The Sharks' Bismark du Plessis takes on the defensive line
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Matches: Hurricanes 32 - 24 Sharks

It was no royal command performance but the Hurricanes did enough to beat the Sharks 32-24 in Wellington to extend their lead at the top of the Super Rugby ladder.

With Prince Harry watching on at Westpac Stadium on Saturday, the home side posted four tries to three, including a crucial score to lock Jeremy Thrush seven minutes from the end to reclaim the lead. Two late penalties to first five-eighth James Marshall pushed the scoreline out and ensured the Hurricanes would notch win No.10 from 11 games and finish the 13th round 10 points clear of their nearest rivals.

They have only won 10 games twice before in the regular season, in 2006 and 2011. They have five games remaining to improve that record. The Sharks dropped their eighth game from 12 in a result which all but sounds the death knell on their play-off chances.

Their night worsened when captain Bismarck du Plessis limped off in the 55th minute, favouring his knee in an incident that will concern the Springboks selectors.

The Hurricanes' anxiety will be more about their turnover count, with a slew of errors threatening to to rub out all their fine attacking work, which once again was peppered with offloads and line breaks. Marshall made a solid job of replacing injured pivot Beauden Barrett, kicking 12 points while flanker Ardie Savea and the evergreen All Blacks midfield of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith were always threatening.

Du Plessis put the visitors in front with a barging try before Cory Jane and Smith crossed in the opening quarter to help the Hurricanes to a 14-10 half-time lead.

The dogged Sharks claimed the lead after each of their second-half tries to wingers Sibusiso Sithole and Odwa Ndungane but they couldn't halt the hosts' weight of possession, which created tries to reserve prop Reggie Goodes and Thrush, the latter after Savea unleashed an uncanny offload near the corner flag.