A last-gasp try by long-serving lock Paul Tito has given the Hurricanes their first win of the Super 14 rugby season, 39-32 over the Chiefs in New Zealand.

With the scores tied 32-32, and a bare minute to go, substitute wing David Smith chipped the ball ahead and recovered it from a melee to feed Tito who galloped 25 metres to dot down in the right corner and seal the win.

Jimmy Gopperth landed the difficult conversion from the right and skipper Tana Umaga would have breathed a sigh of relief because he had botched a sure try in the 53rd minute when the ball slipped out of his hand as he bent to place it.

It was a high-scoring match - the Hurricanes grabbing five tries to the Chiefs' four.

The Chiefs' fortunes took a huge blow when inspirational captain Jono Gibbes limped off in just the fourth minute with a calf muscle tear to be replaced by former Hurricanes Kristian Ormsby.

And the hosts could have made life harder for the visitors if they had not squandered three golden opportunities after the Hurricanes opened the scoring through livewire halfback Alby Mathewson.

The Chiefs' torment was ended in the 14th minute when nippy halfback Brendon Leonard scored although there was an element of luck as it looked as if there was a hint of shepherding as he probed for a gap.

Stephen Donald converted to tie the scores.

The Hurricanes scored next with the try of the match - classy fullback Corey Jane fielded a poor bomb from Donald and sped through to relay the ball to bustling No.8 Thomas Waldrom.

Waldrom combined with Tamati Ellison and flanker Serge Lilo got an easy passage through to score and put the Hurricanes in front again in the 20th minute.

The Chiefs replied with a Donald penalty and a Liam Messam try but the Hurricanes stretched their lead via Ma'a Nonu on the dot of halftime after the winger latched onto a poor Steven Bates pass.

The Chiefs kept pace with the Hurricanes in the second half, Donald kicking an early penalty before Umaga got his 46th Super rugby try after the Chiefs turned the ball over from a tap penalty.

Four minute later, Umaga crossed the line again but failed to put the ball down cleanly.

That was the signal for the Chiefs to launch a fight back and they scored two quick tries through wing Roy Kinikinilau and hooker Tom Willis to get their noses in front for the first time at 32-29.

Gopperth, who had a good day with his field kicking, kicked a penalty to tie the scores with nine minutes to go and then came Tito's moment.

Umaga said the Hurricanes showed character after their first-up loss to the Reds last weekend.

"We took our chances and we had good finishers in our backline," he said.

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