Future All Black halfback Danny Lee joined the Hurricanes in 1997 as a replacement player, appearing in one game. But he went on to represent the Chiefs between 1999-2002 and the Highlanders between 2002-2003 and 2005 - the team he scored a hat trick against for the Chiefs in 2001.  An injured ankle kept him out of the Super 12 in 2004.

A teenage prodigy, Lee first came to prominence in 1992 making the New Zealand U16s out of Hastings Boys High School. He then spent three years in the New Zealand U21s between 1995-1997 and began his first-class career with Hawke's Bay while still at school in 1994 before shifting to Counties Manukau, whom he captained in 2001, and then to Otago.

Lee was selected for the All Blacks end of season tour in 2002 and played in both tests against England and France, scoring a try on debut against England.