Getting rare time together on their two-week Australian visit was just the tonic for a Chiefs team that showed some frayed edges in beating the Hurricanes 23-12 in their Super Rugby Pacific game in Hamilton.

Coach Clayton McMillan saw his team regain their points buffer at the top of the points table and said, "The trip overseas is coming at a good time for us. It's an opportunity for us to get away; we're sort of in each other's pockets and can have a lot of conversations, meetings, and opportunities to go out for dinner – stuff you don't often get to do when you're at home in the grind.

"We're looking forward to those couple of weeks away, and it should set us up nicely for when we come back."

"The good stuff was really good, and the not-so-good stuff was at the other end of the spectrum.

"We're striving hard to improve our game, but there were really good elements, and then there were times when our decision-making and execution were just way off the mark and put us under pressure.

"In big games, that will hurt you. In a couple of weeks, we can't afford to make the same mistakes.

"I thought we controlled large portions of the game, but I'd be lying if I didn't sit here and say there was a fair amount of frustration at our decision-making at times, and our inability to put the foot on the throat when we had opportunities to do so."

The Chiefs take on the ACT Brumbies (round 14) and the Western Force (round 15) in their two-match Australian tour.

One victory on the tour will be enough to secure the minor premiership for the Clayton McMillan-coached side.