Hurricanes v Crusaders Stat Attack

Above: Peter Lakai about to pass to Josh Moorby to run in and scored the 650th try at Wellington Stadium, against the Crusaders this past Friday. Photo: Kinetic Images.

Moorby remains the only player to have been on the field for every minute played by the Hurricanes in 2026: 805 minutes. And he, along with Jordie Barrett and Fehi Fineanganofo, are the only ones to have started in all 10 matches played so far.

Moorby (who has played 48 matches) will more than likely bring up his 50th appearance in the next couple of matches or so. Others who could do so too this season are Caleb Delany (48 matches), Pasilio Tosi (47), Peter Lakai (46) and Bailyn  Sullivan (46).

In association with Hurricanes statistics compiler Peter Marriott, the Stat Attack returns in 2026. Facts and figures from the Hurricanes’ win over the Crusaders in Wellington on Friday night below.

Round 12 v Crusaders: Won 38-31

This was the 48th meeting between the Hurricanes and the Crusaders.

The Hurricanes have now won 16 times to the Crusaders 30. There have been two drawn matches: in 1999 (Christchurch) and 2010 (Wellington). This match equalled the Hurricanes record for most matches played against any side: they have also played 48 matches against the Chiefs (for 24 wins, 22 losses and two draws).

The Hurricanes have now hosted the Crusaders 22 times at home venues including 20 in Wellington and one each in New Plymouth and Napier. The Hurricanes home ground in Wellington between 1996 and 1999 was Athletic Park but the Crusaders never played there and neither did the Chiefs for that matter.

Before the match the Hurricanes had aggregated 999 points against the Crusaders. The total now stands at 1037. They have scored 1000 points against all of the other New Zealand sides as follows: 1188 against the Highlanders, 1161 against the Chiefs and 1143 against the Blues. The Brumbies are next on the list having conceded 966 points to the Hurricanes.

The Crusaders have scored 31 points in each of their last two matches against the Hurricanes. Last year their 31 points were enough to beat the Hurricanes 31-24.

The Hurricanes 38-31 win against the Crusaders is their second highest score after beating them 41-29 at Jade Stadium (formerly Lancaster Park) on 31 March 2001. It has taken the Hurricanes 25 years (plus an April) to surpass that score.

This was the 14th time the Hurricanes have scored 38 points in a match. They have lost just once: 38-47 against the Cheetahs at Wellington in 2012. Brad Shields and current assistant coach Cory Jane both started in that match.

The Hurricanes have won all of their five home matches in 2026. In fact they have won eight in a row stretching back to their 24-31 loss (to the Crusaders) at the then named Sky Stadium on 11 April 2025.

The 31 points scored by the Crusaders in this year’s match are the most conceded by the Hurricanes in any match played in 2026. The next highest total is their 20-25 defeat to the Fijian Drua at Lautoka in Round 3.

The Hurricanes five tries equalled their record for most tries scored in a match against the Crusaders. They had previously achieved this three times but not since their win at Addington in 2016. It was the second time in Wellington but the previous occasion had been way back in 2004.

This was the 162nd Super Rugby match played at Hnry Stadium (I will refrain from mentioning the previous names it was known by) and during the match the Hurricanes brought up 5000 points on the ground. The total now stands at 5011 made up of 653 tries, 463 conversions, 269 penalties and two drop goals. One of the three tries was a five-pointer and two were seven-pointers.

For the fourth match in a row the Hurricanes starting back-line was exactly the same. There were four changes in the forwards from those who started in the previous match against the Brumbies.

At the end of this round the Hurricanes returned to the top of the Standings having spent the previous two weeks in second place. They are still in first place for most tries scored (62) and fewest conceded (26) as well as having aggregated the most points (406) and conceded the fewest (182). Fehi Fineanganofo is the top try-scorer with 15, six ahead of his nearest rival. Amazingly he is the Hurricanes top point scorer with 75 points and in fifth place for most points scored, just nine behind the Forces Ben Donaldson who is in first place with 84 points.

Du’Plessis Kirifi scored his 13th try in his 101st match. It was his second against the Crusaders. He had gone

20 matches since scoring his last try: against the Fijian Drua at Napier in February last year.

Kirifi’s try was the 450th to be scored in this year’s competition.

Josh Moorby’s try was his 29th in 48 Super Rugby matches. His tally against the Crusaders is now three. For the first time in his career he has scored tries in three successive matches.

Cameron Roigard now has 25 tries in 57 appearances for the Hurricanes. Two have been against the Crusaders.

Raymond Tuputupu scored his third try in his 20th match. It was his first against the Crusaders.

Tuputupu’s try was the Hurricanes 550th try to be scored against all other New Zealand sides. The total now stands on 551.

Fehi Fineanganofo dotted down for another inevitable try and now has 21 in just 22 appearances for the Hurricanes. It was his first try against the Crusaders, in his third match against them.

He has scored 15 tries this year, in 10 matches, and is just one try short of equalling the Super Rugby record for most tries scored by an individual in one season. That record of 16 is held by former Hurricane Ben Lam who played in all 18 matches in 2018. I should mention here Ngani Laumape also scored 16 tries, in 2017, for the Hurricanes but one of his was against the touring British & Irish Lions team.

It has been reported in the press the current record is shared by Joe Roff who supposedly scored 16 for the Brumbies in 1997. However, in all authoritative Rugby Almanacks etc (Australian, New Zealand and South African) Roff has been credited with “only” 15 tries.

Fehi Fineanganofo putting the feelers out for another try. 

Ruben Love played his 50th match for the Hurricanes. He is the 69th player to reach that milestone. He kicked 13 points in the match and now has a total of 18 against the Crusaders. (he scored a try in the match played in 2022). In all Super Rugby matches Love has scored 180 points.

Of his 50 appearances, Love has started in 41 of them (19 times in the #10 jersey and 22 times in the #15 jersey. He has been a substitute on nine occasions.

Ruben Love turned 25 three days before the match.

After having started each of the previous nine matches, Devan Flanders was a substitute for the first time this season.

Playing the Crusaders and beating them has been difficult in recent years for Hurricanes players. Of the team who played in this match Warner Dearns, Siale Lauaki and Jone Rova can claim victory in their first appearance against them. For Ereatara Enari, Fehi Fineanganofo, Callum Harkin and Raymond Tuputupu it was their first win after several failed earlier attempts. The Hurricanes most successful players of the current squad, those who have beaten the Crusaders the most times, are Brad Shields (eight times in 15 appearances) and Jordie Barrett (five times also in 15 appearances). They, of course, have played many more matches against the Crusaders than all of their team-mates.

Interestingly Brett Cameron, who is currently injured, and who left the Crusaders to join the Hurricanes, won both of the matches he has played against his old team.

Two of the Hurricanes players namely Ereatara Enari (nine matches between 2017 and 2021) and Jone Rova (three matches in 2024), had previously played for the Crusaders.

Leicester Fainga’anuku scored the first points of the match, his fifth try against the Hurricanes. He had previously touched down three times during the neutral match played at Dunedin in 2022 and once at Wellington in 2023.

Fainga’anuku is one of just three players who have scored a hat-trick against the Hurricanes. The others are Scott Hamilton (at Christchurch in 2005) and Kyle Preston (also at Christchurch, last year).

The other try scorers, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana and Dominic Gardiner, all scored for the first time against the Hurricanes.

Reihana also kicked three conversions to give him 11 points in the match.

Taha Kemara kicked five points to add to the 10 points he kicked in the two matches he played in last year.

Captain David Havili appeared in his 150th match for the Crusaders. He made his debut in 2015 and has played in every year since then. One of his appearances was against the British & Irish Lions in 2017 so his record includes 149 Super Rugby matches.

Havili has scored four tries against the Hurricanes in 17 appearances against them and is one of only three Crusaders players who have dropped a goal against the franchise.

James Doleman refereed his second game this season which involved the Hurricanes and his 18th overall. He has been in charge of four Hurricanes/Crusaders matches and the record now stands at three wins to one in favour of the Hurricanes.

A few days after the match against the Crusaders it was revealed Devan Flanders would be leaving the Hurricanes at the end of the season. Previously Fehi Fineanganofo, Riley Higgins, Pouri Rakete-Stones and Isaia Walker-Leawere had all advised they would also be leaving after 2026 and Warner Dearns, who is on a one-year contract, will be returning to Japan.

The Hurricanes have played 432 Super Rugby matches. They have won 251 (58.1%), lost 174 and drawn seven.

The Crusaders have played 458 Super Rugby matches for 321 wins (70.1%), 129 losses and eight draws.