The Blues have returned to winning ways as they sent the Chiefs crashing to an unwanted record with a 21-17 victory in their Super Rugby Aotearoa clash watched by more than 33,000 fans at Eden Park.
The Blues produced a massive defensive effort on their line in the final five minutes to record a win that moved them to 17 competition points, two behind the table-topping Crusaders, who have a game in hand.
The Crusaders suffered their first loss of the domestic competition on Saturday when they went down 34-32 to the Hurricanes in Christchurch.
Both the Blues and Chiefs were desperate heading into Sunday's match to arrest their respective slides with the Auckland side having lost their last two games after winning the first three.
The Chiefs were in even more dire straits, having lost their past six games across both Super Rugby and the domestic competition and Sunday's defeat was a team-record seventh in succession.
The hosts, with Beauden Barrett in his preferred position of five-eighth, looked the more dangerous as they raced out to a 14-0 lead courtesy of converted tries to Matt Duffie and captain Patrick Tuipulotu.
The Chiefs, helped by a succession of penalties, gradually began to build sustained pressure but were held out by a staunch defence and only had a try to Lachlan Boshier to show for their first-half endeavour.
Solomon Alaimalo tied the game up after he finished off a sweeping movement in which Brad Weber, Aaron Cruden and Anton Lienert-Brown combined beautifully for an attack down the blind side early in the second.
Damian McKenzie gave the Chiefs the lead for the first time when he slotted a penalty three minutes later.
However, Blues halfback Finlay Christie grabbed the advantage back with the hosts' third try and they held onto their four-point advantage for the 25 minutes.
"We probably didn't want it to get that close," Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu said.
"I think we had plenty of opportunity in their half which we didn't capitalise on.
RESULT
Blues 21
Tries: Duffie, Tuipulotu, Christie
Cons: Barrett 3
Pens:
Chiefs 17
Tries: Boshier, Alaimalo
Cons: McKenzie 2
Pens: McKenzie
CRUSADERS vs HURRICANES
Wes Goosen scored two tries to help the Hurricanes to a 34-32 win over the Crusaders, ending the home side's four-year unbeaten streak in Christchurch and breathing life into the final few weeks of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Fullback Jordie Barrett added 19 points with the boot as the Hurricanes moved into second place on the table with 16 points, three behind the Crusaders, who also suffered their first loss of the domestic competition.
Crusaders flyhalf Richie Mo'unga was instrumental in keeping his side in the hunt with flashes of individual brilliance, but he missed a sideline conversion of Sevu Reece's try with three minutes remaining that would have locked the scores up.
The Hurricanes had won their three previous matches in Super Rugby Aotearoa and used a video presentation of their 2016 victory - the most recent loss the Crusaders had suffered in Christchurch - as motivation. It worked.
"We've obviously lost a lot of games down here so to come down here and get the win was very special," Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara said.
"We keep our chances in the competition alive.
"I wouldn't say we're relieved. We back ourselves every time we go out on the field and relief's a word for teams that don't think they can win."
In a match fought out at high intensity, both sides played controlled and aggressive rugby and the score swung back and forth as the teams seized on their few opportunities to break through.
Mo'unga and George Bridge scored tries in the first half for the home side, while Goosen crossed twice and Barrett gave the Hurricanes a 21-17 halftime lead with his third penalty.
The Crusaders upped the intensity in the second half and had the visitors under constant pressure but were only able to add to their score when Mo'unga slotted his second penalty.
The Hurricanes advanced to a 31-20 lead when Barrett added his fourth penalty before Peter Umaga-Jensen crossed.
Mo'unga then took control of the game to set up an attacking scrum that led to lock Quinten Strange's try before the flyhalf ghosted through a gap and provided a massive pass to Reece to cross in the corner with three minutes remaining.
RESULT
Hurricanes 34
Tries: Goosen 2, Umaga-Jensen
Cons: Barrett 2
Pens: Barrett 5
Crusaders 32
Tries: Mo'unga, Bridge, Strange, Reece
Cons: Mo'unga 3
Pens: Mo'unga 2
