The Horowhenua Kapiti Rugby Football Union is ecstatic to announce that we will be hosting a preseason fixture between the Hurricanes and Crusaders at the Levin Domain on Friday the 17th of February at 5pm. This is the first Hurricanes fixture in the region since 2019 which will have fans buzzing with excitement to support our local Super Rugby Franchise featuring players from or with connections to our proud rugby region. We are expecting a similar crowd size to 2019 where more than 5,000 people for this fixture in 2023. This will be an eventful time for the Horowhenua Kapiti rugby community as the Levin Domain plays host to both the Hurricanes and the Hurricanes Poua within an eight-day period.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Football Union Chief Executive Officer Corey Kennett said: “We are thrilled to host this pre-season game between the Hurricanes and Crusaders at the Levin Domain on Friday 17 February at 5pm. This match is part of an exciting time for the Horowhenua-Kāpiti rugby community as eight days later, Saturday 25 February, the opening match of the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki competition between the Hurricanes Poua and Chiefs Manawa will also be held at the Levin Domain. We wish to thank the Hurricanes for this incredible opportunity and look forward to working together in the lead up to this game. We also wish to thank our partners, Horowhenua District Council and Recreational Services who have provided great support to make this event possible”.
Following the announcement of this fixture Hurricanes Chief Executive Officer Avan Lee said: “We’re thrilled to be able to take a pre-season fixture out to the wider region and give local fans a taste of Super Rugby. February is the perfect time of year for fans to enjoy some early-evening footy in the sunny Horowhenua.”
“We look forward to working closely with Horowhenua District Council and the Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Union over the coming months to bring this fixture together, in what will be our final preparation for the 2023 season.”
Jason Holland Hurricanes Head Coach added: “Our players really enjoy connecting with their community, and I’m sure this game will mean a lot to local rugby fans in Horowhenua and Kāpiti as well. A couple of our squad played junior rugby in Horowhenua and Kāpiti, so the opportunity for our team to play Super Rugby on a ground in their home district is pretty special.”
The match will kick off at 5pm and will serves as the Hurricanes’ final pre-season game. It is a great occasion to give newcomers a chance to showcase their talents at this level alongside some of the country’s best players.
Horowhenua District Council Mayor Bernie Wanden says: “We are excited to extend Horowhenua hospitality to both the Hurricanes and Crusaders. Horowhenua has a proud history of producing rugby stars such as Carlos Spencer and Codie Taylor, and we have large numbers of rugby fans and players in the district. We’re anticipating thousands of people at the game from near and afar, and we look forward to hosting them all.”
Tickets for the Hurricanes versus Crusaders pre-season match in Levin are $15 for adults and just $5 for a child. An exclusive pre-sale window for Hurricanes 2023 Members opens in January before tickets go on sale to the general public.