Julian Savea - try scoring machine

They say good things take time. Four games into the 2012 Super Rugby season a then 21-year-old wing by the name of Julian Savea broke a drought that five years later seems a little hard to believe. The venue was New Plymouth's Yarrow Stadium and the opponent was the Sharks. The Hurricanes left wing that April night was playing his second season of Super Rugby and sixteenth match and starting to wonder if he'd lost his try-scoring knack. The Bus needn't have worried. The Hurricanes went on to win 42-18 that night and so began a scoring run for Savea that's seen him score 45 tries in 100 matches. CAPTION: Julian Savea in action against the Sharks in 2012. PHOTO: Getty Sport Even with his first season drought Savea has averaged 6.5 tries a season, a figure that he's only half a try short of from 12 appearances in 2017. Hurricanes fans were hoping for more of the same from a local favourite ahead of his 100th match for the Hurricanes against the Chiefs in Wellington. Although The Bus couldn't get a try in his 100th against the Chiefs he was a force in defence during a tight 17-14 loss. Savea joins a 100 Club that includes fellow Rongotai College and Oriental Rongotai Rugby Club alumni Ma'a Nonu, along with Tana Umaga, Rodney So'oialo, Andrew Hore, Conrad Smith, Jeremy Thrush, Neemia Tialata, Victor Vito, and current teammate Cory Jane. Savea has started in all but eight of his 100 matches since he made his Hurricanes debut against the Highlanders in 2011. He is third on the Hurricanes all-time try scoring list, just two tries shy of Umaga who scored 47 tries in 122 matches, but still a way off Christian Cullen, who scored 56. CAPTION: Julian Savea [right] with teammates Cory Jane [centre] and TJ Perenara after winning the Investec Super Rugby title in 2016. PHOTO: Getty Sport Savea's career try scoring record is as follows:

Match			Date	Versus		City		Result					Position		Tries
1			18/02/11	Highlanders		Wellington		L	9	-	14		W
2			12/03/11	Chiefs		Wellington		W	29	-	26		W
3			19/03/11	Blues		Auckland		L	17	-	41		W
4			25/03/11	Rebels		Melbourne		L	25	-	42		W
5			02/04/11	Bulls		Napier		L	14	-	26		W
6			30/04/11	Reds		Wellington		W	28	-	26		substitute
7			06/05/11	Blues		Wellington		L	11	-	17		substitute
8			13/05/11	Highlanders		Invercargill		L	6	-	13		substitute
9			27/05/11	Force		Palmerston North		W	34	-	28		substitute
10			04/06/11	Lions		Wellington		W	38	-	27		substitute
11			10/06/11	Chiefs		Hamilton		D	18	-	18		W
12			18/06/11	Crusaders		Wellington		L	9	-	16		W
13			09/03/12	Force		Perth		W	46	-	19		W
14			17/03/12	Highlanders		Wellington		L	17	-	19		W
15			23/03/12	Blues		Auckland		W	26	-	25		W
16			31/03/12	Cheetahs		Wellington		L	38	-	47		W
17			06/04/12	Sharks		New Plymouth		W	42	-	18		W		1
18			28/04/12	Chiefs		Hamilton		L	14	-	33		W
19			04/05/12	Blues		Wellington		W	35	-	19		W		1
20			12/05/12	Highlanders		Dunedin		W	26	-	20		W		1
21			18/05/12	Brumbies		Wellington		L	25	-	37		W
22			26/05/12	Rebels		Wellington		W	66	-	24		W		3
23			02/06/12	Waratahs		Sydney		W	33	-	12		W		1
24			30/06/12	Crusaders		Christchurch		W	23	-	22		W
25			13/07/12	Chiefs		Wellington		W	28	-	25		W		2
26			23/02/13	Blues		Wellington		L	20	-	34		W		2
27			01/03/13	Reds		Brisbane		L	12	-	18		W
28			08/03/13	Crusaders		Wellington		W	29	-	28		W		1
29			15/03/13	Highlanders		Dunedin		W	23	-	19		W
30			30/03/13	Kings		Wellington		W	46	-	30		W
31			06/04/13	Waratahs		Wellington		W	41	-	29		W		2
32			13/04/13	Blues		Auckland		L	6	-	28		W
33			19/04/13	Force		Wellington		W	22	-	16		W
34			04/05/13	Bulls		Pretoria		L	14	-	48		W
35			10/05/13	Cheetahs		Bloemfontein		W	39	-	34		W		1
36			17/05/13	Chiefs		Wellington		L	12	-	17		W
37			31/05/13	Brumbies		Canberra		L	23	-	30		W
38			28/06/13	Chiefs		Hamilton		L	22	-	34		W
39			06/07/13	Highlanders		Wellington		L	44	-	49		W		1
40			12/07/13	Crusaders		Christchurch		L	17	-	25		W		1
41			22/02/14	Sharks		Durban		L	9	-	27		W
42			28/02/14	Stormers		Cape Town		L	18	-	19		W		1
43			07/03/14	Brumbies		Wellington		L	21	-	29		W
44			15/03/14	Cheetahs		Wellington		W	60	-	27		W
45			21/03/14	Highlanders		Dunedin		L	31	-	35		W
46			28/03/14	Crusaders		Christchurch		W	29	-	26		W		1
47			05/04/14	Bulls		Napier		W	25	-	20		W
48			18/04/14	Blues		Wellington		W	39	-	20		W		1
49			26/04/14	Reds		Wellington		W	35	-	21		W
50			03/05/14	Waratahs		Sydney		L	30	-	39		W		1
51			09/05/14	Rebels		Melbourne		W	25	-	15		W
52			16/05/14	Highlanders		Wellington		L	16	-	18		W
53			24/05/14	Chiefs		Wellington		W	45	-	8		W		2
54			31/05/14	Blues		Auckland		L	24	-	37		W		1
55			28/06/14	Crusaders		Wellington		W	16	-	9		W
56			04/07/14	Chiefs		Hamilton		L	16	-	24		W
57			13/02/15	Lions		Johannesburg		W	22	-	8		W
58			20/02/15	Bulls		Pretoria		W	17	-	13		W		1
59			27/02/15	Force		Perth		W	42	-	13		W		1
60			13/03/15	Blues		Palmerston North		W	30	-	23		W		2
61			20/03/15	Highlanders		Dunedin		W	20	-	13		W
62			03/04/15	Stormers		Wellington		W	25	-	20		W		1
63			18/04/15	Waratahs		Wellington		L	24	-	29		W
64			26/04/15	Reds		Brisbane		W	35	-	19		W		1
65			02/05/15	Crusaders		Wellington		W	29	-	23		W
66			16/05/15	Chiefs		Wellington		W	22	-	18		W
67			23/05/15	Blues		Auckland		W	29	-	5		W
68			29/05/15	Crusaders		Nelson		L	18	-	35		W
69			05/06/15	Highlanders		Napier		W	56	-	20		W		1
70			13/06/15	Chiefs		New Plymouth		W	21	-	13		W		1
71			27/06/15	Brumbies (SF)		Wellington		W	29	-	9		W		1
72			04/07/15	Highlanders (F)		Wellington		L	14	-	21		W
73			26/02/16	Brumbies		Canberra		L	10	-	52		W
74			05/03/16	Highlanders		Dunedin		L	16	-	17		W
75			11/03/16	Blues		Auckland		W	23	-	19		W
76			18/03/16	Force		Palmerston North		W	41	-	6		W
77			09/04/16	Jaguares		Wellington		W	40	-	22		W		3
78			15/04/16	Rebels		Melbourne		W	38	-	13		W
79			23/04/16	Chiefs		Wellington		L	27	-	28		W
80			30/04/16	Lions		Johannesburg		W	50	-	17		W		2
81			07/05/16	Sharks		Durban		L	15	-	32		W
82			27/05/16	Highlanders		Wellington		W	27	-	20		W
83			02/07/16	Blues		Wellington		W	37	-	27		W
84			09/07/16	Waratahs		Sydney		W	28	-	17		W		1
85			16/07/16	Crusaders		Christchurch		W	35	-	10		W
86			23/07/16	Sharks (QF)		Wellington		W	41	-	0		substitute
87			30/07/16	Chiefs (SF)		Wellington		W	25	-	9		substitute
88			06/08/16	Lions (F)		Wellington		W	20	-	3		substitute
89			25/02/17	Sunwolves		Tokyo		W	83	-	17		W		1
90			04/03/17	Rebels		Wellington		W	71	-	6		W		1
91			10/03/17	Chiefs		Hamilton		L	18	-	26		W		1
92			18/03/17	Highlanders		Wellington		W	41	-	15		W		1
93			01/04/17	Reds		Brisbane		W	34	-	15		W		1
94			15/04/17	Blues		Auckland		W	28	-	24		W
95			21/04/17	Brumbies		Napier		W	56	-	21		W
96			05/05/17	Stormers		Wellington		W	41	-	22		W		1
97			13/05/17	Crusaders		Christchurch		L	12	-	20		W
98			20/05/17	Cheetahs		Wellington		W	61	-	7		W
99			27/05/17	Bulls		Pretoria		W	34	-	20		W

                          CAPTION: Julian Savea has started in 91 of his 99 matches for the Hurricanes, mostly in the No.11 jersey. PHOTO: Getty Sport YEAR BY YEAR

Year	P	W	L	D		Tries
2011	12	4	7	1		-
2012	13	9	4	-		9
2013	15	6	9	-		8
2014	16	8	8	-		7
2015	16	13	3	-		9
2016	16	12	4	-		6
2017	11	9	2	-		6
Totals	99	61	37	1		45

CAPTION: Julian Savea in full flight as he beats a Bulls defender. PHOTO: Getty Sport AGAINST EACH CLUB

Versus	P	W	L	D		Tries
Blues	13	8	5	-		7
Brumbies	6	2	4	-		1
Bulls	5	3	2	-		1
Cheetahs	4	3	1	-		1
Chiefs	13	6	6	1		6
Crusaders	10	6	4	-		3
Force	5	5	-	-		1
Highlanders	14	6	8	-		4
Jaguares	1	1	-	-		3
Kings	1	1	-	-		-
Lions	4	4	-	-		2
Rebels	5	4	1	-		4
Reds	5	4	1	-		2
Sharks	4	2	2	-		1
Stormers	3	2	1	-		3
Sunwolves	1	1	-	-		1
Waratahs	5	3	2	-		5
Totals	99	61	37	1		45

HOME AND AWAY

	P	W	L	D		Tries
Home	50	36	14	-		27
Away	49	25	23	1		18
Totals	99	61	37	1		45

CAPTION: Julian Savea with the ceremonial mere awarded to players who play 100 Investec Super Rugby matches. PHOTO: Getty Sport