Bailyn Sullivan scores a try during the Hurricanes v Chiefs. Photo: Marty Melville/Actionpress
Four tries to replacement winger Bailyn Sullivan have meant the Hurricanes knocked off the table-topping Chiefs 35-17 in Wellington.
The result is sweet revenge for the last time the sides met, in last year's semi-final when the Chiefs ended the Hurricanes' campaign.
It's the second important result in a row for Clark Laidlaw's team, after their excellent win over the Brumbies in Canberra last weekend.
For the Chiefs it may prove to be a crucial result as well but in a different way, as it now pulls them level with the Crusaders to vie for home ground advantage in the playoffs.
Sullivan's heroics came entirely in the second half after he came on Kini Naholo, after a tight first period. With both sides favouring tactical kicking, the Hurricanes opted to take shots at goal on offer, with Ruben Love slotting all three opportunities.
Daniel Rona answered back with a slick try after 21 minutes, and along with a Josh Jacomb penalty the Chiefs looked to be taking a one-point lead into the break.
But an errant pass off the back of some serious pressure defence by the Chiefs led to Billy Proctor throwing a pass that Rona picked off, racing 60 metres downfield to score.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, that was the last time the Hurricanes would stand behind their own goalposts. Sullivan walked over for his first after some very good lead-up play just after the break, then chased down a kick to score his second on the hour mark.
Love converted both to give the Hurricanes back the lead.
Four minutes later, he was in again off some fantastic work by Riley Higgins, with the move also resulting in a yellow card to Shaun Stevenson.
From then on, the Hurricanes simply controlled territory and possession and a cross-kick from Love found Sullivan to complete his dream match.
It's just reward for the Waikato winger, who has been frustrated by injury in his Super Rugby career.
It's not such great news for Naholo, who was in really good form himself but looked to have suffered a serious knee injury.
It almost seems unfortunate that the red-hot Hurricanes now have to take a bye week, however, the Chiefs have to travel to Christchurch for a date with the Crusaders for the top spot in Super Rugby Pacific.
Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's blog:
Team lists
Hurricanes: 1. Tevita Mafileo, 2. Asafo Aumua, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Caleb Delany, 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6. Brayden Iose, 7. Du'Plessis Kirifi (cc), 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Ruben Love, 11. Kini Naholo, 12. Riley Higgins, 13. Billy Proctor (cc), 14. Ngatungane Punivai, 15. Callum Harkin
Bench: 16. Raymond Tuputupu, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Zach Gallagher, 20. Brad Shields (cc), 21. Ereatara Enari, 22. Riley Hohepa, 23. Bailyn Sullivan
Chiefs: 1. Ollie Norris, 2. Bradley Slater, 3. George Dyer, 4. Josh Lord, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Kaylum Boshier, 8. Luke Jacobson (c), 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Josh Jacomb, 11. Leroy Carter, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Daniel Rona, 14. Emoni Narawa, 15. Shaun Stevenson
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Aidan Ross, 18. Reuben O'Neill, 19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20. Simon Parker, 21. Wallace Sititi, 22. Xavier Roe, 23. Gideon Wrampling
