakula dove for the line, but was ruled to have knocked on and the Blues won a clearing penalty.
From the final lineout, Tuipulotu secured possession and Barrett found touch to secure victory, leaving the Chiefs questioning referee Brendon Pickerill over his decisions at the death.
Victory leaves the Blues two competition points behind the Crusaders, who have a game in hand, but they meet in the season finale on August 16.
Before then, the northerners travel to Dunedin for the Highlanders next week, before their second bye.
The Crusaders face the winless Chiefs, then host the Highlanders, while the Hurricanes have a bye, then the Chiefs and Highlanders.
Blues 21 (Duffie, Tuipulotu & Christie tries; Barrett 3 conversions) Chiefs 17 (Boshier & Alaimalo tries; McKenzie 2 conversions & penalty)
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