Hurricanes magic matches 1996 ? 2005

Above: the programme for the Hurricanes’ 28-22 win over the Crusaders in 2000, their first ever Super Rugby win over them

Continuing our Hurricanes rugby series as the Investec Super Rugby season gets underway, here’s ten magic matches, home and away, from the first 10 years of the competition.

The Hurricanes’ first ever win in Super Rugby. It took three matches for the Hurricanes to register their first win in the all-new professional showpiece competition, following a first-up 28-36 loss to the Blues in the opener at Palmerston North and a 28-35 defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra in round two. With Super 12 fever gripping the region, the Hurricanes were particularly anxious to join the winner’s circle for the first time against Transvaal and did so with tries to fullback Christian Cullen, centre Alama Ieremia, wing Tana Umaga and prop and captain Mark Allen. Cullen starred, setting up Allen’s try with a scything run and scoring his try after bursting through the advantage and chipping ahead. First five-eighth Jamie Cameron succeeded with five of seven shots at goal. The Hurricanes went on win two more games in the inaugural season.

1997 Hurricanes 42 v Blues 45, Auckland

As far as inglorious losses in the overall history of the Super Rugby competition, this one is still right up there, the Hurricanes falling by just three points in a spectacular 11-try top of the table thriller. Anticipation had reached fever pitch long before kick-off as the two sides prepared for this penultimate round clash set to likely decide home ground advantage for the semi-finals a fortnight later. The Hurricanes led 16-6 late in the first half after a try to skipper Mark Allen, But the Blues then laid on five tries in 10 minutes to lead 36-16 at halftime to seemingly have the winning of the game. The Hurricanes staged a rousing second half recovery and scored a further four tries themselves including two to Tana Umaga . It seemed at this point that the Hurricanes were about to steal an incredible win but the Blues hung on by a thread to record their 10th straight victory.

1999 Hurricanes 21 v Highlanders 19, Wellington

The Hurricanes misfired in 1999 and finished near the foot of the table. But they saved their best till last with a powerful win over the semi-final bound Highlanders in what was also the last ever Super 12 match on Athletic Park. Halfback Jason Spice was the individual hero, scoring the winning try, after the forwards had paved the way against an All Black-laden Highlanders pack. The win not only salvaged some pride for the Hurricanes but forced the Highlanders to change their travel arrangements for the playoffs. Spice’s try in the corner clinched victory after Josh Kronfeld had seemingly wrapped it up for the visitors, relegating the Highlanders to third and sending them to the international terminal for a plane to take them to Cape Town to play the second placed Stormers in their semi-final (which they won).

2000 Hurricanes 28 v Crusaders 22, Wellington

The Hurricanes delighted their fans with a first ever franchise win over the Crusaders in their last home game of the 2000 season at the new Stadium in Wellington. This round seven toppling of the defending champions and unbeaten Crusaders was built around the electrifying form of the back three - wings Tana Umaga and Jonah Lomu and fullback Christian Cullen. Cullen and Lomu scored twice each, while Umaga set up two of the four tries, including a superb flick pass to Lomu for his first try in the first minute of play. Umaga also saved the day just before halftime with a try saving tackle on Crusaders winger Caleb Ralph that proved crucial. This win kept the Hurricanes’ semi-final chances very much alive as they embarked on their last four games in Australia and South Africa.?

2001 Hurricanes 26 v Bulls 20, Wellington

With a poor away from home record and written off as probable wooden spooners (which they eventually were), the Bulls weren’t expected to trouble the Hurricanes in this second round fixture at Wellington. After all they had won just four of their previous 53 Super 12 games and had never won in New Zealand. But with a massive pack ready to out muscle the Hurricanes, statistics counted for nothing on the field. The two teams slogged it out for a good 70 minutes before suddenly springing to life. The Hurricanes had established a 26-8 lead through tries to prop Kevin Yates, lock Paul Tito and wing Jonah Lomu when the Bulls got a rush of blood in the last 10 minutes, scored two tries and closed to within a converted try of victory. There was an anxious end as the big Bulls pack rumbled up field once more but were beaten to the punch by the fulltime hooter.

2002 Hurricanes 22 v Reds 18, Palmerston North

A spirited Hurricanes side held on to defeat the Reds in a knife-edge clash at Palmerston North’s Showgrounds in 2002, the Hurricanes turning around a halftime deficit and only making sure of victory with a late penalty to first five-eighth David Holwell. The Reds led 11-9 at the break before Holwell’s fourth penalty of the match and a Rodney So’oilao try put the Hurricanes out to 19-11. Then a try to centre Daniel Herbert for the Reds closed the gap back up to one point with the clock winding down. This win for the Hurricanes completed a trifecta of nail-biters that weekend for New Zealand teams over Australian opposition, the Crusaders also edging the Brumbies 33-32 and the Blues pipping the Waratahs 22-20.

2003 Hurricanes 26 v Reds 23, Brisbane

Jonah Lomu withdrew from the Hurricanes squad pre-match citing his soon-to-be well documented kidney illness. No one knew it at the time but Lomu had played his final Super 12 match three weeks earlier against the Stormers in Wellington. The Hurricanes responded with an epic win against the Red at Ballymore, their fifth in succession, which became a franchise record in eight years of the Super 12. The Hurricanes set up their win with a converted try to skipper Tana Umaga late in the first half with the Reds a man down in the sin-bin, creating a 13-6 halftime lead. A post-halftime penalty and then a try to Christian Cullen try gave the Hurricanes a comfortable 17-point lead. But the Reds scored two tries and whittled it down to a just five points, the Hurricanes thus holding on for a courageous win.

2003 Hurricanes 37 v Highlanders 15, New Plymouth

This Hurricanes’ big win over the Highlanders at New Plymouth in 2003 was notable for being a record seventh victory on the trot, for setting up their place in the semi-finals with their bye plus two games to spare and for Ma’a Nonu nailing his debut selection in the All Blacks for the upcoming home Tests. Nonu scored two tries and was a constant threat as the Colin Cooper coached Hurricanes ended the night in second on the Super 12 points ladder and sealed their playoffs berth for just the second time after 1997. The Hurricanes won the toss and elected to play into a strong wind first up, conceding a 6-15 halftime lead. But with the elements at their back they blew the Highlanders away with 31 unanswered points in the second half to enjoy their bye the following weekend

Hooker Andrew Hore and wing/fullback Brent Ward were two bright lights in an underperforming Hurricanes season in 2004. With the team slumping to eleventh out of 12 on the table, Hore and Ward were two super-consistent players and also scored 14 tries between them - Hore six and ward eight. The Hurricanes were playing for pride only when they returned to Wellington to play the Crusaders after three straight overseas losses. But they saved their best until last, playing like a team possessed and comfortably defeating the Crusaders 37-20. Hore and Ward scored two tries each and delighted the sell-out crowd. Hore grabbed a first half double, while Ward scored one in the first half and then the match winner soon after the break that put the Hurricanes ahead 27-8.

Coming off a record 45-32 victory over the Cats in Johannesburg the previous week, the Hurricanes lived up to their pre-match favourites tag by grabbing their third successive win at the start of the 2005 Super 12, as well as their third win on the trot in Durban. The win became assured after a blitzkrieg of scoring post-halftime in which flanker Ben Herring and rookie first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth each scored tries to carry the Hurricanes to 29-9 after scores had been all square at 9-9 at the break. The Sharks came back to score two tries in the final 10 minutes and sniffed victory, but the clock was against them and the Hurricanes held on for a solid victory away from home. This win also set up a strong season, winning five of their next eight matches and making the semi-finals of the last ever Super 12 competition.