Hurricanes v Highlanders Stat Attack

Round 6 v Highlanders: Won 50-7

The Hurricanes first met the Highlanders at the old Carisbrook in Dunedin in Round 5 in the first year (1996) of Super Rugby. The Highlanders provided the Hurricanes with their first win against a New Zealand side: (44-15).

The two sides have now played 45 times. The Hurricanes have won 30 and the Highlanders 15. They have never drawn a match (the only New Zealand side the Hurricanes have not drawn against) although 18 matches have been decided by five points or fewer.

The Hurricanes have won their last 10 encounters on the trot against the Highlanders. The Highlanders are the fourth side the Hurricanes have a winning sequence of 10 or more matches against. Between 2008 and 2021 the Force lost 10 in a row to the Hurricanes and between 2014 and 2025 (this sequence is on-going) the Reds have been beaten 10 times in succession. However, the Hurricanes record for most consecutive wins against any side is 12: against the Rebels between 2012 and 2024. After losing the first-ever encounter the Hurricanes never lost another match and the Rebels withdrew from the Super Rugby competition at the end of 2024.

The Hurricanes have played the Highlanders 23 times away from home for 14 wins (including the last six matches in a row) and nine losses.

The Hurricanes last loss to the Highlanders was at Dunedin in 2020: (21-38).

The Hurricanes reached 50 points in a match for the 27th time: this was the third occasion against the

Highlanders. It was the fifth time they have scored exactly 50 points and the third time this year (in five matches) they have brought up 50 points or more.

The Highlanders registered their second lowest score ever against the Hurricanes. The record is still their 6-10 defeat at Carisbrook in 2008.

The Hurricanes kept the Highlanders scoreless in the second half for the fifth time. The previous four occasions were in 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2024.

The Hurricanes 43 point winning margin is their new best against the Highlanders. Previously it was 36 points in their 56-20 win at Napier in 2015. Of the current squad only Brad Shields appeared in that match and he went on as a substitute. And by sheer coincidence, it was his 50th match for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes scored eight tries in a match against the Highlanders for the second time. This is one short of their record nine scored in 1997 at the old Athletic Park when the home side ran out the winner by a record score of 60-34.

In all matches the Hurricanes have scored 149 tries against the Highlanders. This is a new record for most tries against a New Zealand side. Their previous record was 142 against the Chiefs. Other records were established in this match against the Highlanders: most conversions (103, previously 100 against the Chiefs) and most points (1188, previously 1144 against the Chiefs).

The Hurricanes have now also scored 250 tries in all away matches against New Zealand sides whilst having conceded 251.

The Highlanders brought up exactly 50 tries against the Hurricanes in home matches and they have scored 51  in away matches. The Highlanders 101 tries added to the Hurricanes 149 brings the aggregate between the two sides to 250.

During the match the Hurricanes also brought up 12,000 points in Super Rugby. They now sit on 12,024 and average 28.2 points per match.

The Hurricanes made seven changes to their starting XV from that which started the previous week against the Force. Two changes were in the backs and five in the forwards.

For the fourth time in five matches this season, the Hurricanes made no attempt to kick a penalty goal.

The Hurricanes remain at the top of the Standings from last week. They have 20 points, the same as the Blues, but they are top by virtue of the fact they have a better differential: +128 points to +70.

Fehi Fineanganofo picked up his first hat-trick in Super Rugby to take his haul of tries in 17 appearances to 12.

They were his first against the Highlanders. He has also scored two tries in a match three times including against Moana Pasifika in Round 2 this season.

Fineanganofo’s three tries equals the Hurricanes record for most tries in a match against the Highlanders: he shares the record with Tana Umaga (Wellington 1997), Jordie Barrett (Dunedin 2021) and Salesi Rayasi (Wellington 2024).

Cameron Roigard scored his 21st and 22nd try in his 52nd match for the Hurricanes. He has now scored seven tries against the Highlanders, equal with Ma’a Nonu and one short of TJ Perenara’s record eight tries. Roigard’s tries have been scored in five successive matches starting with the match at Dunedin in 2023. He also scored a pair against the Highlanders at Wellington last year. This was the fourth time he has scored two tries in a match.

Devan Flanders now has 11 tries in 61 matches for the Hurricanes. It was his third against the Highlanders. His first two tries in Super Rugby were both against the Highlanders: in 2020 and 2021. Very shortly after scoring his try Flanders left the field for an HIA, which he failed.

Peter Lakai’s try was his 11th in his 41st match. It was his second try against the Highlanders. Lakai has scored a try in each of his last three matches this season.

Bailyn Sullivan scored his 17th try in 45 matches for the Hurricanes. (He also has one for the Chiefs). It was his third try against the Highlanders.

Sullivan’s first try for the Hurricanes was on debut at Forsyth Barr Stadium but not against the Highlanders. It was against the Crusaders in their very first match of the new-look Super Rugby Pacific in 2022.

Ruben Love’s 10 points (five conversions) took his total in 45 matches for the Hurricanes to 131 points. This includes 24 points against the Highlanders. Love made his debut against the Highlanders at Dunedin in 2021.

Brad Shields appeared in his 132nd Super Rugby match and now lies in fourth place on the all-time list ofmost matches played for the Hurricanes. He has passed Ardie Savea who played in 131 matches and is behind TJ Perenara (163 matches), Julian Savea (152) and Dane Coles (141).

Xavier Numia was awarded his side’s second yellow card of the season. It was fortuitous while he was off the field for 10 minutes as no points were scored by the Highlanders. This was Numia’s 81st match for the Hurricanes and he was on the winning side for the 50th time.

For this match Du’Plessis Kirifi was nominated as a Co-Captain with Jordie Barrett although Kirifi was listed on the substitute bench.

Vernon Bason made his Super Rugby debut off the bench when he replaced Asafo Aumua in the 66th minute.  Bason became Hurricane Number #330. He is the fifth debutant in 2026 and took the number of players to have made an appearance in the first five matches to 35.

Bason was the 22nd Hurricanes player to make his debut against the Highlanders and the seventh to do so against them in Dunedin.

Others who made their first appearance against the Highlanders were Warner Dearns, Siale Lauaki and Hugo Plummer. Ereatara Enari had previously represented the Crusaders and Moana Pasifika against the Highlanders.

Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens scored his second try against the Hurricanes. The first was also at Dunedin in 2024.

The Highlanders could have had a second try in the 28th minute when Jonah Lowe was awarded an on-field try. However, it was overturned when TMO footage showed the ball had been knocked on by another player, namely Folau Fakatava.

Reesjan Pasitoa scored his first points against the Hurricanes, a conversion.

Veveni Lasaqa was awarded a yellow card in the 61st minute. The Hurricanes scored 17 points in the 10minutes he was off the field.

Lasaqa was one of four Highlanders players who had previously played for the Hurricanes. The others were Te Kamaka (TK) Howden, Jonah Lowe and Hugh Renton. Between the four of them they had made 23 appearances.

Angus Gardner was in charge of a new record 20th Super Rugby match involving the Hurricanes. He previously shared the record of 19 with fellow-Australian Stuart Dickinson, New Zealand’s Glen Jackson and Jonathan Kaplan from South Africa. Gardner’s first Hurricanes match was against the Cheetahs at Wellington on 15 March 2014. Of the 20 matches the Hurricanes have won 13 and lost seven. This was Gardner’s second Hurricanes/Highlanders match.

In the 68th minute Angus Gardner appeared to be badly hurt when he was knocked over by the Highlanders Hugh Renton. After a fairly lengthy stoppage he was able to resume.

The Hurricanes have now played 427 Super Rugby matches. They have won 247 (57.8%), lost 173 and drawn seven.

By comparison the Highlanders have played 421 Super Rugby matches. They have won 194 (46.1%), lost 223 and drawn four.

Over the past five seasons the Highlanders have played 64 matches for just 20 wins. That represents a rate of just 31.3%. During the same period the Hurricanes played 66 matches for 42 wins: a success rateof 63.6%.