Coming home like a sweet puffing steam train, the Highlanders triumphed over the Hurricanes 30-14 at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night.
The Highlanders were ahead just 8-7 at the break but pulled away in the second half with some brilliance on attack and the ability to win key moments in the second 40 minutes.
The home side scored four tries to two and won what was a rugged ding-dong battle with both teams throwing themselves around.
The match could have gone either way but when the Hurricanes scored after 50 minutes to go 14-13 up, the Highlanders then just flicked the switch and took over the game.
The forwards drove lower and harder and won the arm wrestle up front while the backs found space.
With just over 10 minutes left, a clever move put livewire winger Waisake Naholo in space and he just put on the afterburners to run 40m and score in the corner.
That put his side 27-14 up and there was no way back from the Hurricanes who seemed to run out of ideas.
The Highlanders set piece was sound and the side managed to negate any Hurricanes attack which lost direction the longer the game went on.
There were plenty of Highlanders heroes but no-one played better than lock Tom Franklin who could not do any more to win a black jersey.
Halfback Aaron Smith shaded his opposite while Naholo was lively and fullback Ben Smith showed opposite Jordie Barrett he still has plenty to learn.
The Hurricanes signalled an attacking intent from the outset, three times turning down kickable penalties to look for the five-pointer in the first 20 minutes.
It nearly worked twice — Ben Lam was pushed out in the corner and Julian Savea was held up short — before the Hurricanes grabbed the chocolates the third time around. With a scrum in the middle of the field, they ran to the left and Jordie Barrett was put in a gap and waltzed over.
The Hurricanes dominated the first quarter of the game and the Highlanders ventured on attack only once, grabbing a penalty.
But they had the better of the second quarter and were over when Dillon Hunt dotted down in the corner but it was ruled out for an earlier forward pass which was a marginal call.
The Hurricanes have the best defence in the competition and showed it in the back end of the first half as the Highlanders could not get their attack going.
Things were not helped for the home side when flanker Liam Squire was yellow-carded for a high shot. It was probably correct but how Julian Savea got away with the retaliating punch is a mystery. A lack of a decent look on the camera undoubtedly helped him.
The Highlanders dug very deep at the end of the first half and, from a three-minute play beyond the 40-minute mark, got over the line.
With a man down, the home side threw everything at the Hurricanes. Stopped just short of the line, they had a penalty 5m out.
Aaron Smith took a quick tap, threw it to lock Jackson Hemopo who when tackled, in-passed to winger Tevita Li who went over.
Super rugby
The scores
Highlanders 30
Tevita Li, Aaron Smith, Tyrel Lomax, Waisake Naholo tries; Lima Sopoaga 2 con, 2 pen
Hurricanes 14
Jordie Barrett, Jeff Toomaga-Allen tries; Beauden Barrett 2 con
Halftime: 8-7 Highlanders
Crowd: 17,000