Hurricanes kick their way to Super Rugby top spot

The Hurricanes have overcome an early red card and a thrilling second-half rally from the Chiefs to win 20-17 in Super Rugby Pacific.

The Hurricanes lost hooker Raymond Tuputupu on Friday night to a yellow card for head contact in the eighth minute, which was upgraded to a red. Despite that disadvantage they dominated to lead 14-0 at the break.

The Chiefs rallied to level at 17-17 before five-eighth Brett Cameron sealed the visitors' win. The kick from more than 40 meters usually would be taken by Hurricanes captain Jordie Barrett, but he deferred to Cameron to nail the winning goal.

The win lifted the 'Canes to the top the table to start the penultimate regular-season round. The Chiefs took a bonus point but stay third after losing their unbeaten record at home this season.

"It's huge to get a win on the road, especially at this stage of the season with home finals at stake," Cameron said.

"We were happy with how we were going at halftime, moving the ball well. I guess we just had to ride the momentum in the second half, be calm and stay in it."

The Hurricanes scored the first try of the match through prop Xavier Numia and then Barrett to build their halftime lead.

The Chiefs crossed with their first possession of the second half through winger Emoni Narawa and again through Wallace Sititi after the Hurricanes lost winger Kini Naholo to a yellow card.

The Hurricanes led through a Cameron penalty until Damian McKenzie levelled in the 71st.

A Naholo try was disallowed because of a knock on spotted by the TMO, but the Hurricanes stayed on attack and won the critical 79th-minute penalty when Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson was ruled to have not rolled away at a ruck.

The decision angered the crowd of 22,000 but pleased the Hurricanes, who now are 11-2 for the season.

"It's so special. It's such a tough place to come and win and we were up against a formidable Chiefs side tonight," Barrett said.

"We gave ourselves a buffer at halftime and we knew there would be a response and we fell over the line in the end."