Bundee Aki scored off a brilliant Aaron Cruden grubber as the Chiefs beat the Hurricanes 34-22.

by Brendan Bradford –

The Chiefs powered past the Hurricanes with a bonus point 34-22 win in an exciting encounter in Hamilton as New Zealand and South African sides return to Super Rugby after the June Test match break. Leading 17-15 after a high-tempo first half, the Chiefs’ substitutes steamrolled a gutsy Hurricanes outfit to take the match four tries to three and reclaim top spot on the competition ladder.

“We probably drifted through the first half and got a few stern words in the shed at halftime,” said Chiefs flyhalf Aaron Cruden.

“I think we were a lot sharper in the second but we knew it was going to be a massive ask with the Hurricanes, it was do or die for them, and they threw everything at us. The momentum see-sawed to-and-fro throughout the game, so we were just trying to plug corners when they provided us with space, and then run it when gaps were there.”

Cruden took the Chiefs to a 3-0 lead in a cagey opening quarter of an hour before the Hurricanes got on the board with an excellent team five-pointer. Using the full width of the pitch, the Canes worked their way into Chiefs territory with some solid forward work and a couple of probing runs by powerhouse All Blacks winger Julian Savea and fullback James Marshall before a beautiful cross-field chip by flyhalf Beauden Barrett set-up a ruck just inches short of the line and halfback TJ Perenara showed great strength to burrow over.

The defending champions reclaimed the all-important kick-off and hit back with a try to rookie backrower Matt Vant Leven when the Hurricanes lost a lineout on their own five meter line.

Aaron Cruden was instrumental in the Chiefs’ win.

The Chiefs’ second try was a work of art straight off the training paddock. From an attacking scrum, fullback Robbie Robinson drew in a couple of defenders on a midfield decoy run while the ball went out the back to Cruden who put a delicate chip in goal for Bundee Aki to dive on and give his side a 17-7 lead.

While that try was a perfectly executed set-play mixed with Cruden’s instinctive kick, the Canes’ response was sheer unscripted brilliance orchestrated by whizz-kid Barrett. The 22-year-old playmaker evaded five or six defenders on a mazy, jinking run from halfway and had another couple of touches as the visitors ensured super-quick ball at the breakdown to roll towards the tryline. Barrett – who else – was on hand to gather an offload and bust through a gap in the Chiefs’ goal-line defence to score. He missed the conversion but slotted a penalty for a 17-15 halftime score in favour of the Chiefs.

Barrett missed a kickable penalty just after the break but Cruden made no mistake as he kicked his fourth goal of the night to give the Chiefs a 20-15 lead going into the final quarter.

Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna added some much needed power to the scrum and the home-side used that platform to grind out their eventual victory. A poor Barrett clearance from a scrum deep in Wellington territory allowed the Chiefs to counterattack on the left and halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow sniped off the back of a ruck to score. Cruden added the extras for a 27-15 lead before the Hamilton-based side declined several penalties in search of a valuable four try bonus point. From another solid scrum, the defending champions rolled towards the line and Tameifuna powered through a mass of bodies at a ruck to secure the win, the bonus point and send the Chiefs back to the top of the Super Rugby table.

A late try to replacement Alapati Leiua was little consolation to the Hurricanes who were right in the match with 15-minutes to play.

“I felt we were in that game,” said Hurricanes captain Conrad Smith.

“I know the scoreboard suggests we were a wee way off but I thought we played some of the better footy in that first half and they’re just a good side. You know you’re playing a good side when you feel like you’re in the game and you look up at the scoreboard and you’re 10-points down.”

It wasn’t the prettiest match as both teams showed a bit of rust after a month off, but it was up-tempo, exciting and high-scoring – everything Super Rugby should be, and everything we’ve been missing.

The Chiefs, who need just one more competition point to clinch the NZ conference, travel down to Christchurch next week to take on the Crusaders while the Hurricanes – their finals chances over – have a home fixture against the Highlanders.

Chiefs 34 (Matt Vant Leven, Bundee Aki, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Ben Tameifuna tries; Aaron Cruden 4 cons, 2 pens) d Hurricanes 22 (TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Alapati Leiua tries; Beauden Barrett 2 cons, pen)