Hurricanes v Crusaders Stat Attack (last round in Christchurch)

When the Hurricanes played the Crusaders in Wellington a month ago. They return home this Friday to host the Brumbies in their quarter-final encounter. 

By Peter Marriott.

Round 16 v Crusaders: Lost 14-47

Despite losing the match the Hurricanes still finished the regular season in first place with 55 points, four more than the Chiefs in second place. Both sides won 11 matches and lost three. The Crusaders who finished third on the table won eight and lost six of their 14 matches.

The Hurricanes finished top of the Standings for the fourth time: they had previously done so in 2015 (lost the Final to the Highlanders), 2016 (beat the Lions in the Final to win the competition) and in 2024 (lost their Semi-final against the Chiefs).

This match was the 49th between the Hurricanes and the Crusaders. The Crusaders have now won 31 times to the Hurricanes 16. There have been two drawn matches.

The Hurricanes have played more matches against the Crusaders than they have against any other side: they have played the Chiefs 48 times.

The Hurricanes maintained their dominance over all of their rivals scoring the most tries (86: the Chiefs were in second place with 75), the fewest tries conceded (44: Brumbies 48), the most points aggregated (562: the Chiefs 515) and the fewest points conceded (298: the Chiefs 325).

In addition the Hurricanes boast the two top try scorers: Fehi Fineanganofo 16 and Josh Moorby 13 (the Forces Carlo Tizzano is next with 10) but the bestthey can muster in terms of total points scored is Ruben Love’s 86 which put him in sixth place on the list. This total would probably have been more than the top points scorer Ryan Lonergan’s 105 points if Love had played  in more matches. Lonergan appeared in all 14 matches for the Brumbies whilst Love played only nine timesfor the Hurricanes. The other Hurricanes place kickers (Jordie Barrett and Callum Harkin) racked up 53 points off the boot between them.

The Crusaders have hosted the Hurricanes 26 times now: the home side has won 18 matches to the Hurricanes seven. There was a draw in 1999.

This was the first time the Hurricanes had played the Crusaders at their new home, One New Zealand Stadium, and was the third different ground they have played on in Christchurch. There has been one match played outside Christchurch: in 2015 at Trafalgar Park in Nelson.

This Hurricanes loss followed their 38-31 win against the Crusaders at Wellington earlier in Round 12.

The Hurricanes suffered their second highest loss to the Crusaders, the margin of 33 points bettered by the 40 points at the old Jade Stadium at Christchurch in 2005 when the visitors lost 7-47.

The losing margin of 33 points is the Hurricanes worst since they lost 10-52 (42 points) to the Brumbies at Canberra in 2016.

That losing margin has been “bettered” four times, the worst being the difference of 53 points in the Hurricanes 7-60 loss against the Blues at Wellington in 2002.

The Crusaders 47 points equals their highest score against the Hurricanes in a home match: the 47-7 win as mentioned above. However, the Crusaders record highest score in all matches against the Hurricanes is their 48-20 win at Wellington in 2002.

The 47 points against the Hurricanes are the most points they have conceded in any match since beating the Waratahs 64-48 at Sydney in 2021. The Hurricanes played 78 matches in the interim.

The Hurricanes have conceded 47 points in a match six times. They have actually won once: 50-47 against the Cheetahs at Bloemfontein in 2011.

The 14 points scored by the Hurricanes are their fewest since their narrow 14-10 win against the Crusaders at Christchurch in 2023.

The Hurricanes have scored 14 points in a match 14 times and their only win when scoring that total was against the Crusaders (14-10) at Christchurch two years ago.

The Hurricanes made 11 changes to the starting line-up from that which had started in the previous match against the Highlanders.  There were four in the backs and seven in the forwards.

Brad Shields scored his 15th try in his 139th Super rugby match. It was his third against the Crusaders. He has scored more tries against that side than any other: two each against the Force, Sunwolves and Waratahs.

It was also a record 14th start against another side, one more than the 13 he has started against the Chiefs. Shields was the sole captain for the 27th time since first taking the reins back in April 2017.

Pouri Rakete-Stones scored the Hurricanes other try: his third in his 60th match. It was his first try against the Crusaders.

Callum Harkin converted both tries for four points which took his total in 2026 to 31. In 22 matches for the Hurricanes he has now scored 45 points.

Tyrel Lomax returned for just his second match of the season. His last appearance was against the Force in Round 5: he missed nine matches in the interim.

Three players made their debut for the Hurricanes in this match. They all started and in alphabetical order they were Taniela Filimone, Cooper Flanders and Josh Timu.

Filimone (Hurricanes Player #333) had previously played five matches for the Highlanders in 2025. Cooper Flanders (Hurricanes Player #334) made his Super Rugby debut. He is the brother of Devan who did not play in this match. Cooper and Devan are the 13th set of brothers to play for the Hurricanes. The others are: (please bear with me while I uncover them!): Beauden and Jordie Barrett, Jacob and Tamati Ellison, Bryn and Gareth Evans, Ben and Owen Franks, Jonah and Karl Lowe, Matua and Reuben Parkinson, Billy and Matt Proctor, Ardie and Julian Savea, Andy and Gordon Slater, Ace and Filo Tiatia, James and Will Tucker and Scott and Thomas Waldrom. (I hope I have not missed any).

Josh Timu (Hurricanes Player #335) had previously played eight matches for the Sunwolves in 2019 and 10 for the Highlanders between 2022 and 2024.

These three took the number of Hurricanes debutants this season to 10 and a total of 42 different players who have made at least one appearance in 2026. This total has only been exceeded by the 50 who appeared during 2022.

Josh Moorby was replaced in the 51st minute: the first time this season he has not played the entire match.

Despite that, and missing Round 14 against the Blues, he still holds the team record for the number of minutes spent on the field (1016 minutes), well ahead of Fehi Fineanganofo who has missed the last two matches but has racked up 913 minutes of playing time.

Moorby also failed to score a try having done so in each of his previous five matches.

Josh Moorby was replaced by Bailyn Sullivan who appeared in his 50th match for the Hurricanes. He is the 73rd to reach this milestone and the sixth player this year. In order the previous five were Cameron Roigard, Ruben Love, Caleb Delany, Pasilio Tosi and Josh Moorby.

As a matter of interest, of the six Love made his debut in 2021, two matches ahead of Roigard whilst the other four all debuted in 2022. Moorby of course did not play in 2025.

Before joining the Hurricanes Sullivan had made eight appearances for the Chiefs between 2018 and 2021.

The next Hurricanes player to reach the 50-match milestone should be Peter Lakai who currently sits on 48 appearances. With at least two matches remaining for the Hurricanes, he may well bring up his 50th this season.

Arese Poliko made his first start for the Hurricanes, in his second appearance for the franchise. He had made his debut in the Hurricanes first match of the season against Moana Pasifika.

Tom Allen and Matolu Petaia also appeared in their second-ever match for the Hurricanes. Both have yet to start a match.

After being on the winning side in all of his previous nine matches, Jordi Viljoen had his first experience of being on the losing side. It was his first match against the Crusaders.

It was Viljoen’s fifth match this year, one more than the record four he had played in his debut year in 2024.

Lucas Cashmore played for the first time against the Crusaders.

Sevu Reece scored the first try for the Crusaders, and the last one. He has now scored eight against the Hurricanes which is a new Crusaders record for most tries by an individual against them. He passes Dan Carter and Richie Mo’unga who both scored seven tries.

Reece scored two tries in the Semi-final of 2019 at Christchurch, one each in the two matches played at Wellington and Christchurch in 2020, one at Wellington in 2021, another at Christchurch in 2025 and two more in this round. He kicked a conversion for good measure to go with his drop goal against the Brumbies last year at Canberra, the match won 33-31 by the Crusaders.

The two tries have extended Reece’s Super Rugby record for most tries scored to 73.

By the way Reece also became the 26th player to bring up 100 matches for the Crusaders.

Noah Hotham scored his second try against the Hurricanes: his first was scored earlier in Round 12.

Manumaua Letiu and Christian Lio-Willie both scored their first try against the Hurricanes.

Kyle Preston’s try was his fourth against the Hurricanes. He scored a hat-trick on debut last year in Round 1.

Johnny McNicholl scored his third try against the Hurricanes 12 years and 62 days after scoring a “pair” at Christchurch in 2014.

The Crusaders seven tries equals their record against the Hurricanes: they also scored seven at Wellington in 2002 when they beat the hosts 48-20.

Taha Kemara kicked 10 points to go with the five he kicked earlier in Round 12. When added to the 10 points he scored last year he now has a total of 25 against the Hurricanes.

Cooper Roberts made his Super Rugby debut to make it “two Coopers” new to Super Rugby in this match!

Nic Berry had the whistle for the second time in a Hurricanes match this season and third time involving both sides. It was his 19th match in charge of the Hurricanes. All three matches against the Crusaders have been lost by the Hurricanes but overall they have won 12 and lost seven.

There were a  couple of incidents during the match which had no influence on how the game was played.

The first was the smoke haze left after the fireworks display at half-time and the second was Christian Lio-Willie who changed his jersey for the second half: he wore #25.

The Hurricanes have now played 436 Super Rugby matches. They have won 254 (58.3%), lost 175 and drawn seven.

The Crusaders have played 461 Super Rugby matches for 324 wins (70.3%), 129 losses and eight draws.

The Hurricanes (finishing in position No 1) play the Brumbies (Position No 6) in their Qualifying Final match at Hnry Stadium on Friday 5 June.