Jonah Lomu has emerged from an early season slumber to guide the Hurricanes to a 22-18 win against the Reds at Palmerston North.

It was a tight game with the Reds scoring two tries to one, but the boot of Hurricanes five-eighth David Holwell proved the difference with five penalties and a conversion.

But there will be talk for some time to come about flanker Rodney So'oialo's try in the 48th minute that turned the game and gave the Hurricanes a 16-11 lead following a suspect fumble by Lomu.

Lomu fumbled a kick 35m out from the opposition line and as the Reds pulled up for the knock-on, South African referee Eugene Daniels ruled play on. Lomu breezed past several bewildered Reds players to spark So'oialo's try. It was a crucial decision by Daniels considering the final margin, but he was at least consistent with several knock-ons going unnoticed.

Holwell extended the lead to 19-11 with a penalty, but the game was set for an exciting final 10 minutes when Reds captain Daniel Herbert sliced through from 15m out to score a converted try and reduce the lead to 19-18.

Holwell eased the pressure with another penalty to extend the lead to 22-18 and then the Hurricanes defence stepped up as the Reds made a final bid for victory.

The Lomu versus Wendell Sailor battle never eventuated, but Lomu was rarely out of the game as the Hurricanes scored their third successive victory to stay in the race for the semi-finals. For the Reds, the future looks grim and they will need a late season revival like last year if they are to make the semi-finals.

Lomu complained during the week that he was getting little ball, but against the Reds made sure he was involved from the kick-off. There were several trademark blockbusting runs and he was often used to make ground around the ruck.

The Reds led 11-9 at half-time courtesy of a lovely try by winger Ben Tune in the 27th minute, but the Queenslanders will be disappointed not have a bigger lead with a strong wind behind them. The Hurricanes were saved by the half-time siren with the Reds mounting a huge amount of pressure on the tryline.

For the Hurricanes, their best chance came in the 25th minute after a Lomu break, but winger Daryl Lilley took on the Reds defence when he should have passed to Christian Cullen.

Hurricanes coach Graham Mourie was a happy man following his team's fourth win in six games and the third home win on the trot.

"We have only five home games this year so we have to get up and win a few away ones too," Mourie said. "Apart from 10 minutes of the second half the boys stuck to it pretty well.

"Maybe it wasn't as pretty as it could have been but given that we have lost those sort of games in the past, I'm really pretty happy with the guys.

"At halftime we knew we had to go out and re-win it in the second half and the guys did that pretty well. (Conceding) only nine penalties today was a huge improvement."

Reds' coach Mark McBain praised the effort of his side's defence and pointed out the Reds outscored the Hurricanes on the try sheet.

"The effort was pretty good, two tries to one. At one stage they had 70 per cent of the ball with 30 minutes gone," McBain said. "When it's two tries to one, you can't knock anybody.

"With the strikepower they've got, the amount (of possession) they got and they scored a questionable try, it's pretty good defence."

Scoreboard

HURRICANES 22
Tries: Rodney So'oialo.
Goals: David Holwell 5 pen, con.

QUEENSLAND REDS 18
Tries: Ben Tune, Daniel Herbert tries.
Goals: Elton Flatley 2 pen, con.