Hurricanes v Blues Stat Attack

Round 3 v Blues: Lost 29-33

The Hurricanes and the Blues have now met 43 times. The Hurricanes have won 20 matches to the Blues 22.

There was a draw in Wellington in 2004.

The first-ever Super Rugby match was played between the Hurricanes and the Blues at Palmerston North on 1 March 1996, exactly 29 years ago to the day. The Blues also won that match with a similar score-line: 36-28.

In their three matches played so far this season the Hurricanes have conceded 33 points against the Crusaders, 34 points against the Fijian Drua and 33 points against the Blues. In each match they conceded five tries.

This match was the Hurricanes 50th loss in 163 home matches played in Wellington. Seven of those losses were at the old Athletic Park and 43 were at Westpac/Sky Stadium.

The Hurricanes have now conceded 399 tries in 153 matches played at Westpac/Sky Stadium. They have scored 597 tries on this ground.

The Hurricanes have conceded 250 (now 251) tries against all New Zealand sides at home venues. The Blues have scored 73 tries, the Chiefs 64 tries, the Crusaders 65 tries and the Highlanders 49 tries.

Of the 1,421 tries the Hurricanes have scored in all matches, 417 have been scored by the forwards and there have been five penalty tries awarded. This means the backs are currently sitting on a total of 999 tries between them.

The penalty try conceded by the Hurricanes is their eighth seven-pointer in all matches and third against the Blues (in 2020, 2021 and 2025).

Three Hurricanes players, Kade Banks, Raymond Tuputupu and Peter Lakai were sent for HIA tests. The first two named failed.

Kade Banks made his debut for the Hurricanes after having played one match for the Blues in 2024. He has become Hurricanes #321.

Five players have made their debut for the Hurricanes this season but after three matches just 25 players have been used.

Two of the Hurricanes players, Xavier Numia and Pouri Rakete-Stones were awarded yellow cards. It was Numia’s first in 64 Super Rugby matches.

The Hurricanes made five changes to their starting XV from that which appeared against the Fijian Drua in the previous round. There was one change in the backs and four in the forwards.

This Round was nominated as the Culture Round and the Hurricanes performed their haka. The haka, Te Ara a Tawhiri, was led by Isaia Walker-Leawere.

Harry Godfrey scored his third try for the Hurricanes and also kicked 19 points with the boot to give him 24 points in the match. This is by far his best haul in the 14 matches he has appeared in to date and betters his former best total of 13 points which he scored in the previous match against the Fijian Drua.

Godfrey scored the first 19 points against the Blues and the last seven points against the Fijian Drua meaning he actually scored 26 consecutive points for the Hurricanes.

He has also established a new points record for a Hurricanes player in a match against the Blues. His 24 points are one more than the 23 (one conversion and seven penalties) scored by Jamie Cameron in the first-ever match between the two sides in 1996. Godfrey now sits on 49 points for the Hurricanes.

Kini Naholo scored his 15th try and his fourth for the Hurricanes against the Blues. He scored two in the match at Auckland in 2023 and one at Wellington last year.

The Blues scored five tries against the Hurricanes including a penalty try which was awarded in the 19th minute. Former Hurricanes player Ricky Riccitelli scored his second try against his old team. He is one of only two players who have scored a try for the Hurricanes against the Blues and for the Blues against the Hurricanes. Ma’a Nonu is the other player.

Cameron Suafoa scored his first try against the Hurricanes.

Hoskins Sotutu dotted down for his third try against the Hurricanes. In 2023 he scored one in each of the two matches which were played that year.

Mark Tele’a scored his ninth try against the Hurricanes. His previous eight had been scored in 2020 (one), 2021 (one), 2023 (four in the match at Auckland) and one in each of the two matches played in 2024. Tele’a is one short of equalling Doug Howlett’s Blues record of 10 tries against the Hurricanes. The Blues received two yellow cards but the one awarded to Hoskins Sotutu was upgraded to red before the match finished.

Angus Gardner controlled his 16th match which involved the Hurricanes. Of the first 10 matches he was in charge the Hurricanes won nine. They have won just once in the last six matches including losing the last four in succession.

Overall, the Hurricanes have now played 410 Super Rugby matches. They have won 236 (57.6%), lost 168 and  drawn six.