After suffering through a three-game losing streak that sent their season into a tailspin, the Chiefs kept alive their dream of a Super Rugby hat-trick and, at the same time, all but ended the Hurricanes' own playoff hopes.
Although the Hurricanes still sit inside the top six -- one point ahead of the Chiefs -- they will almost certainly watch helplessly as they get squeezed out during an ill-timed bye week.
"We were out-played," said Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett. "I don't know whether it was the six-day turnaround or being down on personnel, but it was disappointing and now it's probably pretty difficult to move through to what's always been our goal."
The Chiefs could be one side to sneak past their inactive foes, with another win needed next week against the Blues. And their chances of finding that result at Eden Park will be strong if they replicate their performance from tonight.
"It was quite a few notches up from recent weeks," said Chiefs coach Dave Rennie. "The attitude was great, there was a lot of intensity and we created a lot of opportunities.
"We probably should've won by more. But we're happy with that -- it was a step up."
There were only two disappointments for the Chiefs -- finishing with just two tries when they really required a bonus point, and the fact this side of them has remained unseen for so long.
After all, it took until their campaign was on the line before the defending champions started to show some of the form that made them so fearsome in seasons past. They were slick with ball in hand, picking-and-going with great success around the rucks and linking well when they chose to spread it wide.
The defence was staunch, the lineout excelled and the scrum survived a stern test from the Hurricanes pack, while Aaron Cruden won a personal duel with Beauden Barrett and had a hand in everything good as the Chiefs slowly but surely established supremacy.
There were no signs of the sky-high stakes for much of the match, with a cagey approach was eschewed in favour of a punishing intensity that saw both defences bending without breaking.
That the first points took 20 minutes to arrive was somewhat surprising, but the home side signalled their attacking intent when Cruden turned down an easy three points to kick for the corner and allow Jamie Mackintosh to crash over.
As pleasing as that was for the Chiefs, they would have been equally satisfied with the lack of response from the Hurricanes, with the visitors struggling to get their share of the ball as the half wound down.
Cruden's third penalty saw the Chiefs take a 10-point lead to the break and it was a gap indicative of the control the champs found, leading in almost every offensive statistic as the Hurricanes made three times as many tackles
The visitors continued to struggle to unlock the Chiefs' defence as the second spell saw another lift in tempo, an increased speed that seemed to suit the Chiefs. Better decision-making could have seen them score in either corner but they weren't to be denied for long, with Cruden breaking free and popping a pass for the outstanding Brodie Retallick to cross.
The Hurricanes pulled within eight when Hadleigh Parkes stretched across the line from close range but the visitors never really threatened to force a nervy finale.
Chiefs 24 (Mackintosh, Retallick tries; Cruden 4 pens, con), Hurricanes 16 (Parkes try; Barrett 3 pens, con). HT: 16-6.
- Kris Shannon of APNZ
