There are diehard Hurricanes fans, and then there is Andrew and Connor Grant.
Few supporters can lay claim to being as committed to the Hurricanes as the Auckland-based father-son duo.
At just nine-years-old, Connor is already one of the club’s biggest fans, following in the footsteps of his dad Andrew, whose passion for the Hurricanes developed when Jonah Lomu joined ahead of the 2000 Super 12 season.
Since then, Andrew has wholeheartedly committed himself to backing the Hurricanes, driving to and from Wellington to attend both the 2015 and 2016 finals while withstanding banter from his mates in Auckland over the past 25 years.
He has since passed on his pride in the club to Connor, who has become a massive Hurricanes fan in his own right.
“I’ve just been supporting from afar. Connor’s nine and we took him to his first Hurricanes game the year before last,” Andrew said.
“Last year, we decided to buy a season ticket and go down to most of the games. Planning for next year, I think we’re going to nine games, and going to Fiji for the match against the Drua, too. We’re actually going to Super Round in Christchurch as well.”
Being based in Auckland, Andrew and Connor travel regularly to attend Hurricanes matches and meet with players and coaches, racking up more than 6000km throughout the 2025 season to watch games in Wellington, Napier, and Auckland.
During those trips, Connor has taken 128 photos with various Hurricanes players, collected three player-worn jerseys featuring 43 player signatures, and has created two signs and 24 hand-made cards, which he has personally delivered to players.
He also did his school speech on the Hurricanes, promotes his ‘Up The Canes’ catchphrase wherever he goes throughout Auckland, and (unsuccessfully) tried to convince his Pakuranga U9s team to be named after the Hurricanes this year.
“He’s always wearing his Hurricanes hat everywhere he goes. That’s what people know him as, the kid in the Hurricanes hat,” Andrew said.
“He does some speed and agility training, and we’ve even snuck a Hurricanes flag over at where he trains. It’s still there. They’re big Moana Pasifika supporters at the gym, but everyone knows the Hurricane kid.”
Andrew and Connor, who document their love of the Hurricanes on Instagram through their ‘hurricanerugbydad’ account, ramped up their support of the club when they bought a Silver Membership two years ago.
That, as well as the openness of club’s players, has significantly shaped the passion Andrew and Connor both have for the Hurricanes.
“I used to have one chance to watch the Hurricanes when they played in Auckland, but now with Connor and the way we’re now season ticket holders, we’ve got our own seats to go down to in Wellington every couple of weeks,” Andrew said.
“It’s just an awesome feeling. I love it. I absolutely love it.
“It wasn’t really until Connor started to get into rugby that I started to rekindle my love for the Hurricanes. I’ve always been a diehard fan, but now it’s another level for me.
“This last year, Connor met all the players. We even got into the locker room one time. He’s made good luck cards for lots of the players. We handed out Easter eggs when they came up to Auckland, and Ruben Love organised all the players to come and meet Connor so he could hand his cards out.
“That’s rekindled my love for the Hurricanes to see how cool the guys have been with Connor. All of them are absolutely amazing.
“I didn’t get that when I was growing up, that connection with the players like the kids do these days. No one wanted to hang around for signatures, no one wanted to hang around for photos, no one would stop and talk to you.
“These players these days do and I think the Hurricanes are phenomenal.”
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