Rugby: Mighty paramount Chiefs

Lelia Masaga (centre) tries to elude Hurricane's winger David Smith as Ma'a Nonu ranges up during last night's match in Hamilton. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Chiefs 14

Hurricanes 10

The Chiefs will contest their first Super rugby final after turning on a fine display of counter-attacking football in Hamilton last night.

A side that began the season with three straight losses once again defied the odds, shrugging off the pre-match loss of key performers Richard Kahui, Brendon Leonard and Ben May to defeat a full-strength Hurricanes side.

The Chiefs must now wait to see if they will host the final against the Crusaders or - more likely - head to Pretoria to face the Bulls.

For the Hurricanes it was yet more semifinal heartache, their fifth loss in such a match. They were, however, very much the authors of their own hard luck story.

Conditions were vastly improved from the last match between the two a fortnight ago. On a crisp but clear night the Chiefs attempted to play a bit more rugby than in their grim slog of a victory in that first encounter. The Hurricanes, somewhat curiously, chose to play a lot less.

Piri Weepu's box-kicking set the early tone, with the Chiefs content to counter-attack.

The first time the Hurricanes did attempt to spread the ball it almost ended in catastrophe. Wing Tamati Ellison ran out of space on the right flank. His inside pass was intercepted by Toby Morland, with only a desperate Ma'a Nonu tackle on Stephen Donald preventing the opening try.

Sitiveni Sivivatu was in industrious mood and he streaked past Rodney So'oialo and deep into Hurricanes territory as the Chiefs issued an early warning that the Hurricanes would be made to pay if they insisted on turning the ball over with kicks that were more hopeful than helpful.

When the Hurricanes finally opted for a spot of ball retention they were rewarded with the game's first try.

From a scrum on the Chiefs' 22 they shifted the ball wide and Victor Vito collected a sweetly-timed Willie Ripia short-ball to break the Chiefs' line. His final pass to Nonu looked forward and referee Stuart Dickinson consulted his touch judge before awarding the try.

If the Hurricanes had learned a lesson from their successful move, they certainly didn't show it.

Sivivatu spent much of the night camped on Donald's shoulder and the tactic showed the first signs of bearing fruit when the winger collected a short pass to carve into the Hurricanes 22 after yet another poor clearing kick.

Their next raid took them within sight of the line, where Hurricanes' prop John Schwalger intervened illegally, with Dickinson ruling it a yellow card offence.

Donald's penalty attempt clattered back into play off a post and a promising Lelia Masaga counter attack was also snuffed out. But the Chiefs finally got their reward when Donald and Sivivatu sparked another counter attack from a Hurricanes kick that ended with Sione Lauaki busting through Rodney So'oialo and running around Cory Jane on a rampaging 35m run to the line.

Donald's touchline conversion levelled the scores but seeing their lead evaporate didn't faze the Hurricanes, who needed one more severe jolt to see the error of their ways.

They got it 12 minutes into the second half, when another hopeful Ripia kick ended in disaster. Mils Muliaina gathered it just outside his 22 and fed Sivivatu, who carved his way majestically into Hurricanes' territory before Morland provided the support and Muliaina the finish under the bar.

Weepu landed a penalty to close the gap but the Hurricanes had left themselves too much to do and not enough time to do it.

Chiefs 14 (Sione Lauaki, Mils Muliaina tries; Stephen Donald 2 con)

Hurricanes 10 (Ma'a Nonu try; Piri Weepu pen, con)

HT: 7-7