The Hurricanes have made Super Rugby history in Wellington, beating the Chiefs 60-5 to record the biggest winning margin in a Super Rugby grand final.
The 55-point win capped a dominant night for the home side, who took control early and never let the Chiefs back into the contest.
Ruben Love kicked off at 7.05pm with the Hurricanes playing with a strong wind at their backs, and the hosts quickly turned field position into points.
Josh Moorby opened the scoring in the seventh minute, before Love crossed under the posts seven minutes later to make it 12-0.
Fehi Fineanganofo added another before the half-hour mark, finishing an attacking move down the left after Callum Harkin created space.
Harkin then scored late in the half after Jordie Barrett’s offload, before Love landed a long-range penalty on the halftime siren to send the Hurricanes into the break at 29-0.
The Chiefs had brief chances but were repeatedly forced into errors by the Hurricanes’ pressure and the difficult Wellington wind.
Their best first-half opportunity came when Xavier Norris was held up near the line, but they could not convert pressure into points.
The Hurricanes did not ease off after halftime.
Moorby scored his second shortly after the restart, before Devan Flanders, Barrett and Love all crossed as the lead blew out beyond 50 points.
The Chiefs finally got on the board in the 75th minute when Naitoa Ah Kuoi crashed over from close range after sustained pressure near the Hurricanes line.
But the final word belonged to the home side.
Moorby split the Chiefs defence on a superb late counterattack and put Rova away for the final try in the 78th minute, with Love converting to complete the 60-5 scoreline.
Love finished with two tries, six conversions and a penalty for 25 points.
Moorby also scored twice, while Fineanganofo, Harkin, Flanders, Barrett and Rova crossed for one try each.
Fineanganofo’s first-half try was also recorded as his 17th of the season, breaking the Super Rugby season try-scoring record.
The result eclipsed the previous biggest Super Rugby grand final winning margin and secured the Hurricanes’ second Super Rugby title after their 2016 triumph.
For Wellington, it was a complete grand final performance, built on early pressure, strong defence, smart use of the conditions and ruthless finishing whenever chances opened up.
