Laidlaw's no name Hurricanes exceed expectations

As the dust settled after the fourth round of Super Rugby Pacific, the Wellington Hurricanes sat proudly at the top of the standings after compiling a 4-0 start to the season for only the second time in the capital club's history.

In 2016, the Hurricanes were the last team to win the Super Rugby championship before the Canterbury Crusaders established an iron grip on the title under Scott Robertson.

Robertson's departure to the All Blacks coaching job had many pundits forecasting a dip in fortunes for the Crusaders but few predicted that it would be the Hurricanes benefiting.

Totemic loose forward Ardie Savea was off on sabbatical in Japan and they lost another big chunk of experience when his All Blacks team mate Jordie Barrett was rubbed out for three weeks after being sent off in his 100th match.

Despite that, the Hurricanes edged the Queensland Reds in golden point overtime in that game, outfought the Auckland Blues in week three, and last Friday won in Christchurch to condemn the Crusaders to their worst ever start to a season.

"You actually start thinking about what the Crusaders have done to win seven titles, you can't think of any other sport and franchise has been able to do something as crazy as that," coach Clark Laidlaw said after the 14-10 victory.

"Delighted with the win."

While young scrumhalf Cam Roigard and his backup TJ Perenara are well-known from their All Blacks exploits, few of the other Hurricanes have any profile outside New Zealand.

Laidlaw himself led New Zealand to a Sevens silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but his international profile pales in comparison to those of his father Roy and cousin Greig, both Scotland scrumhalves and British and Irish Lions tourists.

Reputations are being