The Hurricanes leading all time point scorers 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 at the end of February, we’ve taken a look at the some of the Hurricanes players that have lit up Super Rugby thus far.

With many stars and crowd favourites having worn the Hurricanes jersey thus far, who are the franchise’s leading point and try scorers? Below is a 1996-2015 Hurricanes XV based on the players that have scored the most points/tries in each position.

1. Mark Allen
Hurricanes career: 1996-98 (30 matches)
Points: 30 (6 tries)

Mark ‘Bull’ Allen was a bustling, all-action specialist loosehead prop who scored a bucketload of tries at provincial level in 110 matches for Taranaki and also for the short-lived Central Vikings. He scored two tries in a match on six occasions for Taranaki. The Hurricanes’ founding skipper played 30 matches for the team before a back injury prematurely forced his retirement midway through the 1998 season. In this time he managed to find the tryline six times. Allen donned the All Blacks jersey in eight Tests between 1993-97. Also: Reggie Goodes 4 tries, Ben Franks 4 tries.

2. Andrew Hore
Hurricanes career: 2002-2011 (106 matches)
Points: 85 (17 tries)

Andrew Hore is the leading tight forwards try scorer in Super Rugby, with 19 career tries (including two for the Highlanders). He hit the headlines in 2006 with a hat-trick in the Hurricanes’ win over the Chiefs, the first ever by a hooker in Super Rugby. 2008 was Hore’s best year, winning both the Super Rugby Player of the Year and the NZ Rugby Player of the Year awards. He had a lean try-scoring trot in 2009 and 2010, scoring just two tries these seasons, but he burrowed over a few more times in 2011 to increase his tally. Hore also scored eight tries in 83 Tests for the All Blacks.

3. Jeff Toomaga-Allen
Hurricanes career: 2012 – (56 appearances)
Points: 15 (3 tries)

Former New Zealand U20 prop Toomaga-Allen appeared in all 16 matches for the Hurricanes in his maiden season in 2012 and produced a series of power performances that saw him emerge as the Hurricanes’ first choice tighthead. He was also Wellington’s Player of the Year in 2012. He made a storming start to the 2013 season, before it ended in May when he sustained a knee injury. Nevertheless, he was selected in the All Blacks’ end of year squad and later that year made his Test debut in 2013 against Japan. Knee surgery subsequently sidelined him in 2014 but he was back firing on all cyclinders in 2015. With pace and agility, expect Toomaga-Allen to add to his try-scoring tally in 2016. Also: Neemia Tialata 3 tries.

4. Jeremy Thrush
Hurricanes career: 2008-2015 (110 matches)
Points: 50 (10 tries)

2004 World Rugby U19 Player of the Year Jeremy Thrush completed his eighth and final season with the Hurricanes in 2015, finishing his career with 110 Super Rugby caps. Thrush was an automatic selection in Hurricanes teams throughout his career and his hard-working, never-say-die attitude showed up many of the competition’s best locks. He usually made at least a couple galloping broken play runs per match, invariably leading to either himself or a teammate finding the whitewash. He made the All Blacks in 2013 and played 11 Tests. Thrush was on fire in his final NPC campaign for the Wellington Lions, scoring a memorable hat-trick against Southland and several more overall. In all he scored 24 tries in 87 games for Wellington.

5. Jason Eaton
Hurricanes career: 2006-13 (89 caps)
Points: 50 (10 tries)

Jason Eaton was one of two incumbent All Blacks selected for the Hurricanes in 2006 without having played Super Rugby (the other being Isaia Toeava). Already an established provincial player with rugged qualities, first for Manawatu and then for Taranaki, blindside flanker-come-lock Eaton played a season long provincial blinder for Taranaki in 2005. Selected for the All Blacks for their end of year tour and playing the first of his 15 Tests against Ireland, Eaton then burst on to Super Rugby’s stage by scoring a brace against the Western Force in New Plymouth. He scored four tries in his first year. Injury was later to disrupt Eaton’s career ahead of a move overseas to Japan and latterly France in 2013.

6. Victor Vito
Hurricanes career: 2009 (84 caps)
Points: 45 (9 tries)

If the Hurricanes reach the business end of the season in 2016, Victor Vito could reach a century of appearances for the side. In 2015 he played predominantly as a No. 8, but he is equally adept in the blindside role and that is where he first cracked the team. After making his provincial debut for Wellington in 2006, Vito arrived on the international scene in 2008 as a dynamic, fast and highly skilful Sevens player. His two tries, including the match winner in the dying moments in the final of the World Sevens tournament at his home stadium in Wellington, gave New Zealand a 22-17 win over Samoa. Former NZ U19 captain Vito earned a maiden call up into the All Blacks squad in 2010. He won the RWC in 2015 and has played 33 Tests to date. Vito has also scored 11 tries in 61 matches for Wellington and was the Lions’ Player of the Year in 2013. Also: Faifili Levave (8 tries).

7. Chris Masoe
Hurricanes career: 2002-2007 (62 caps)
Points: 40 (8 tries)

Like Vito, Chris Masoe launched his rugby career on the Sevens stage, playing in 21 consecutive World Rugby tournaments, and winning gold at the Manchester Commonwealth games and being named New Zealand Sevens Player of the Year in 2002. Masoe joined the Hurricanes in 2003, but injury and an all-star Hurricanes loose forward trio meant he was forced to bide his time for the best part of a couple of seasons. The younger brother of Maselino Masoe who was the WBA Middleweight boxing title holder between 2004-06, he took his chance for the Hurricanes and the All Blacks and ran with it. On the night of the 2006 Super Rugby final, Masoe was involved in an unfortunate handbag incident with captain Tana Umaga. Like Umaga, Masoe moved to France and has since forged an impressive career at Castres and Toulon where he is based now. Also: Ardie Savea (5 tries).

8. Rodney So’oialo
Hurricanes career: 2001-2011 (101 caps)
Points: 50 (10 tries)

Rodney So’oialo started out in the backs. He was fullback for Wellington Secondary Schools as a fifth former, but switched to the forwards the following year, a move that put him in good stead as the dynamic ball playing loosie he was to become. So’oialo made his Hurricanes debut at openside flanker against the Reds in 2001 in the same match as Jerry Collins, who had also been a back. He played his 100th Super Rugby game against the Reds in 2010 for the only franchise he represented, as the first pick No. 8.The dedicated, supremely fit and popular So’oialo reached the landmark personal milestone on his home ground in Wellington the year he had relinquished the captaincy to Andrew Hore, following 49 games in charge between 2006-09. He also scored six tries in 62 Tests for the All Blacks. Both his older brother Steven and younger brother James played Test rugby for Samoa. Also: Filo Tiatia (40 points, 8 tries)

9. Jon Preston
Hurricanes career: 1996-98 (25 caps)
Points: 300 (2 tries, 55 con, 60 pens)

Probably Jon Preston’s most feted rugby moment was kicking two penalty goals under pressure in 1996 against South Africa in Pretoria to help the All Blacks hang on for victory and help them to a historic 31-1 series win. Preston had just played the first Super 12 season for the Hurricanes, whom he would return to in 1997 and 1998 and kick the side to several famous wins along the way. In 1992 he had kicked 20 conversions for Canterbury in a 128-0 Ranfurly Shield defence against West Coast. He could cover both halfback and first five-eighth so he was a good acquisition for Wellington in 1993 and then the Hurricanes. Preston played 72 matches for the Lions, scoring 669 points. Also: Piri Weepu 254 points ((4 tries, 46 pen, 46 con), TJ Perenara 150 points (30 tries).

10. Beauden Barrett
Hurricanes career: 2011 – (64 caps)
Points: 715 (12t, 113c, 143p)

Beauden Barrett overtook another first five-eighth, David Holwell, as the Hurricanes’ leading all-time points scorer during the 2015 season. He goes into 2016 with 715 points to his name and is on track to become the Hurricanes’ first 1,000 point man. Currently, the three players to have achieved this are Dan Carter (1,708 points), Morne Steyn (1,431) and Sirling Mortlock (1,036). Barrett’s rookie Super Rugby season was a highlights reel. As well as scoring 197 season points and breaking Jon Preston’s previous Hurricanes single season scoring record of 152 points set in 1997 (see above), his vision and attacking play was outstanding. He regularly broke the line and helped sparked tries in broken play. The Hurricanes scored 58 tries in 2012. Barret scored 186 points in 2013, 209 in 2014 and 121 in 2015. He has played 36 Tests, scoring 145 international points.

11. Julian Savea
Hurricanes career: 2011 – (72 caps)
Points: 155 (31 tries)

The man they call the Bus is fast putting his name in lights as one of the all-time great Hurricanes. In 2016 the double Rugby World Cup champion and scorer of 38 tries in 41 Tests starts his sixth season as a Hurricane. In 2015, Savea spent the most minutes on the field of any Hurricanes player (1258 minutes) and played 13 full 80 minutes games, which was matched by just skipper Conrad Smith (1242 minutes). Last year he scored eight tries (second to TJ Perenara, 11 tries), made the second most clean breaks in the competition (29) and beat the third most defenders (61). At the RWC that followed, Savea was the tournament’s leading try scorer with eight tries, including a hat-trick in the 62-13 quarterfinal win over France. Savea had started his international career in 2012 by scoring a hat-trick against Ireland. Also: Hosea Gear (26 tries, see right wing below), Lome Fa’atau (21 tries).

12. Ma’a Nonu
Hurricanes career: 2003 – 2011, 2015 (126 caps)
Points: 240 (48 tries)

In 2005 Ma’a Nonu played a season on the left wing for the Hurricanes and had a blinder, scoring seven tries overall that season. But he played the majority of his Hurricanes career in the midfield and in 2015 he was imperious form in playing a run of 13 straight matches at second five-eighth and also appeared at 12 in both the semi-final and in the final. After winning his second RWC title, he was awarded the Kelvin R. Tremain NZ rugby player of the year award. Nonu was elevated to the Hurricanes in 2003 after one NPC season for the Wellington Lions, when he carried his sublime club rugby form on to the first class stage, after combining with New Zealand Sevens teammate Roy Kinikinilau to score 22 tries between them for Ories. In 2009 he was Super Rugby’s leading try scorer with nine tries, forming a solid midfield partnership with centre Conrad Smith. Nonu brought the curtain down on his Hurricanes career in 2015 as the Hurricanes’ second most prolific Hurricanes try-scorer with 48 tries, behind Christian Cullen (56) and one ahead of Tana Umaga (47). He also scored two tries for the Highlanders, taking his career Super Rugby tally to 50.

13. Tana Umaga
Hurricanes career: 1996 – 2007 (122 caps)
Points: 235 (47 tries)

Honoured by having Aisle 13 at Westpac Stadium now dedicated to him, Umaga was a colossus throughout the first half of Hurricanes history and was an inspiration to many. Umaga played in every match for the Hurricanes over the first three seasons of Super Rugby. He scored 12 tries (including two hat-tricks) in 1997 as a left wing, with the Ooh Ah Umaga chant reverberating around Athletic Park in several memorable matches. He was first selected for the All Blacks later that year, commencing a 74 Test international career that was to see him score 36 tries in black. In 2000 he made a successful switch from wing to centre, and was a first choice selection there and later second five-eighth until his retirement. He was Hurricanes captain between 2003-2005 and became just the fourth player to bring up 100 Super rugby appearances in 2005. Also: Conrad Smith 120 points (24 tries).

14. Hosea Gear
Hurricanes career: 2004-2011 (70 caps)
Points: 130 (26 tries)

Hosea Gear was a specialist left wing, but such was his dynamic play for the Hurricanes as well as other teams such as the Wellington Lions and the Maori All Blacks that the Hurricanes’ fifth highest try scorer makes his way on to the right wing in this paper team. Troubled by hamstring injuries early in his career, Gear had a blockbuster 2008 in scoring 14 tries in 12 appearances for Wellington, including two hat-tricks, and breaking Bernie Fraser’s 1981 season try-scoring record. This form was too hot to be ignored and he was duly selected for the All Blacks for their 2008 end of season tour, playing the first of his 14 Tests against Australia in Hong Kong. Knee problems hampered his 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Hurricanes but he scored another 11 tries for Wellington in 2009 including scoring four tries in one match against Counties Manukau. In 2010 he scored a Super Rugby hat-trick against the Reds and he scored a memorable hat-trick for the Maori All Blacks against England. Gear also scored 13 tries for the Highlanders in 2012-13 but failed to cross in six matches for the Chiefs last year. Now in Clermont in France. Also: Cory Jane (120 points, 24 tries).

15. Christian Cullen
Hurricanes career: 1996 – 2003 (85 matches)
Points: 308 (56 tries, 8 con, 3 pen, 1 dg)

In scoring 56 tries in 85 matches and setting up many more for the players around him, Christian Cullen was a regular tormentor of opposition defences. He particularly liked playing the Brumbies, scoring eight tries against them in as many matches, and also ran rings around the Crusaders on several occasions. After making the New Zealand Secondary Schools side in 1993 and 1994, Cullen, then known as the Paekakariki express, burst on to the international stage for the New Zealand Sevens team at the 1995 Hong Kong Sevens by scoring a remarkable 18 tries in the tournament. His selection in the first Hurricanes side was a formality, also becoming the Hurricanes top scorer in 1996.Twelve years on from his exit from Super Rugby, Cullen is fourth equal in the competition’s all-time try-scoring list with 56 tries, behind one-time Hurricanes teammate Doug Howlett (59 tries), Caleb Ralph (58) and Joe Roff (57), and alongside Bryan Habana (56) and Stirling Mortlock (56). Cullen also scored 46 tries in 58 outings for the All Blacks and 150 tries overall.