He grabbed the headlines in August last year when he wobbled over a last-minute drop goal for Otago Boys’ to seal a 26-24 win against Southland Boys’ in the Otago Premier Schools final.
The now 19-year-old was already on the radar, but that moment helped thrust the young man into the spotlight and set-up a really solid 12 months.
He started this season off in red hot form for Green Island and that proved the perfect launching pad for his stint with the Highlanders under-20 team in May.
The Baby Landers had a tough 43-24 loss to the New Zealand Barbarians first-up, but bounced back with a 40-29 win against the Blues and a 26-5 victory against the Chiefs.
Hurley slotted in at fullback rather than his usual spot at first five. His ability to read the game and his eye for a gap caught the attention of the national selectors.
He was named in the New Zealand team for Oceania Rugby Under-20 Championship.
That tournament was staged in Australia in July and Hurley played in all three games, helping New Zealand to a 74-5 win against Fiji, a 32-9 victory against Argentina and 69-12 shellacking of Australia to claim the title.
The slight, softly-spoken young man had more to give. He was promptly picked in the New Zealand under-19 team which toured South Africa in September and October.
He sat out the first game because of a niggly hamstring and missed the final game due to illness.
But he contributed to the 54-13 win against the Sharks in Durban and 42-31 victory against the Leopards in Potchefstroom.
New Zealand won all four games on the tour. The side featured another four players from the Highlanders region in Ajay Faleagfaga, Semisi Tupou-Taieloa, Will Stodart and Jack Taylor.
As good as the year has been, Hurley had his doubts that first week with the Highlanders under-20 team.
The extra training load, coupled with his studies in applied science at the Otago Polytechnic, caught Hurley off guard.
"There was quite a bit going on ... and it was quite full-on. But I just had to learn how to manage time well and it ended up just becoming a normal routine," he said.
"The training was a step up from school, but it gives you the next insight in to what it takes to go to the next level.
"You’ve got to keep working, otherwise people get away on you.
"Getting to go to Australia with the under-20s came as a wee bit of a shock to be honest, but it was pretty awesome to play with some of the [best] players my age and against some of them as well.
"Then going over to South Africa and doing it all over again pretty much was a great experience."
Top of Hurley’s priority list is catching up on some study. The Highlanders under-20 assemble earlier next year, so that will be one of his first rugby commitments.
The World Rugby Under-20 Championships returns next year after a three year break due to Covid, and Hurley is a good chance of featuring in that.
Perhaps next year he will also get an opportunity to play at NPC level as well.
