Hurricanes v Highlanders Stat Attack

Round 14 v Highlanders: Won 24-20

The Hurricanes have now met the Highlanders on 44 occasions for 29 wins, 15 losses and no draws.

Those 29 wins are the most by the Hurricanes against all other Super Rugby sides. The Chiefs are the next most beaten side: 24 times.

The Hurricanes have now won their last nine matches in a row against the Highlanders. The Highlanders last win was at Dunedin in 2020 (38-21). They last won at Wellington (21-14) in the Final of 2015.

The Hurricanes also have a sequence of nine successive wins against the Blues (2015 to 2019) but their best run of consecutive victories is 12, against the Rebels between 2012 and 2024. They have beaten the Force 10 times in a row between 2008 and 2021 and the Reds nine times in succession from 2014 to 2024.

The Highlanders have lost their last nine matches played at Wellington.

The Hurricanes have played the Highlanders at home venues on 22 occasions and won 16 times to equal their record for most wins at home against any side. They have also beaten the Chiefs 16 times at a home venue.

This win against the Highlanders brought up the Hurricanes 50th victory at home venues against all other New Zealand sides. In addition to the above they have also beaten the Blues 10 times and the Crusaders eight times.

The Hurricanes and the Highlanders met earlier in the season during Round 5 at Dunedin where the Hurricanes prevailed 20-18 after trailing 8-11 at halftime. In this match they were down 7-14 at the break.

The Hurricanes have won three matches in a row for the first time this season. This sequence was preceded by a drawn match.

The Hurricanes have scored 24 points in a match on 12 occasions for just four wins. Before this match they  had lost the previous seven in a row when scoring 24 points. This was the first time they scored “two dozen” points against the Highlanders.

For the fourth match in a row no forward scored a try for the Hurricanes. This sequence is rare and the last time it occurred was in the last four matches of 2003. The record for successive matches where a forward failed to cross the line was in 2001 when in seven outings all 20 tries were scored by the backs.

The Highlanders scored two tries, the 50th and 51st conceded by the Hurricanes at a home venue against that side. The second try brought up the Highlanders 100th try against the Hurricanes. They are the fifth side to reach the milestone after the Crusaders (154 tries), the Blues (139), the Chiefs (117) and the Brumbies (108). Next on the list are the Waratahs with 85 tries.

The Hurricanes three tries took their total against the Highlanders to 141: just one short of the record 142  against the Chiefs.

The Hurricanes have now conceded 7000 points in all matches (302) played in New Zealand. The total sits on 7007.

The Hurricanes had a bye (their second of the season), as did the Highlanders in the previous round.

The Hurricanes made four changes to their starting line-up against the Highlanders from their previous match against the Chiefs. There was one change in the backs and three in the forwards.

Bailyn Sullivan scored his 14th try in his 45th match. He also scored a try against the Highlanders in 2022.

In scoring his try Sullivan may have achieved something no other player has done in Super Rugby. It will be  remembered he scored all of the Hurricanes four tries in their previous match against the Chiefs and so he actually scored five in a row, albeit over two matches.

Two players have scored a record five tries in the same match but they were not scored consecutively.

Sullivan later left the field for a HIA which he failed.

Cameron Roigard scored his 16th and 17th tries in his 44th appearance for the Hurricanes. It was the third time he has scored a double in a match. Roigard also scored in Round 5 against the Highlanders and had previously also touched down in 2023 and 2024.

Ruben Love’s nine points take his total in 40 matches to 83.

In the previous match against the Chiefs, Love and Sullivan between them had scored all 35 points. In this match Sullivan opened the scoring with a try which was converted by Love. This means the two combined to score 42 consecutive points before another player made a contribution.

Two players who were listed on the Hurricanes bench did not enter the field of play. They were Hugo Plummer (who was a last-minute replacement for Will Tucker) and Ereatara Enari.

Brett Cameron made his first appearance of the season, off the bench. He took the number of Hurricanes players this season to 36.

The Hurricanes again had four co-captains listed for this match: three who started and one who was on the  bench. The combination of those who started, Asafo Aumua, Brad Shields and Billy Proctor, had not been used before.

Jonah Lowe scored both of the Highlanders tries. They were his first against his former team. Lowe played four matches for the Hurricanes over three years between 2018 and 2020.