Flashback Friday: Watch the bone-headed last play of the first ever Brumbies/Hurricanes match

The Hurricanes are known these days as experts at the art of the cross kick, but it wasn’t always the case. Back in 1996 the fledgling franchise was on the cusp of their first ever win, but fate intervened and gifted us with one of the most classic low-percentage plays of all time.

Basically everything that could’ve possibly went wrong for the Hurricanes happened, despite them having possession and a slight territorial advantage.

Let’s just break this down:

• Yes, that clock says there’s 30 seconds left till full-time and the score is 28-all. There are four players stacked on one side of the ruck, but halfback Rhys Duggan opts to go open where only first five Jamie Cameron and winger Alex Telea are covering half the width of the field.
• To be fair to Duggan, while the option isn’t great, there’s nothing wrong with the pass. It goes straight through Cameron’s hands, he then inexplicably blasts a low kick straight into the only impediment that would keep the ball from flying into touch – his own team mate, Telea.
• Telea’s shoulder couldn’t have done a better job at keeping the ball alive, it pops perfectly into the arms of Mitch Hardy. He suddenly has 40 metres of fresh air in front of him and the tryline.
• To add insult to injury, Cameron is taken out by what looks to be Marco Caputo. The Brumbies hooker holds on just long enough for Cameron to fall flat on his face attempting to make a cover tackle. Meanwhile Telea ends up doing his best impersonation of a freshly oiled turnstile as Hardy breezes past him.
• The Canes then get subjected to the full George Gregan treatment, with the Wallaby halfback celebrating before Hardy is even over the 22.
• Final score: Brumbies 32 Hurricanes 25.

FULL HIGHLIGHTS:

Hurricanes fans only had to wait another week for their team’s first ever win, over the then-Transvaal Lions. It was one of only three in an otherwise modest debut season that featured the emergence of Christian Cullen as the game’s new superstar.

The Brumbies, who were written off pre season as a motley pack of rejects from the powerhouse unions of New South Wales and Queensland, managed to almost make the semi finals in 1996. They built on this momentum to become the most dominant Australian team in the competition over its history, winning two titles in six final appearances.

The two teams clash again in Canberra tonight, the same place where the comical finish of their first ever Super Rugby meeting took place.

It’s doubtful that the low, unexpected kick-pass that rockets off a teammate to lose the game will be in Beauden Barrett’s playbook though.