The Aucklanders had to overcome an 11-point second-half deficit for victory.
The southerners snapped a five-game losing streak and now sit in the top eight.
Halfback Sam Nock scored after the fulltime siren to grab the win.
The Wellingtonians may lose their competition lead by the end of the night.
The result snapped a five-game losing streak for the southerners.
Their unbeaten record ended against the top-ranked Aussies at Canberra.
The All Blacks loose forward has forged a reputation for his heavy hits on first-fives, but some believe he's pushing the limits too far.
Last time Owen Franks crossed the chalk, Richie McCaw and Zac Guildford were also on the tryscoring sheet.
All Blacks winger Emoni Narawa had two tries, as the Chiefs entered the top three on the table.