100th cap for Ben Bam May in Hurricanes opener

Captain Hurricane supports the team last year.

• By Peter Marriott and Steven White

Blenheim born Ben Bam May will play his 100th match for the Hurricanes in their 2022 season opener against the Crusaders on Saturday night in Dunedin.

It will actually be May’s 99th Super Rugby match as he played against the British & Irish Lions in 2017. He will be the 17th player to reach the milestone and he made his Hurricanes debut against the Stormers at Cape Town on 25 February 2012. He starts his 11th consecutive season for the Hurricanes.

Old Boys University’s May made his Super Rugby debut in 2007 for the Crusaders and also spent four seasons with the Chiefs between 2008-11.

May lines up on the Hurricanes bench, in a 23-player squad that includes three players on debut: starting lock Justin Sangster, reserve hooker Jacob Devery and substitute outside back Bailyn Sullivan.

The team is:

The two sides have previously met on 41 occasions. The Crusaders have won 26 times to the Hurricanes 13. Two matches have been drawn.

The Hurricanes have played the Crusaders more often than they have any other side.

The Hurricanes have won just one of their last nine matches against the Crusaders: at Christchurch on 25 July 2020. The score was 34-32 with Wes Goosen scoring two tries and Peter Umaga-Jensen the other. Jordie Barrett kicked two conversions and five penalties. TJ Perenara was the Captain.

The most recent match between the two sides was played at Wellington on 11 April last year  and with the full-time score tied at 27-27 the result was decided by “Golden Point”. David Havili dropped a goal two minutes into extra time to give the Crusaders the win 30-27.

The Hurricanes and the Crusaders will meet for the first time at a neutral ground. Of the Hurricanes nine previous visits to Forsyth Barr Stadium to play the Highlanders, they have won five and lost four. They beat them 30-19 on their last outing at the Stadium in March last year.

Forsyth Barr Stadium replaced Carisbrook as the home venue for the Highlanders in 2012 and ironically the Crusaders were the first side to play and lose at the ground (on 3 March), and the Hurricanes were the first New Zealand side to win at the ground (on 12 May).

The Hurricanes have scored 95 tries against the Crusaders at an average of 2.3 tries per match. They have aggregated 856 points at an average of 20.9 points per match.

The Crusaders have scored 130 tries against the Hurricanes at an average of 3.2 tries per match. They have aggregated 1144 points at an average of 27.9 points per match.

Last year the Hurricanes played 13 matches, in both Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman for six wins and seven losses.

The Crusaders played a total of 14 matches for 12 wins and just two losses. They were the Super Rugby Aotearoa Champions.

Jordie Barrett was the only Hurricanes player to start in all 13 matches last year. He was the top points scorer with 151 points.

Asafo Aumua was the Hurricanes top try scorer with six tries.

For the Crusaders Richie Mo’unga was last year’s top points scorer with 172 points.

Sevu Reece was their top try scorer with 11 tries.