Chiefs fullback Shaun Stevenson dives across the line for a try at FMG Stadium Waikato Photo: Photosport/ Bruce Lim
The so-far unbeaten Chiefs have won on home turf 34:24 against defending champions the Crusaders.
It was a tense see-sawing game in front of a sell-out crowd of 23,000 fans at Hamilton's FMG Stadium Waikato, taking the Chiefs run of wins to nine in a row and placing them squarely at the top of the table for this season.
The Chiefs took the lead with a crucial Damian McKenzie penalty kick in the second half before Tyrone Thompson scored the winning try off the back of a powerful Chiefs scrum in the final minutes.
Chiefs captain Sam Cane told SkySport the fan support spurred his side on through the game.
"Far out - it honestly means so much to us to have a crowd like this. It's been a long time since FMG Stadium's been this packed.
"We know we've still got plenty more left in the comp too, so we'll look at making sure we keep getting better because there's every chance we run into the Crusaders again at some point."
The Chiefs remain at the top of the table and their likelihood of hosting a home finals series game increases.
Earlier this season the Chiefs bested the Crusaders 31-10 in the first match of the season. Going into tonight's match the Crusaders had been sitting fourth on the table, with their only other loss this season being to the Fijian Drua.
Now the Blues move to fourth after beating Fijian Drua in Lautoka this afternoon, and after posting their third loss tonight, the Crusaders are fifth.
Talking before the game, Chiefs co-captain Brad Weber said the Chiefs had prepared for a fierce response from the Crusaders.
"They've been the best team for a number of years, it's always a huge challenge, but they just pressure you in every area really - there's not a hell of a lot of weakness to them, so you know you've got your work cut out for you.
"And they've got a few game breakers that can really open you up if you're not on."
Recap - read Jamie Wall's play-by-play coverage of the game:
