Hurricanes rugby: ten of the biggest wins

Above: The front of the programme of the match that the Hurricanes mowed down the Brumbies on Anzac Day 2009, winning 56-7.

As the countdown to the rugby season continues apace, here’s a look at ten of the Hurricanes’ biggest and record setting wins since the competition kicked off in 1996. In chronological order the top ten games are:

1996 Hurricanes 44 v Highlanders 15, Dunedin

This was the first ever night game in Dunedin, but it was the Hurricanes who lit up Carisbrook with an emphatic five tries to none victory, their biggest win of the inaugural Super 12 season and a glimpse of what was to come the following year. Jimmy Barnes was part of the pre-match entertainment but the Hurricanes forwards took centre stage after kick-off with an outstanding performance. The Hurricanes scored tries through Karl Williams, Sam Doyle, Rhys Duggan, Marty Berry and a penalty try, while Jamie Cameron banged over all five conversions and three penalties for 19 points. The Highlanders could only answer with four penalties and a dropped goal to Simon Culhane. The Hurricanes didn’t win in Dunedin again until 2006.

1997 Hurricanes 64 v Northern Transvaal 32, New Plymouth

Going into this third round match the Hurricanes were a desperate side after dropping their opening two games of the year and winning just three of 11 in 1996. Additionally, star fullback Christian Cullen was injured and his replacement Jarrod Cunningham was one of five changes to the starting XV from the week before. Instead of folding, the Hurricanes came out with a new style of ‘ruck and run’ rugby and at the end of 80 minutes a new confidence that propelled them to the semi-finals. They upped their pace and urgency and whipped the Bulls, 64-32, Tana Umaga scored a hat trick. The Hurricanes scored a franchise record 9 tries in the match, a feat they have equalled twice.

1997 Hurricanes 60 v Highlanders 34, Wellington

The biggest win, in terms of points scored against a New Zealand opposition, was achieved just five weeks after the thumping of the Bulls. Wing Tana Umaga scored his second hat-trick of the season. One try was a memorable 75-metre run from inside his 22 and another a long-rang intercept try. Umaga’s wing partner Alex Telea and second five-eighth Jason O’Halloran also netted doubles while stand-in kicker Christian Cullen scored a try and kicked six conversions and a penalty for 20 points. This was a Hurricanes record for most number of conversions in a match until Jimmy Gopperth equalled it in 2005. It was also a proud day for Wellington’s Tiatia family - Filo for the Hurricanes and Ace for the Highlanders both scoring tries.

1997 Hurricanes 47 v Reds 29, Brisbane

The Hurricanes’ six-try 47-29 win over the Reds in 1997 was one of the all-time gutsy Hurricanes victories, only five days after leaving South Africa for Australia amid disorder on and off the field. The Reds, in contrast, were starting to gel after five straight losses. They had just beaten the Highlanders and they were favoured to extinguish the Hurricanes’ challenge when they jumped out to a 17-0 lead after 11 minutes. But instead of breaking, the Bull Allen-inspired Hurricanes staged a stirring comeback and remarkably led 25-17 at halftime. The second half turned into a tense affair with both sides trading penalties and the Hurricanes ahead 28-26 after 60 minutes. The Hurricanes then pulled clear again, winger Alex Telea scoring his second try off a tighthead scrum win and the team adding two more triesfor an electrifying win that ultimately helped propel them to the semi-finals for the first time.

2001 Hurricanes 41 v Crusaders 29, Christchurch

The front page of the Dominion implored readers to turn to the sports section to “experience the Hurricanes enigma” on the Monday after the Hurricanes had stunned everyone (including themselves) by ripping through the Crusaders the previous Saturday night. The home team had been raging favourites to account for the Hurricanes who had stuttered to just one win in five games and whose 2001 campaign was on a precipice. Instead the Hurricanes threw the form guide over the edge and raced in for five stunning tries. Leading the way was Christian Cullen who bagged a double and continued his career-long torment of the Crusaders. Tana Umaga also shone, scoring a try and setting up another for his new midfield partner Paul Steinmetz. Jonah Lomu scored the other. This win remains the Hurricanes’ biggest win against the Crusaders.

2002 Hurricanes 40 v Sharks 17, Wellington

The Hurricanes broke the shackles in this emphatic and much needed win over the Sharks, their biggest ever victory over the Durban-based team. The four-try bonus point victory was a timely boost to their 2002 season, after being soundly beaten by the Blues 60-7 in the season-opener, defeated the Bulls but then gone down meekly to the Stormers. They were quick to turn it around in this game, the Headline in the Dominion the next day exclaiming “Vintage Hurricanes tear Sharks apart.” In a re-run of the first ever Super 12 game played on Westpac Stadium two years previously in which the Hurricanes had beaten the Sharks 40-23, they ran rampant and opened up a 27-3 lead to seal the game by halftime. The four tries were scored by Christian Cullen, Jason Spice, Pita Alatini and Kupu Vunisi who was playing his 50th Super 12 game.

2008 Hurricanes 50 v Bulls 22, Pretoria

The Hurricanes were comprehensive seven tries to three winners over the defending champions the Bulls. This was just the fourth time they had scored 50 points in a Super Rugby match and the first time since 1997, as well as being their most points in a match away from home. The Hurricanes did the damage early, running in their first four tries in just 21 minutes of play and opening up a 28-3 lead with almost three quarters of the game remaining.?They were fast out of the blocks, scoring converted tries to Ma’a Nonu (5th minute), Chris Masoe (10th), Conrad Smith (16th) and Nonu again (21st) to leave the Bulls reeling and turn the intimidating Loftus Versfeld Stadium into an amphitheatre of destruction. Nonu punched through a hole in midfield for his first try and collected his double with a 50-metre intercept try under the posts to complete the onslaught.?

2009 Hurricanes 56 v Brumbies 7, Wellington

The Hurricanes registered their widest margin of victory against Australian opposition and the most number of points against the Australians until 2012’s 66-24 thumping of the Rebels (see below) The Hurricanes made it an ANZAC Day to remember with a scintillating performance, backs and forwards combining?well in scoring?several truly memorable tries. After conceding the game's first try to the Brumbies, the Hurricanes stormed to a 25-7 lead inside the opening half hour?and grabbed a four-try bonus point before halftime. Tries to Zac Guildford (2), Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Tamati Ellison, David Smith, Faifili Levave and Victor Vito gave them a historic third consecutive win over against the Brumbies. It was also their 50th Super Rugby win on home territory.

2009 Hurricanes 45 v Blues 27, Wellington

The Hurricanes maintained a mid-season revival with this high scoring six tries to four victory over the Blues. It was also their fourth consecutive win in 2009 that had started with a 28-27 last minute edging out of the Force in Perth, and their third win a row at home since returning from South Africa and Australia. The Hurricanes scored five tries and raced to a 35-8 lead inside the first half hour through converted tries to fullback Tamati Ellison (2), centre Conrad Smith, second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu and openside flanker Scott Waldrom. The Blues came back to score two tries themselves before halftime and then another immediately after the break to close the gap to 35-20. But the Hurricanes held their composure and pulled clear over the final quarter with another converted try to Ma'a Nonu and a Willie Ripia penalty.

2012 Hurricanes 66 v Rebels 24, Wellington

The Hurricanes scored their most number of points in a Super Rugby match in routing the Rebels. Left wing Julian Savea scored a hat trick, fullback Andre Taylor and right wing Alapati Leuia scored two tries each and first five-eighth Beauden Barrett kicked all his 10 shots on goal as the Hurricanes surpassed their previous highest Super Rugby score of 64-32 against Northern Transvaal (now the Bulls) in New Plymouth in 1997.The Hurricanes scored five tries in the first half to take a 38-17 lead into halftime, Savea scoring two, fullback Taylor, right wing Leiua and openside flanker Jack Lam all crossing.The Rebels led 10-3 early, but after that it was all one-way traffic for the Hurricanes, whose hard hitting defence was also a feature of the match. The Hurricanes outscored the Rebels four tries to one in the second half.

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An earlier version of this article was first published offline in 2010, in a Hurricanes match-day programme.

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