The Hurricanes are out to maintain their winning momentum this Friday night when they play the Highlanders in Dunedin.
After holding on to beat the Blues in a Palmerston North thriller, the Hurricanes ended last weekend as the only unbeaten side in the competition with four straight wins in the books.
The Hurricanes travel south to face a Highlanders team that hit its straps against the defending champion Waratahs last Saturday. The Highlanders came roaring back to score 26 unanswered points and win 26-19 after conceding the game's first two tries and trailing 0-12.
Like the Hurricanes, the Highlanders have started their 2015 season playing with zeal and commitment. After losing to the Crusaders first-up, the Highlanders have beaten the previous three Super Rugby champions on the trot, registering wins over the Reds, Chiefs and Waratahs.
Both the Hurricanes and Highlanders have been quick to take their chances in their contests so far, with both sets of outside backs capitalising on turnovers and the pressure created closer to the ruck.
Hurricanes left wing Julian Savea crossed for his third and fourth tries of the year against the Blues, while the Highlanders' back three Patrick Osborne, Waisake Naholo and Ben Smith all scored tries against the Waratahs.
Individually, both Julian Savea and Waisake Naholo are statistically two of the competition's biggest attacking weapons so far. Both players have made eight clean breaks, Naholo has beaten 18 defenders and Savea 16. Savea has run 312 metres with ball in hand, while Naholo is close behind on 311.
Should they play, the other head-to-head meetings of the two backlines at Forsyth Barr Stadium could be electrifying. Potential match-ups are TJ Perenara against Aaron Smith at halfback, Beauden Barrett against Lima Sopoaga at first five-eighth, and Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith against Shaun Treeby and Malakai Fekitoa in the midfield.
History suggests the Hurricanes and Highlanders rivalry is one of the closest derbies in Super Rugby.
Last year in Dunedin, it was the Highlanders who came out on top, winning 35-31. In a battle of the goal-kickers, Barrett scored 26 for the Hurricanes, including two tries, and Sopoaga kicked 25 points for the Highlanders.
Last year's return encounter in Wellington saw the Highlanders edge the Hurricanes 18-16. Each of the franchises' past 12 Super Rugby encounters have been decided by within seven points. The away team has also won six of the last eight matches between these two teams.
With both teams in good form and stacked with game-breakers, it is predicted another high-scoring, close-fought contest should develop.
After four matches played by both sides this year, both the Hurricanes and the Highlanders feature in the top half of the competition in key attacking statistics. The Hurricanes have scored 12 ties and the Highlanders eight, the Hurricanes have made 38 clean breaks and the Highlanders 29. The Highlanders have beaten 77 defenders and the Hurricanes 75, and the Hurricanes have made 52 offloads and the Highlanders 43.