Super Rugby highlights: Sunwolves 23-29 Hurricanes

NOTE: Additional reporting by AFP, Super Rugby Highlights appear courtesy of SANZAAR.

New Zealand's Hurricanes recovered their puff after a shaky start Friday, scoring three second-half tries to floor the Sunwolves 29-23 in a frenetic Super Rugby clash.

With the World Cup less than six months away, the Hurricanes rested All Blacks trio Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and Ardie Savea and they struggled initially in Tokyo against a Sunwolves team still smarting after being axed from Super Rugby from the end of next season.

Semisi Masirewa bagged a sixth-minute breakaway try before flyhalf Hayden Parker, who went five-for-six with the boot, slotted three penalties to give the home side a nice cushion.

Parker then dinked a superb cross-kick for Masirewa to chase into the corner, the left-winger finishing with an extravagant swallow dive as the Sunwolves went into the break leading 23-10.

But the Hurricanes, champions in 2016 and semi-finalists last season, roared back with 19 unanswered points, Ben Lam crashing over before Chase Tiatia and Wes Goosen added tries to complete the comeback for the Wellington side's sixth win of the campaign.

We're happy to win, but give credit to the Sunwolves for putting us under pressure, said Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara, who scored his side's lone first-half try.

The main thing for us is that we didn't make as many errors in the second half that's what hurt us in the first half.

Once again, the Sunwolves paid the price for some poor lineout play, notably in the build-up to Goosen's go-ahead try.

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