The Hurricanes International Test XV

After 20 years of Super Rugby, the competition is expanding to 18 teams in 2016. As we look forward to the start of this year’s competition that kicks off later in February, we’ve taken a look at the some of the Hurricanes players that have lit up Super Rugby thus far.

Whilst plenty of Hurricanes players have also played for the All Blacks, many have also played Test rugby for other countries.

Club Rugby's 2016 Hurricanes coverage is in association with Les Mills Wellington - more details coming soon

A Hurricanes International Test XV is below:

1. Kevin Yates
Country: England (4 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2000-2001 (19 matches)

Kevin Yates became the first British player to play for the Hurricanes. Born in Medicine Hat in Canada, Yates had made his first-class playing debut in England in 1993 and had played two Tests against Argentina and midweek tour matches against the All Blacks in 1997. His promising career went off the rails in 1998 when he was banned for six months for an ear-chewing incident, but was revitalised when he arrived at the Hurricanes at the start of 2000 That same year he won an NPC title with Wellington. He returned to England and played more international rugby in 2007 against South Africa. Also: Michael Bent (Hurricanes 2011-12, Ireland)

2. Mahonri Schwalger
Country: Samoa (40 Tests), Pacific Islands (2 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2007 (9 matches)

Mo Schwalger enjoyed a long, diverse professional career. As well as playing over a decade of international rugby and captaining Samoa – before being controversially dropped after the 2011 RWC for speaking out on issues within the team’s management - Schwalger played for no fewer than four New Zealand provincial teams and three Super Rugby franchises. He played for Hurricanes region teams Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki and Wellington and spent 2005 with the Highlanders and 2007 with the Hurricanes before playing for the Chiefs for three years and finishing his career with Counties Manukau. In 2015 he started a rugby academy in Apia. Also: Tala Leiasamaivao (Hurricanes 1997-98, Samoa), Motu Matu’u (Hurricanes 2012 - , Samoa). Ace Tiatia (Hurricanes 1999, Samoa)

3. Bill Cavubati
Country: Fiji (38 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 1996-1997 (19 matches)

The heaviest ever Test player pushing the scales beyond 160 kg when he faced the All Blacks in 2005, Cavubati’s Test career spanned a decade between 1995-2002 and again in 2004-2005. He played twice for Fiji against the All Blacks, in 1997 and 2002. He was also involved in the combined 2004 Pacific Islands team that played a series of matches against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Cavubati was a mainstay in the Hurricanes camp throughout their first two seasons, following a storming 1995 when he was the top try scorer for Wellington with 13 tries. He also produced a Player of the Match performance and scored two tries when Wellington beat Western Samoa 52-30 in 1996 in a tour match. Cavubati had been an All Black trialist 1993, while he held the Fijian shot put record for more than a decade. Also: Anthony Perenise (Hurricanes 2007-2011, Samoa).

4. Inoke Afeaki
Country: Tonga (27 Tests)
Hurricanes career 1996-1999-2001 (36 matches)

“Hurricane number 1”, Inoke Afeaki was a key player in the formative stages of the franchise, going on to captain Tonga at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the combined Pacific Islands team in 2004. When Super Rugby started up in 1996, Afeaki had been playing for Wellington since 1993 and had made his international debut the previous year against France. He also had two stints playing for clubs in Japan, two in France and one in Wales. Afeaki left the Hurricanes for Ricoh in Japan after the first season in 1996, returning for three years between 1999-2001. The mobile Afeaki also played matches at blindside flanker. Since 2012, Afeaki has been the Technical Director of the Singapore Rugby Football Union. Also: Milton Ngauamo (Hurricanes 2002, Tonga), Api Naikatini (Hurricanes 2009, Fiji)

5. Lio Falaniko
Country: Samoa (21 Tests)
Hurricanes career 1999 (5 matches)

Lock Lio Falaniko played his one and only season for the Hurricanes in 1999 and later that year he was a try-scorer in Samoa’s famous 38-31 Rugby World Cup win over Wales in Cardiff that propelled Samoa into the quarterfinals and sent Wales packing. Falaniko was already vastly experienced when he joined the Hurricanes, having represented Samoa since 1990 and named Pacific Island Player of the Tournament at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. He was a founding member of the Highlanders and played three seasons for them between 1996-98. Falaniko also played No. 8.He plied his trade in France and Japan for several seasons, before embarking on a post-rugby career as a personal trainer and boxer in New Zealand. Also a former volleyball player, he is now living and coaching in Perth. Also: Potu Levasa (Hurricanes 1997, Samoa), Michael Paterson (Hurricanes 2010, England)

6. Martin Leslie
Country: Scotland 1998-2003 (37 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 1997-1998 (21 matches)

Martin Leslie joined his brother John in playing international rugby for Scotland, the siblings qualifying through grandparents. They made their Test debut together against South Africa in November 1998. Martin played for Scotland at both the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups and played against the All Blacks in a gallant 18-30 quarter-final loss at Murrayfield in 1999. His second RWC tournament in Australia ended prematurely when he was controversially banned for eight weeks for alleged foul play against a United States Eagles player. Leslie was a hard working flanker and a more than handy lineout forward who scored six tries in his 21 matches for the Hurricanes. A former New Zealand Colt, Leslie also gave loyal service to the Wellington Lions over eight seasons from 1991 and was subsequently heavily involved in Petone rugby upon his retirement. Father Andy was All Blacks captain in the 1970s. Also: Faifili Levave (Hurricanes 2009, 2011, 2012-2014, Samoa).

7. Nili Latu
Country: Tong (43 Tests), Pacific Islanders (6 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2007 (3 matches)

Nili Latu became Tonga’s most-capped player of all time when he captained their side in last October’s Rugby World Cup clash with Argentina. The ‘Tongan Torpedo’ took the field for his 42nd Test appearance. A Former New Zealand Secondary Schools player out of Auckland’s Sacred Heart College, Latu had started his representative career in Wellington age group sides before spending four seasons with the Bay of Plenty Steamers and two with the Chiefs in 2005 and 2006. Latu was an able loose forward back-up to Chris Masoe, Rodney So’oialo and Jerry Collins in the 2007 Hurricanes side, before captaining Tonga at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and then spending several seasons playing in Japan. Latu is currently playing for the Newcastle Falcons in the English Premiership. Also: Semo Setiti (Hurricanes 2000, Samoa), Finau Maka (Hurricanes 1997-98, Tonga), Jack Lam (Hurricanes 2011-14, Samoa).

8. Gordon Simpson
Country: Scotland 1998-2001 (15 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 1996 (5 matches)

Gordon Simpson joined a group of New Zealanders in the 1990s, including Sean Lineen, the Leslie brothers, Brendon Chainsaw Laney and Glenn Metcalfe in carving out international careers for Scotland. Simpson became a “Kilted Kiwi” in 1998 and played 15 Tests over a four-year period, including playing in the 1999 Rugby World Cup alongside Martin Leslie. Simpson had played for North Harbour between 1989-1993 and Wellington since 1994 when he was selected as an inaugural Hurricane in 1996. He was Wellington’s Player of the Year in 1995 and went close to All Blacks selection before subsequently transferring to Scotland. Simpson was known as the “Badger” because of his ball winning skills on the ground. Also: Thomas Waldrom (Hurricanes 2004-08, England).

9. Isaac Boss
Country: Ireland (22 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2005 (11 matches)

Versatile former New Zealand U19 player Issac Boss spent four years at the Chiefs and one at the Hurricanes before heading to Ireland to embark on a fruitful career in the Emerald Isle that has spanned a decade and counting. Principally a halfback, Boss was drafted to the Hurricanes for 2005 after a storming 2004 NPC season playing at fullback for his home province Waikato. Able to cover halfback and fullback, Boss was part of the Hurricanes’ playing 22 in every match in 2005. Soon after his stint with the Hurricanes he joined Ulster and latterly Leinster whom he is still playing for. In mid-2006, and after just one season with Ulster, Boss was selected to play for Ireland, qualifying through his maternal grandmother. Ironically his first Test was against the All Blacks. He went on to play at the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups. Also: Joggie Viljoen (Hurricanes 2000, South Africa), Joe Filemu (Hurricanes 1996, Samoa), Junior Tonu’u (Hurricanes 1999, Samoa), Samisoni Fisilau (Hurricanes 2013, Tonga).

10.Tusi Pisi
Country: Samoa (25 Tests), Pacific Islands (3 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2012-2013 (17 matches)

Tusi Pisi starred for Samoa in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, having a standout game in his side’s 5-13 loss to South Africa at Albany, where he ran hard at the defence and sparked his side on to attack countless times. He also kicked Samoa to victory in their 27-7 win over Fiji, landing four penalties and a dropped goal. Previously, Pisi made his Samoan debut in 2010 in a Test against Japan, after playing internationals for the Pacific Islands team in 2006. At the 2015 RWC, Tusi, George and Ken Pisi made history against South Africa by becoming the first set of three brothers to take the field at the tournament at the same time. Tusi Pisi previously played for the Crusaders in 2007 and also played for Toulon in France and for Suntory in Japan. He is set to start 2016 with the Mark Hammett coached Japanese Sunwolves. Also: Tanner Vili (Hurricanes 2001-01, Samoa), Stephen Bachop (Hurricanes 1997-98, Samoa).

11. Alex Telea
Country: Samoa (5 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 1996-1999

Alex Telea was a late call-up to the Hurricanes in 1996 and ended up playing in 10 of 11 games in the first Super 12 competition. Combining strength and pace, he proved himself to be a multiple try scorer, scoring two tries on four occasions for the Hurricanes – against the Reds and the Highlanders in 1997 and against the Stormers and the Chiefs in 1998. All up he scored 15 tries in 31 outings for the Hurricanes. Telea played Test rugby for Western Samoa in the mid-1990s, and was for a time the only New Zealand Super Rugby player to have scored a try against the All Blacks when he crossed in 1996. At first-class level Telea featured on the wing for Wellington between 1993-1996 and he played for Southland in 2000 and Manawatu in 2006. The well-travelled Telea also played for Horowhenua-Kapiti and for club sides in France, England, Japan, Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka. Also: Sireli Bobo (Hurricanes 2004, Fiji).

12. George Leaupepe
Country: Samoa (26 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 1998 (8 matches)

George Leaupepe played two Tests against the All Blacks, in 1996 and 1999 at second five-eighth and centre respectively. He also played several Tests on the wing in a decade-long international career spanning 1995-2005. He scored a hat trick in his first game of international rugby in his first year out of school for Samoa against the Victorian state side. Leaupepe scored a try on Super Rugby debut for the Highlanders against the Blues in 1996, before spending his season with the Hurricanes in 1998 where he shored up the midfield. He also played for the Chiefs in 2000 and the Highlanders again in 2001. Leaupepe’s home province was Counties Manukau, for whom he helped to consecutive NPC first division finals in 1996 and 1997. Also: Mepi Faoagali (Hurricanes 1998, 2001, Samoa), Bryce Robins (Hurricanes 2002-03, Japan), Tane Tu’ipulotu (Hurricanes 2004-06, Pacific Islanders).

13. Alapati Leiua
Country: Samoa (10 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2010-2014 (49 matches)

Alapati Leiua burst to prominence in 2009 after scoring 21 tries in 16 games for his Northern United club team. He was a star for the Wellington Lions and for the Hurricanes over a five-year period, as an explosive and creative midfielder and wing. After making 15 straight starts for the Hurricanes in 2013 and scoring a memorable intercept try that sunk the Crusaders in Wellington, Leiua made his Test debut for Samoa against Scotland in Durban. He also went on Samoa’s end of year tour to Europe. 2014 saw Leiua reach 49 caps for the Hurricanes and 52 for Wellington, and he earned several more caps for Samoa before transferring to Wasps in England. However he has been hampered by injury of late and he missed the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Also: George Konia (Hurricanes 1996, Japan), Alama Ieremia (Hurricanes 1996-2000, Samoa), Reuben Parkinson (Hurricanes 1999, Japan), Reynold Lee-Lo (Hurricanes 2013-15, Samoa).

14. Lome Fa’atau
Country: Samoa (35 Tests), Pacific Islanders (5 Tests)
Hurricanes career: 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 (44 matches)

Basketball was Lome Fa’atau’s chosen sport at secondary school in Wellington, only picking up the oval ball when he entered the senior ranks. In 2006 Fa’atau was Super Rugby’s leading try-scorer with 10 tries. The Hurricanes also made the final for the first time that year, although he didn’t see much ball that night as the match in Christchurch was shrouded in fog. Easily recognisable with his blistering speed and traditional tattooing (pe’a), the Samoan wing was one of the best finishers in the game over a decade at the top, for Wellington, Taranaki, the Hurricanes, the Chiefs (in 2004) and in Europe for Glasgow and Nice. Fa’atau made his Test debut for Samoa in 2002 and he when on to play in both the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups. He also played sevens rugby for Samoa between 1999-2002.

15. Riki Flutey
Country: England (14 Tests), British and Irish Lions (1 Test)
Hurricanes career: 2002-2005 (38 matches)

A former age-grade star, Riki Flutey initially struggled to find a home in any one position. Lumped with the utility tag, many saw fullback as his calling and it was there he produced several magical performances in his final year playing for the Hurricanes and Wellington in 2005. He then moved to London Irish in the English Premiership, kick-starting a flourishing European career that culminated in him playing for England between 2008-11 and playing a Test for the British and Irish Lions against South Africa in 2009. In playing for the Lions he became the first player to play tour matches both for and against the famous team, after playing for Wellington against them in 2005. Flutey’s European club career also saw him play for London Wasps and French side Brive. In 2012 he moved to the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan, and was all set for a return to the Wellington Lions in 2014 as the team’s first five-eighth but a pre-season injury derailed his comeback.