This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On Sunday, the Wellington Hurricanes secured their first win in Super Rugby Aotearoa with a 25-18 victory over the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton, marking a morale-boosting win for the team.
Despite finishing with only 14 players after Scott Scrafton was shown a red card, the Hurricanes led the Chiefs by a significant margin, with Jordie Barrett's impressive performance playing a crucial role in their win.
Barrett, who had been sidelined by a shoulder injury, made his presence felt from the start with a long cut-out pass that allowed Kobus Van Wyk to stroll over unmarked for the opening try in the fourth minute.
He continued to punish the Chiefs with two penalties, including a booming 60-metre penalty, and also converted a try by Du Plessis Kirifi, giving the Hurricanes a 20-3 lead at the break.
However, the Chiefs dominated possession in the second half and improved from a 20-3 deficit to be one converted try from drawing level, but ultimately fell short.
Chiefs captain Sam Cane described the loss as 'hugely disappointing', stating that the team was 'not quite clinical enough to take' their chances.
For the Hurricanes, the win was a welcome relief after a tough couple of weeks, with captain TJ Perenara expressing his relief at closing out the game despite the Chiefs' pressure.
