Fullback Daryl Lilley had spent three seasons in Christchurch with Canterbury and the Crusaders when he made his Hurricanes debut in 2000.

Lilley made his Crusaders Super 12 debut against the Hurricanes in 1997, kicking 14 points in his team’s 19-17 win in Christchurch, eventually appearing 29 times for the Crusaders and 20 for Canterbury.

But home is where the heart is and Lilley returned to his local franchise, as a winger and as back-up fullback to incumbent Christian Cullen, plus as a back up goal kicker to David Holwell. He immediately made an impact at the Hurricanes, scoring two tries against the Sharks in the first ever Super 12 game played at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium and finished in 2002 with 55 total Super Rugby caps behind him

Lilley’s Taranaki career, both before and after his stint in Christchurch, was a litany of achievement. Making his provincial debut as a 19-year old in 1993, he scored 359 points from 41 games prior to 1997 and 428 points after his return in 2000, for a career haul of 767 points for the amber and blacks.

Lilley later transferred to the UK to play for the Newcastle Falcons before moving to Italy to play for Padova.