Flyhalf Damian McKenzie was proud of the Chiefs’ doggedness after their dramatic extra-time win over the Hurricanes.
Replacement forward Wallace Sititi sealed the 22-17 “Super Point” victory in Hamilton on Saturday by scoring a try four minutes into the additional period after the scores were level 17-17 at full-time.
The win catapulted the Chiefs to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings.
A drop goal attempt to win the match from McKenzie was partially charged down before being grabbed by All Blacks back rower Sititi, who powered across.
All class ?
The Super Point match-winner scored by Wallace Sititi was followed by a nod to @bluesrugbyteam‘s Cam Suafoa and the Sarcoma foundation ?#SuperRugbyPacific #SRP30 #CHIvHUR pic.twitter.com/Th80ililLx
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 18, 2026
McKenzie was thrilled his side never wavered in the tense table-topping match after trailing 12-3 at half-time and 17-10 entering the closing stages.
“The Hurricanes have obviously been the benchmark all year and we knew we were going to have to be at our best and I just loved the fight from our boys,” the New Zealand Test playmaker said.
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The result ended the Hurricanes’ five-match winning streak and leaves them second, one point behind the Chiefs but with a game in hand.
Elewhere, the Fijian Drua dedicated their historic Super Rugby upset of the ACT Brumbies to Fijian people still recovering from the impact of a damaging cyclone.
The Drua recorded only a second win on the road in their five-year existence by toppling the Brumbies 33-28 in Canberra on Saturday, boosting their own playoff hopes in the process.
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Up 22-7 at the interval, aided by two tries to winger Manasa Mataele, the visitors saw off a surging finish from the Brumbies, sealing victory through a late penalty goal from flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula.
The Drua’s only other win in 34 matches outside Fiji came against Moana Pasifika in Auckland three years ago.
Captain Temo Mayanavanua said his team was driven by the plight of their country, which was battered last week by category 3 Cyclone Vaianu, which damaged homes and caused widespread flooding across Fiji.
Their fourth win from nine games leaves them ninth but just four points behind the sixth-placed Crusaders.
The struggles of the defending champion Crusaders continued with an upset 31-26 loss to the Western Force.
Next week’s “Super Round” will feature all five games in Christchurch, at the city’s newly-built Te Kaha Stadium.
– AFP
Photo: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
