Hurricanes v Force: Hopes for 10,000 strong crowd in Napier for Super Rugby game

The Hurricanes just lovin' it in a 10-tries-to-2 62-15 Super Rugby win over the Sunwolves at McLean Park, Napier, 15 months ago. Photo / File

The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union is hoping for a crowd of over 10,000 for next week's return of Super Rugby to Napier, with a spike in bookings since transtasman games started at the weekend.

The game between the Hurricanes and Perth-based Western Force will be played at McLean Park on Friday night, May 28.

The Hurricanes, whose franchise area includes Hawke's Bay, opened their campaign with a 64-48 win over the New South Wales side the Waratahs at Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday night, when the 17 tries came at an average of one in about every 4min 40sec.

Meanwhile, Western Force all-but beat New Zealand side the Chiefs, with three-tries-each as the Chiefs won 20-19 in Perth, on a weekend in which all five games were won by the New Zealand sides.

HBRU chief executive said there had been a "spike" in ticket sales for next week's game since the Friday night tries-fest, and by Monday over 4000 tickets had been sold.

"That suggests a crowd of about 10,000 on the night," he said, suggesting that initial sales might have been affected by a lack of awareness that match is part of a new competition which was able to kick-in immediately after the end of the five-team Super Rugby Aotearoa and the border relaxations allowing more travel between New Zealand and Australia.

The game will be the first Super Rugby match in Napier since the Hurricanes scored 10 tries in a 62-15 win over Japanese side The Sunwolves at the end of February last year.

Western Force has not previously played in Napier.