Wallace Sititi game-winner ends Hurricanes' streak in super point thriller

A packed crowd were treated to an extra-time thriller at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, where Wallace Sititi’s 84th-minute try secured a 22-17 victory for the Chiefs over the Hurricanes.

Both teams had their chances, but it was Jono Gibbes’ side that came out on top in Hamilton.

Damian McKenzie’s drop goal was partially charged by Warner Dearns, which fell into Sititi’s hands as he powered over the line.

The opening half an hour was a classic case of finals fever, with both teams making mistakes and errors of judgment in the middle of the field.

Both teams showed signs of nerves early on, with the Chiefs having one clearing kick charged down, while the Hurricanes’ attack struggled to get going.

It was only when the away side’s forward pack started to make it over the advantage line that they really started to threaten.

Clark Laidlaw’s side opened the scoring minutes later, after the Chiefs gave away a needless penalty out in front. The Hurricanes forwards set the platform at scrum time, before Cameron Roigard linked up with Billy Proctor and Josh Moorby out wide to take a 5-0 lead.

Chiefs first-five Damian McKenzie looked to have put Leroy Carter through a gap in the 12th minute, but the offload didn’t stick.

The Hurricanes were beneficiaries of some ill-discipline by the Chiefs around the park, while the league leaders also proved a handful at the breakdown.

Most of the opening 30 minutes were spent in and around the halfway line, as the first and second-placed teams got a feel for the contest.

All Black prop Pasilio Tosi was caught disrupting the Chiefs’ ball at the breakdown, offering up an opportunity for the home side to finally get on the scoreboard.

McKenzie made no mistake from a relatively routine kick at goal for his standards, closing the gap to 5-3 with ten minutes to go in the first half.

The Wellington-based franchise showcased a real intent at the breakdown, often causing the home side problems.
Their second try of the evening came off the back of exactly that, earning a penalty in the 38th minute at the breakdown.

The Hurricanes forward pack battled away with one-off runners, but Roigard saw the space on the right, firing a ball to Peter Lakai, who went in untouched under the posts.

Ruben Love converted Lakai’s try to extend the away side’s lead to nine.

HT: 12-3 to the Hurricanes.

Gibbes’ halftime chat seemed to galvanise the home side, starting the second half on the front foot inside the Hurricanes’ half.

The Chiefs had multiple bites at the cherry close to the line, being held up once, before finally breaching the hard-nosed defence of the Hurricanes to score through Simon Parker.

McKenzie added the extras, closing the gap to only two after 50 minutes.

For close to five minutes, the Hurricanes then threw everything at the home side as they pushed for an important try to get back in the clear.

Some nice backline interplay from Callum Harkin, Ruben Love, and Jordie Barrett threatened the Chiefs’ defence, before Asafo Aumua got his mitts onto the ball close to the line.

Aumua noticed replacement halfback Xavier Roe slightly offside, taking full advantage of the opportunity, proving too big, too strong, close to the line.

Love’s conversion was agonisingly close, keeping the game a one-score margin.

With just under ten minutes to go, Wallace Sititi picked up the ball in open space before finding his winger, Leroy Carter.

Carter stepped left, stepped right, waiting for the perfect moment to offload the ball to replacement outside back Daniel Sinkinson, who was in close support.

Sinkinson then pinned his ears back towards the line, going in under the posts to tie the game at 17-all.

Both teams had half-chances close to the final whistle, but it wasn’t to be as the game headed to extra time.

The Chiefs had a couple of small line breaks in extra time, before setting up for a drop goal just outside the 22-metre line.

McKenzie was in space, but Dearns’ charge down only reached Sititi’s hands metres from the line, to end a thrilling contest at FMG Stadium Waikato.

FT: 22-17 to the Chiefs.