Waikato Chiefs top Super 15 table after beating Wellington Hurricanes

Defending champions the Waikato Chiefs moved back into top spot on the Super 15 ladder yesterday after holding on to beat the Wellington Hurricanes 17-12.

The Chiefs scored the only try in wet conditions and produced a mighty defensive effort to smother a Hurricanes fightback as both teams notched four penalties, in a match where scoring opportunities were scarce.

"Any game against the Hurricanes is a tough local derby, and the conditions added to that," captain Craig Clark said.

In Perth, fullback Riaan Viljoen's try in the 62nd minute gave the Sharks a 23-13 win over the Western Force, the Durban-based side's first victory in a four-match Australasian road trip in Super Rugby.

And the Melbourne Rebels, inspired by captain Scott Higginbotham and helped by a controversial late penalty try, edged Cape Town's Stormers 30-21 to record their first Super Rugby victory over a South African side.

The Chiefs' first win in Wellington since 2001 puts them three points clear of the ACT Brumbies, who can overtake them again with a victory in their match against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney today. It also extends their lead in the New Zealand conference, putting pressure on the Auckland Blues and Canterbury Crusaders, who face off in Christchurch today.