'Saving the game in this country': Why Hurricanes must win Super Rugby Pacific

Ex-All Black Jeff Wilson believes the Hurricanes are providing the model example of how New Zealand should be playing the game in 2026.

The table-leading Hurricanes have built an attacking juggernaut in 2026 under coach Clark Laidlaw that is prolific when it comes to scoring points.

The are averaging 41.9 points per game, ranked first, and 6.4 tries a game, again ranked first in the competition, which has been the catalyst for a 10-2 record and the number one seed currently with two rounds to go.

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At a time where the All Blacks have lost some of the fear factor, Wilson believes the Hurricanes are “saving the game” in the New Zealand with their approach to playing, which is confident use of the ball when in hand, wanting to attack through phase play.

“I desperately want them to win Super Rugby,” Wilson told Sky Sport’s The Breakdown panel.

“I really do because they are saving the game in this country. They are, because they are playing the style of football that we should be playing, and should have been playing for the last few years.”

Wilson highlighted the craftiness and precision of Kini Naholo’s try against the Blues as an example that shows why the Hurricanes are a cut above everyone right now.

The level of detail in their play is unmatched by the other New Zealand Super Rugby teams at the moment.

“Their try that they scored, that Kini Naholo scored was just simply remarkable, how to manipulate and create space,” he said.

“The timing Mils, of everything, in place. Everyone was running in the right spots at the right time.

“How often do you see that go wrong? It was the first part, the manipulation from the lineout to drag the forwards away to create that space and then to run players into it, and execute it, I promise you, in my mind, they are the best team to watch in Super Rugby for a long, long time.”

Former All Black first five Stephen Donald also was impressed with how in sync the Hurricanes attack has been, not just for their dangerous backs but the involvement of the big men up front.

He has noticed a stark difference between how the Hurricanes integrate all 15 players compared to the other teams.

“It’s not just little set plays like that, it’s when they are in their phase play. Everyone is so in sync,” he said.

“So often if you are there live at the ground you can see forwards getting just out of the way of back passes, but the Hurricanes, they always use them as a threat.

“They’ve always potentially going to carry. But they go out the back and they go to Ruben Love and he lets the backs go.

“They are so good and so in tune. It shows with Enari, whoever you plug in, everyone else is on top of their game, that it doesn’t matter at the moment.”

The only two teams to beat the Hurricanes this year have been the Fijian Drua and the Chiefs, who are on their tail in second place on the ladder.

Two years ago the Hurricanes locked up the number one seed only to be upset by the Chiefs in the semi-final at home.

The Chiefs themselves have made and lost three finals in a row, searching for their first Super Rugby title since 2013. The Hurricanes are looking for the first title since their maiden title breakthrough in 2016.