Super Rugby Pacific: Hurricanes open their season with a 52-10 win against Moana Pasifika

Friday, 20 February 2026

Josh Moorby scored a hat-trick for the Hurricanes on Friday.

At Sky Stadium, Wellington: Hurricanes 52 (Fihe Fineanganofo 11’, 25’ Josh Moorby 17’, 29’, 43’, Brayden Iose 62’, 74’, Billy Proctor 78’ tries; Brett Cameron con, Jordie Barrett 5 con) Moana Pasifika 10 (Tuna Tuitama 7’, Patrick Pellegrini 67’ tries). HT: 24-5.

The Hurricanes are facing a first five-eighth crisis after Brett Cameron was stretchered off with a serious-looking leg injury in their Super Rugby Pacific opener.

The injury dampened an otherwise emphatic 52-10 win over Moana Pasifika, with wingers Josh Moorby and Fehi Fineanganofo combining for five of eight tries in a statement start to the season.

Moorby marked his return with a hat-trick inside 43 minutes, while Fineanganofo bagged two of his own.

Moana arrived in Wellington buoyed by a 40-26 win against Fijian Drua, but this was a harsh reality check.

Cameron, 29, started at No 10 at Sky Stadium after Ruben Love was ruled out with a training injury expected to sideline the All Blacks playmaker for four to six weeks.

He injured his leg attempting to tackle powerful Moana midfielder Faletoi Peni off a scrum in the 23rd minute. Cameron tried to play on but was unable to put weight on it, and the severity quickly became apparent.

Hurricanes No 10 Brett Cameron receives treatment on the field after suffering a serious injury.

Play was stopped for several minutes before he was carried from the field – a cruel blow for a first five who missed most of last season with a ruptured ACL.

With no specialist No 10 on the bench, fullback Callum Harkin shifted into first five when Cameron was replaced by Billy Proctor midway through the first half.

The Hurricanes were tightening their grip when the injury occurred.

Fineanganofo opened their account from a sweeping scrum move, finishing in the corner after Cameron’s final pass. Tuna Tuitama had stunned the hosts earlier, chipping over Harkin inside five minutes to give Moana the lead.

After a jittery start – including two early lineout fumbles from debutant lock Warner Dearns – the Hurricanes clicked and led 24-5 after half an hour.

Fineanganofo could have had a first-half hat-trick but unselfishly fed Moorby on the line in the 29th minute. He may regret it; Moorby struck again early in the second half, racing under the posts after a midfield break from Bailyn Sullivan.

No 8 Brayden Iose added two late tries. The first came from a simple overlap after the Hurricanes stretched Moana’s defence while replacement William Havili was receiving treatment for a neck injury following an awkward collision.

Iose’s second was the pick of them, sprinting onto a Dearns offload and surging 45 metres to score.

Proctor capped the night with a try on fulltime, sending the Hurricanes to the top of the table after one game – though it came at a significant cost.