2003 Hurricanes Home Super12 Rugby Shirt (L)

Condition: 7/10 Good. Some wear to the sponsors on the chest & upper rear, and Super 12 patch on the sleeve. Some faint marks on the lower front, lower hem and lower side (near the 'climacool' motif)

Size: Adult Large

Chest Measurement: 43-45 Inches / 109-114 CM

Manufacturer: Adidas

Colour: Yellow, black & blue trim

Material: Polyester

Seasons: 2003 & 2004

Player: N/A

Patches: Super 12

Official Adidas Hurricanes home rugby shirt from the 2003 season. Complete with official Super12 patch on the sleeve.

The condition of this original rugby jersey is 7/10 - Good. Some wear to the sponsors on the chest & upper rear, and Super 12 patch on the sleeve. Some faint marks on the lower front, lower hem and lower side (near the 'climacool' motif) (see photos).

In spite of reports that Colin Cooper, the then Crusaders assistant-coach, had said he was "not yet ready to jump ship" and wanted to stay with the South Island franchise, the Hurricanes were able to lure him away from the champions and made him their head coach for the 2003 season.

Cooper, along with newly appointed captain Tana Umaga, helped to mould the inconsistent and ill-disciplined Hurricanes into one of the top teams in the competition. 2003 was the beginning of a new era for the Hurricanes as they reached the semi-finals for just the second time in their history on the back of a strong seven-game winning streak mid-season. Their success came partly with the break-out year for mid-fielder Ma'a Nonu, his strong performances and partnership with captain Tana Umaga pushed out former All Black Pita Alatini and saw him score six tries en route to the All Black squad.

The Hurricanes also benefited from the steady hand of David Holwell at first five-eighth and an improving and mobile forward pack. Hurricanes stalwart Christian Cullen would leave New Zealand shores for Irish club Munster after his omission from the All Blacks 2003 World Cup squad, despite scoring eight tries during the season.