The Hurricanes are 22 points ahead of Waratah at the Super Rugby Pacific table in the second half, following a win from behind in Sydney.
At the break Waratahra was leading 15-0 but the Hurricanes took the match 22-18 in the second half.
In the 75th minute, spectator captain Ardi Savaya crossed to try to win the match, putting the five-pointer Hurricanes ahead for the first time in the game.
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“It seems to have moved a little bit away from us,” Waratah captain Jack Gordon told Stan Sport.
“We controlled a lot of possession in the first half. In the second half they came out of the block very quickly and we had trouble controlling it.
“We’re still a long way from the full package, but we’re going there.”
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In front of the crowd at the vocal Leichard Oval, the Waratahs run all the way through the first half when the spectators fight, especially with their scrum.
Hurricanes front-rowers Javier Numia and Tyrell Lomax were both caught before half-time and their replacements, Tevita Mafilio and former All-Black Wayne Franks, had an immediate impact on the game.
“You see the half-time score, 15-0, you always knew the Hurricanes were going to get more balls than they did in the first half,” former Wallaby Tim Horan told Stan Sport.
“The strength and the experience then, the way they handled the second half, there was no panic.
“I think the Hurricanes won the match in that first half, hung tight and didn’t fall down to 20, 22 points. They went down to just 15. In the second half they knew they would get more possession, they’re a great team and they did well.”
Jordi Barrett’s high shot in the 77th minute gave Waratara a red card to reserve prop Paddy Ryan.
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