This was our fourth yearly Club Intermed outing to the Stadium. To ensure that we get the number of tickets we want, we make our initial block booking in mid-February before the Super 12 has even started. This is for a match which is normally early May, but this time around it happened to be the last Saturday in April, at the end of the school holidays.

Our party totalled 75 - made up of 50 kids (43 from Club Intermed) and 25 adults. As usual we met at Tawa Station about 6pm for a train which was due about 6.15 but didn't turn up until after 6.25, and it was 'chocabloc' (standing room only). We've usually managed to take a photo or two on the train heading in to the Stadium, but not on this occasion.

Going into this match (the third-to-last in the round robin) the Hurricanes were fifth on the table on 25 points, one point behind the Blues and two behind the Highlanders. The table was headed by the Waratahs and the Crusaders. The Brumbies were lying seventh on 20 points after, for them, an unprecedented four consecutive losses.

First points went onto the board after 8 minutes with a converted Hurricanes try, 7-0, followed by a Hurricanes penalty, 10-0. Then a converted Brumbies try, 10-7. Two Brumbies penalties swung the lead away from the home team, 10-13. Hurricanes penalty, 13-13. Then a converted Hurricanes try, 20-13. That's where the score stood at halftime.

After the break, the Brumbies drew level again with a converted try, 20-20. Hurricanes try, 25-20. Brumbies penalty, 25-23. The comment was made that it was all too close for comfort! That was before the Hurricanes stepped on the gas. They ran in four further tries to take the score out to 49-23, with four minutes left to play. In the time remaining the Brumbies scored two converted tries which gave them a bonus point, and saw the match end at 49-37. That was the highest number of points yet scored against the Brumbies in the Super 12 and, in the end, a more than satisfying win for the home team.