The tabletopping Chiefs have overhauled the Hurricanes for a 33-17 victory at Wellington. stretching their unbeaten Super Rugby Pacific streak to seven games.
Trailing 17-8 at halftime, the visitors outscored their hosts 25-0 over the second 40 minutes, to edge ahead of ACT Brumbies atop the competition standings, with a game in hand.
Hammered by a 9-3 penalty count in the first half, the Chiefs regained their discipline after the break to steamroll their opponents.
Blindside flanker Pita Gus Sowakula powered off by the posts from an attacking lineout shortly after the restart to bring his team within striking distance and first-five Damien McKenzie took the lead with a penalty midway through the second half.
The Chiefs really took control of the contest with tries to replacement halfback Cortez Ratima and a 50-metre penalty from McKenzie within minutes of each other.
They were reduced to 14 players for the final few minutes - and 13 in the final seconds - but sealed the victory, with a try to McKenzie, after another charge from Sowakula off the back of a scrum.
Coming off their bye week, with coach Clayton McMillan ill at home, the Chiefs showed their rust, as the Hurricanes seemed well on top early. Centre Daniel Rona had the visitors ahead first, chasing a kick ahead, after a break from inform fullback Shaun Stevenson.
The hosts struck next, when flanker Devan Flanders finished off an attack in the left corner, second-five Jordie Barrett converted from near the sideline and then added a penalty to extend the lead.
Halfback Cam Roigard confirmed the high regard he's attracting in his breakout season, giving the Hurricanes their halftime advantage, but it proved insufficient to hold off the fast-finishing Chiefs.
"Coming off the bye, we were a little bit slow out of the blocks, but we just stuck to what's worked all season, and told the boys to trust it and it would start coming, " reflected Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber. "Sure enough, it did.
"The Hurricanes, in that first half, their attacking prowess was tough to stop, so we were pretty happy with that second 40.
"It's not easy to win down here - we haven't had a lot of success in Wellington - and the Hurricanes have played some great footy to start the season, so we knew it would be an armwrestle and we just had to stay in it."
The Chiefs host the dangerous Fijian Drua next Friday, while the Hurricanes take their bye and regroup for the Brumbies the following week.
Chiefs 33 (Rona, Ratima, McKenzie & Sowakula tries; McKenzie 2 conversions & 3 penalties) Hurricanes 17 (Flanders & Roigard tries; Barrett 2 conversions & penalty)
