The Hurricanes bounced back to beat the Reds 35-19 in Brisbane on Sunday night and maintain their position at the top of the Investec Super Rugby table.
In the final match of the eleventh round, the Hurricanes bucked the trend of the previous six matches this weekend by being the first away team to taste success. The win was also the Hurricanes' fifth straight win away from home this year, a single season franchise record.
A TJ Perenara double and first five-eighth Beuaden Barrett becoming the Hurricanes' highest ever points scorer were two of the individual highlights from the four tries to three victory.
After a stirring pre-match build-up to mark Anzac remembrance weekend, the Hurricanes fought back from a two-try deficit to lead 20-12 at halftime.
Barrett opened the game's scoring with a penalty, surpassing David Holwell's 676 career points for the Hurricanes and becoming the Hurricanes' leading all time points scorer.
The Hurricanes were then set on their heels by two tries in five minutes scored by Reds centre Samu Kerevi.
The Reds punched at the try line through the forwards and then went wide to Kerevi who burst through two tacklers to put the home side ahead.
Kerevi then stepped inside his marker and dived over to score his second try. Left wing James O'Connor added the extras to Kerevi's second try and the Reds led 12-3 with a quarter of the game gone.
Barrett kicked his second penalty to cut the gap to 12-6.
Barrett pulled a third penalty wide, but the Hurricanes instead ran in a classy try. Going wide from a ruck in midfield, centre and captain Conrad Smith broke the defensive line, offloaded to second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu who in turn found halfback TJ Perenara hot in support to score his sixth try of the season. Barrett's conversion put the Hurricanes ahead 13-12.
Two minutes later, Nonu broke the Reds out wide again and offloaded to Julian Savea. Scrambling defence kept Savea in check, but quick recycling followed and flanker Callum Gibbins galloped on to a bullet pass by Perenara to score the Hurricanes' second try. Barrett added the extras, extending their lead to 20-12.
Barrett missed a penalty chance with the last play of the first half, but was successful with his next shot immediately after the break to extend their lead to 23-12.
The home side hit back with a try to openside flanker Liam Gill under the posts, after a penalty and lineout in the corner. O'Connor converted the Reds' third try to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 23-19.
The Hurricanes were given a let off when the Reds won a penalty only for left wing Lachie Turner to kick the ball dead in-goal instead of keeping it inside the corner flag.
From the relieving scrum, right wing Matt Proctor chipped ahead and almost reeled the ball in. The Reds knocked on and this time the Hurricanes had an attacking scrum 40 metres out. Nonu punched at the line and was dragged down just short. Perenara fired a pass wide but straight into Reds flanker Gill who was blatantly offside and was yellow carded.
The Hurricanes scored their 3rd and 4th tries over the next 10 minutes, swinging the result in their favour.
Reds halfback Will Genia disrupted the Hurricanes' attacking scrum under their posts and the immediate chance to pull ahead again was lost for the Hurricanes.
But their third try wasn't long in coming, the Reds losing the ball at the ruck and the Hurricanes shuffling the ball wide to Julian Savea who, with little room to move, barged his way over to score in the corner.
Right wing Matt Proctor fielded a kick in broken play and sliced his way through several Reds defenders, off loaded to Perenara in the tackle and the Hurricanes halfback ran through to collect his double and the Hurricanes' bonus point try. Barrett's conversion put the Hurricanes ahead 35-19 with 12 minutes to play.
The Hurricanes return home to play the remainder of their season in New Zealand, starting with Crusaders in Wellington next Saturday night.
Scores:
Hurricanes 35 (TJ Perenara 2, Callum Gibbins, Julian Savea tries; Beauden Barrett 3 con, 3 pen) beat the Reds 19 (Samu Kerevi 2, Liam Gill tries; James O'Connor 2 con). HT: 20-12.
The scoring action (by minute):
3rd: Beauden Barrett penalty. Hurricanes 3-0
14th: Samu Kerevi try. Reds 5-3
20th: Samu Kerevi try. Reds 10-3
21st: James O'Connor conversion. Reds 12-3
28th: Beauden Barrett penalty. Reds 12-6
34th: TJ Perenara try. Reds 12-11
35th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 13-12
37th: Callum Gibbins try. Hurricanes 18-12
38th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 20-12
42nd: Beauden Barrett penalty. Hurricanes 23-12
45th: Liam Gill try. Hurricanes 23-17
46th: James O'Connor conversion. Hurricanes 23-19
63rd: Julian Savea try. Hurricanes 28-19
67th: TJ Perenara try. Hurricanes 33-19
698th: Beauden Barrett conversion. Hurricanes 35-19