Records tumbled in Tokyo as the Hurricanes ran in a club record 13 tries in a match to start their Investec Super Rugby season with a 83-17 demolition of the Sunwolves at a sold out Chichibu Stadium.
The Hurricanes first match on Japanese soil also saw them post the club's highest total score in a single match, while first-five Otere Black equalled Beauden Barrett's record for most conversions in a match with nine successful kicks.
The rugby in Tokyo was breathtaking in the first half as the visitors unleashed their attack on the hosts from the kick off.
Openside Ardie Savea celebrated his 50th match with two tries in the opening 10 minutes as the score ballooned out to 24-0 before the 20 minute mark.
Wing Vince Aso, called in late to start after Cory Jane injured his neck the day before the match, scorched in out wide and hooker Ricky Riccitelli barged over after a front of lineout exchange with Ardie Savea designed especially for the Sunwolves defence.
By the time TJ Perenara received an inside ball from wing Julian Savea to score the Hurricanes fifth try in the 22nd minute, the result was no longer in doubt.
The Bus Julian Savea rumbled over two hapless defenders on an 80 metre run, then the Mini Bus Ngani Laumape took a direct route to the try line from another clever lineout play and by halftime it was 45-5.
Caption: Michael Fatialofa runs in for one of his two tries against the Sunwolves in Tokyo. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
"We are delighted with how the team played. The way we attacked space whether through good passing, accurate kicking, we put the Sunwolves under a lot of pressure. The contact area with our off loading, there were some excellent performances and some excellent option taking. It was pretty accurate," Hurricanes assistant coach John Plumtree said after the match.
"I think people would have enjoyed watching some of the rugby we played. We wanted to play accurately at our own end, we wanted to exit well and we wanted to put them under pressure with our defence. Our set piece was functioning and we wanted to make sure the intensity we played at was really up. We thought if we could do that we'd put them under a lot of pressure."
Plumtree was right on all counts. The Tokyo crowd was on their feet for much of the match despite their home side struggling until a meritorious final quarter that saw them claw back two well worked tries.
The second half saw lock Michael Fatialofa score two tries, while Blade Thomson, who left the field with a shoulder injury, Brad Shields, Aso, and Wes Goosen all grabbed five pointers before full time.
The 83 points scored by the Hurricanes surpassed the club's previous highest score in an Investec Super Rugby match of 66 points against the Rebels in Wellington in 2012. The Hurricanes previous record for most tries scored in a match was nine, against the Rebels, Highlanders and Cheetahs.
Black's nine conversions equaled Beauden Barrett's nine against the Rebels in Wellington in 2012.
The Hurricanes next match is against the Rebels at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on March 4.
Scorers:
Hurricanes 83 (Ardie Savea 2, Michael Fatialofa 2, Vince Aso 2, Ricky Riccitelli, TJ Perenara, Julian Savea, Ngani Laumape, Blade Thomson, Brad Shields, Wes Goosen tries; Otere Black 9 con) Sunwolves 17 (Riaan Viljoen, Shokei Kin, Willie Britz tries; Tim Lafaele con) . HT: 45-5.