Heart and character.
That's what it took for the Hurricanes to post their first win of the Investec Super Rugby season after overcoming a late sinbin to hold on for a 23-19 win over the Blues at Eden Park.
In a thrilling finish that saw first half try scorer and No 8 Victor Vito yellow carded in the 83rd minute, the Hurricanes defence held out wave after wave of Blues attacks on their goal line before the final whistle blew.
There were heroes across the park as coach Chris Boyd's side dug deep to put a first up defeat against the Brumbies in Canberra and last week's one point loss to the Highlanders in Dunedin behind them.
Few had bigger matches than openside Ardie Savea, who proved a thorn in the Blues side at the breakdown all night, and captain TJ Perenara, who led from the front with two tries, but it took a team effort to withstand a withering final assault.
It was young replacement hooker Ricky Riccitelli and lock Mark Abbott who put in the final big double tackle that ended the Blues hopes.
In their Golden Lager sponsored home strip for the first time, defence was at the heart of a Hurricanes win on a night that saw wing Nehe Milner-Skudder, hooker Leni Apisai, and prop Reggie Goodes, in his 50th Super Rugby match, all leave the field with injuries.
Hurricanes first five Beauden Barrett had guided his side into a winning position after a slow start that saw the Blues control possession and territory and lead 8-0 after a penalty to Ihaia West and a try to Rene Ranger.
With Barrett putting the ball in front of his pack, Perenara keeping the Blues defence guessing by constantly switching down the blindside, and Savea, Goodes and Vito all a menace at the breakdown the momentum swung late in the first half.
Vito was driven over from a lineout as he filed in behind a rampaging Jeffery Toomaga-Allen to close the gap to one point, then Perenara scored after centre Vince Aso and fullback James Marshall combined to put wing Nehe Milner-Skudder free down the sideline.
Milner-Skudder chipped ahead and Perenara won the race to the ball for the try and a 15-8 lead at halftime.
Abbott uncharacteristically spilled the kick off and from the resulting field position Blues second five George Moala burrowed over to close the gap.
With replacement lock Patrick Tuipulotu making a big impact the Blues began to come back into the match as they ground up the middle of the park, but it was the Hurricanes who scored next.
Perenara got his second after Savea had cleverly swooped on a loose ball and basketball passed it over the top near the line for his captain to dive over in the corner, but 23-13 never felt comfortable.
Two West penalties closed the margin to 23-19 as the minutes ticked by, but despite a series of lineout drives at the Hurricanes try line, the Blues couldn't break the defence as they fell to their second loss in three matches.
All of the Hurricanes reserves used played a big part in the match with Ricitelli and Vaea Fifita in particular making their presence felt.
The win improved the Hurricanes overall record against the Blues to 11 wins from 25 matches and was their sixth win from 14 attempts at Eden Park.
The win continued a trend for the Hurricanes who have lost the opening two matches of a season on eight previous occasions (1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014 and 2016), but only once lost the third, in 2014.
Hurricanes 23 (Victor Vito, TJ Perenara 2 tries; Beauden Barrett 2 pens, con) Blues 19 (Rene Ranger, George Moala tries; Ihaia West 3 pens). HT: 8-15.