Photo by John Cowpland / action press

It’s an interesting situation for Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, Josh Jacomb and Siale Lauaki. For the first time in quite a while, they face the prospect of heading away on an All Black tour and returning without a test cap. They will all get plenty of game time, though, as the All Blacks face a somewhat mysterious run of midweek games against South Africa’s former Super Rugby sides.

Given Rassie Erasmus has already ruled out all his top line players from the fixtures, the fact that the last Lions tour midweek games were so impacted by the pandemic and the general lack of knowledge of the URC here in New Zealand, it’s hard to really get a gauge on what’s going to happen in them.

Subscribe now

Share

Obviously the All Blacks will be targeting them all as wins and it’s starting to become a bit more clear as to who will play in them, mainly because of the three test wins achieved so far this year. It’s hard to see Dave Rennie moving too far from the Irish test selection unless there are injuries, but there’s still plenty to talk about.

Three halfbacks

This doesn’t say as much about who has been left behind as it does about how much time on the field Cam Roigard will be having during the test series. This isn’t a massive surprise, as the whole game plan will be set up to compliment Roigard’s strengths, but it also telegraphs that Cortez Ratima and the so far unused Kyle Preston will therefore be starting every midweek game between them.

Tupou Ta’eiloa over Kirifi

Although it probably came down to to Ethan Blackadder getting the spot Du’Plessis Kirifi was hoping for, the selection of Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa is a clear indication of what Rennie wants in his loose forward mix. Tupou Ta’eiloa is simply there to bash away and keep himself busy around the ruck, essentially to kickstart the momentum needed for the All Blacks to play their up tempo style.

Spare a thought though for Hoskins Sotutu, who would’ve fitted perfectly into this role had his career trajectory not been out by a couple of seasons.

Fitness concerns

Rennie revealed yesterday that Codie Taylor will miss the first few games, while Fehi Fineanganofo is still sidelined for the time being. It will be interesting to see who inevitably gets called up due to what will likely be a high attrition rate,

Ardie staying home

On one hand, this makes perfect sense given that Ardie Savea has been playing rugby constantly for the last 18 months straight. He is not required at all in any of the midweek games, so giving him a decent break to ensure his fitness for the tests is a nice little makeshift off season.

But…it just doesn’t feel right? This tour has been hyped to the moon, rightfully, so having the face of the All Blacks missing for the lead up to the tests will do little to make sure that it reaches the pitch it needs to in order for this to be considered rugby’s premier event of the year.

Rennie on Rassie

While magnanimous in his praise of Rassie Erasmus, Dave Rennie did make one very brief quip around his South African opposite’s reputation behind closed doors. “ I think he’s…incredibly influential too and they’ve done a good job around World Rugby” said Rennie, before realising where he was heading with that conversation, one that harks back to Erasmus’s infamous video review leak during the last Lions series that heavily criticised referee Nic Berry’s performance in the first test. While such review videos are common for coaches, they are very much meant for certain eyes only, so the public release of it peeled the curtain back on just how much influence coaches can have.

Only a fortnight ago, Erasmus bemoaned a current raft of changes to that review system, which now limit coaches to five queries per test match. Rennie hasn’t been quizzed on what he thinks about that development - yet - but it’s highly unlikely we’ve heard the last of the issue before the test series begins.

All Blacks squad for the tour to South Africa

Forwards (25)

Hookers: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bell.

Props: Ethan De Groot, George Bower, Xavier Numia, Ollie Norris, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Siale Lauaki*.

Locks: Tupou Vaa’i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Josh Lord, Sam Darry, Fabian Holland.

Loose Forwards: Peter Lakai, Simon Parker, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, Anton Segner, Ardie Savea, Wallace Sititi, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa*.

Backs (19)

Halfbacks: Cameron Roigard, Cortez Ratima, Kyle Preston.

First Five-Eighths: Ruben Love, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Josh Jacomb*.

Midfielders: Jordie Barrett, Quinn Tupaea, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Timoci Tavatavanawai.

Outside Backs: Caleb Clarke, Fehi Fineanganofo, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Emoni Narawa.

*uncapped

Share

Leave a comment

(Photo by John Cowpland / action press)

We’re a week out from the All Blacks embarking on their first full tour of South Africa in 30 years. You could actually make a case for it being the first actual full strength tour in 50, given that the 1996 midweek fixtures did not feature any of the traditional top Currie Cup sides. We’ll find out what the state of the current URC teams are in the lead up to the first test, and it’s the makeup of the All Blacks that will face them that will become clearer at midday on Monday.

Subscribe now

Share

Dave Rennie has already outlined that his original 34 players from the July tests will remain intact, so it’s simply a case of adding 10 more names to the list and presumably letting a bunch more know to keep their passport handy in the event of injuries on the tour.

Lock in the locks

Fabian Holland and Jamie Hannah surely make the trip, given that Holland is successfully back from injury and Hannah has already been capped. Both will likely get some game time against the Stormers in the first game but it’s likely Holland will be the one pushing for a test spot straight away. Depth at lock has been proven in Holland’s absence, with Josh Lord, Sam Darry and Hannah the players used in the first test of the year, then Patrick Tuipulotu putting in a rugged display against Ireland.

Tupou Vaa’i can always shift back if needed after a successful outing at blindside, but as long as Holland can stay fit then it’s likely Vaa’i will stay on the side of the scrum.

Extras?

Do the All Blacks need another halfback? The current usage of Cam Roigard suggests not, given that he’s been on the park for the vast majority of the time, so therefore Cortez Ratima and Kyle Preston can start the midweek games between them. However, if Roigard is to be kept solely for the tests then Noah Hotham will likely be brought in to provide bench cover for the Sharks and Lions games.

George Bell should be recalled due to the front row rotation and will get plenty of time on the park in the midweek games. But which extra prop goes? Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s experience is a plus, however Ollie Norris was included last year.

Then there’s the forgotten man who played a key role in the first 10 minutes of the All Blacks’ last win over the Springboks. Emoni Narawa could find himself back in the frame despite his constant injury woes, he would make an interesting case to be included in the test outside back combination.

Utilities

Timoci Tavatavanawai’s ability to play four different positions while wearing one number makes him a prime candidate to be a bench midweek player. It’s something that Leicester Fainga’anuku has developed even more this season after his stint at openside for the Crusaders, however his current fitness is unclear and will be confirmed on Monday. Rieko Ioane has already been recalled to the wider group so he’s there too.

The Mo’unga situation

NZ Rugby’s eligibility policy is laudable in that it is primarily there to safeguard the domestic game (among other things). But it has led to the slightly ridiculous situation of Rennie being able to play Fehi Fineanganofo, who has signed with an overseas club, while not being able to play Richie Mo’unga - who has recommitted to playing here.

Rennie has already confirmed that Mo’unga will not be picked in the initial squad, but will be able to be called upon as an injury replacement if needed. There will be injuries, that’s for sure, so Mo’unga will almost certainly be on a plane heading to South Africa at some point.

Out the gate pick

Semisi Tupou-Ta’eiloa has been in incredible form for Moana Pasifika for the last couple of seasons. An elevation to midweek All Black status would add something to an already crowded loose forward picture, but it would show Rennie is willing to reward the workrate of a big man who has been one of the highest ball carrying forwards in Super Rugby Pacific. It’s likely his inclusion would come down to what the coaching staff see in his stats, coupled with a plan to potentially use Topou-Ta’eiloa as an impact player off the bench.

It would be kind of sadly ironic if he did get a call up though, since Moana’s biggest success stories will have been him, Tavatavanawai, Ardie Savea and likely Kyren Tamouefolau when he becomes eligible later this year. Despite being set up to help Samoan and Tongan rugby, the biggest beneficiary of the now defunct team will be the All Blacks.

Share

Leave a comment

Will Jordan (Photo by Blake Armstrong / action press)

The All Blacks have opened their 2026 season with a 34-32 win over France, a 47-17 win over Italy and a 40-21 win over Ireland. In a week’s time, the 44-man squad to tour South Africa is named.

Three tests, three wins. That’s good, right? It’s better than the last two coaching regimes, for a start, but also things are just…feeling positive. Dave Rennie’s buzzword is optimism (although he also likes to say that teams ‘bar up’ a lot, which is interesting) and the public are very much buying into it thanks to a very up tempo attitude on attack.

So do the All Blacks feel like the All Blacks again? Three tests isn’t enough to tell and the reaction to the first loss will likely be the best barometer, in the meantime here are some key points of interest as we approach the Greatest Rivalry Tour to South Africa.

Subscribe now

Share

They’re kicking less

The most obvious change has been the most telegraphed, but even if the All Blacks hadn’t been up front about running rather than kicking, you’d know anyway. One look at the stats has seen totals of 17, 18 and 23 total kicks in the tests played. That’s in contrast to the 35 times the ball was hoofed away in the loss to England last year.

One key moment in the Irish win was the All Blacks running out of their own 22 off a first half scrum, carving off 30 metres and winning an attacking penalty. That sort of intent would’ve been unthinkable under Scott Robertson, but the way it was done against a usually stingy Irish defence showed just how much has changed in a short space of time.

Selections have mostly been proven

Luke Jacobson was a few centimetres from a red card at Eden Park, but other than that his elevation to starting openside has been the strongest case study in Rennie’s selection policy so far. Jacobson was outstanding against France, with Ardie Savea shifting to number eight and Tupou Vaa’i moved back to the blindside.

In the backs Josh Moorby looks right at home on one wing, while Will Jordan’s six tries on the other means that there is no arguing with Rennie’s decision to move him from fullback.

Improvements have been made

Conceding a try after 90 seconds and 32 overall in the first test wasn’t good, but to then allow only 38 in the next two with only 10 coming while the All Blacks were trailing certainly was a pretty decent response. Tana Umaga’s appointment as defence coach raised eyebrows given that Moana Pasifika’s strategy for stopping tries seemed almost non-existent at times this season, but a clear system was worked out for the Irish test.

This is the most incrementally positive improvement for the All Blacks, although there’s the aforementioned fluidity on attack and implementation of new players.

Things seem happier in camp

This is just an observation from dealing with the team in a media environment, and it should be noted that things are always fresh and exciting in the first block of tests compared to later in the season. That’s when things turn into a grind, so we’ll know for sure if that’s actually true, but it does feel like the drama at the start of the year around Robertson’s axing has been consigned to the history books.

The coaches are straight up

They said they’d run with the ball, and they’ve run with the ball. When asked about players being dropped, Rennie has addressed it frankly. When talking about Christchurch’s new stadium, Neil Barnes thanked the local ratepayers. OK, so that last one probably says a bit more about Barnes’ views on government spending, but it is nice to have things out in the open with the All Blacks after years of Foster’s paranoia and Robertson’s seeming bewilderment with the media.

That’s not to say the media feel like they’re specifically owed anything, given that we have six press conferences a week with the team while they’re playing. It’s more that it feels like there is an understanding that they are talking to the public, one that’s filling up the stadiums and watching intently as the All Blacks prepare for the biggest tour in 30 years.

Share

Leave a comment

Dave Rennie heads into his first big challenge. Image: John Cowpland/ActionPress

It’s a B side… so what?

We’ve heard it all week.

France are understrength. It’s a B team. Maybe even a C team.

So what?

In fact… are they really?

Here’s the thing. We can spend the next week obsessing over who’s not here and why they’re not, but in the end this Test is far more about us than it is about them.

This time last year France arrived with what everyone labelled a second-string side. The All Blacks won 31-27, 43-17 and 29-19.

A year later, none of those scorelines matter.

France are here to play a Test match. It’s the opening act of the new Nations Championship. It’s the first Test of a new All Black era under a new coaching group.

Everything else gets decided where it always does — on the field.

Subscribe

Share

Can the coaches rediscover the best versions of experienced players?

The biggest selection conversations this week seem to revolve around two veterans — Anton Lienert-Brown and Beauden Barrett.

We haven’t seen much of ALB while he’s been playing in Japan. We’ve seen plenty of Beauden, but we probably haven’t seen his very best during Super Rugby.

Between them they’ve accumulated 232 Test caps.

They both know the finish line is closer than the starting line.

The fascinating question isn’t whether they’ve been great players.

It’s whether they can be great players again.

Can a fresh coaching group unlock something the previous regime couldn’t? Can a new voice, new ideas and a new environment bring out one more outstanding chapter?

We’ll find out pretty quickly.

We all want Love

Surely we’re all in agreement now?

Start Ruben Love at first five.

If there are objectors, Damian McKenzie certainly provides the strongest counter argument, but if there really is such a thing as “the right time”, this feels like it.

Right now Love is playing with supreme confidence.

He finished Super Rugby looking every bit the form No.10 in the competition, capped off by that outrageous penalty from somewhere near the airport in the final.

When players are hot, they’re hot.

Everything he touches seems to work.

Pick him against France.

Back him up against Italy.

Show him the selectors genuinely believe in him and then simply let him play.

They’re arriving on Friday

Yes, the French don’t land until the day before the Test.

The media have turned it into a story.

I’m not convinced it really is one.

As long as they’re not arriving on game day, does it actually matter?

Clearly, to the French… non.

They’ll still walk around the stadium, have their captain’s run, soak in the atmosphere and prepare exactly as they believe they should.

Personally, if I was coaching, I’d probably want my team settled in enemy territory several days earlier.

But whether arriving on Friday genuinely reduces their chances of winning?

I’m not so sure.

Antoine Dupont… probably not

Will the French captain play?

Très probablement pas.

But much like the Friday arrival story, I don’t think it’s nearly as significant as it’s being made out to be.

For starters, Maxime Lucu is a quality replacement.

Secondly, we never realistically expected France to send all of their biggest stars given the timing of the Top 14 finals.

Still… wouldn’t it be wonderfully French if Antoine Dupont suddenly appeared in the match-day 23?

He’s one of the world’s great players and New Zealand rugby fans deserve the opportunity to watch him live.

It would be a shame if the timing means we miss out.

Is this really our strongest team?

Here’s the question.

Is this genuinely the strongest All Blacks side we could pick today?

And the follow-up…

If you answer “yes”, do you also believe it’s good enough to win in South Africa?

Before Thursday’s team is even announced, I’d probably say no — this isn’t our absolute strongest squad.

Scott Barrett.

Leicester Fainga’anuku.

Fabian Holland.

Tamaiti Williams.

All four immediately strengthen the group once fit.

There are also several positions still very much up for grabs depending on what happens across these next three Tests.

But that’s the reality of international rugby.

The best available team isn’t always the best possible team.

This week, these are the players the selectors believe give New Zealand its best chance.

Everything else can wait.

Set the tone

This feels important.

Really important.

The All Blacks need to start this season well.

Our final memories from last year weren’t exactly inspiring.

There was the 50-point win over Wales, but that felt more like a training run than a genuine Test.

Before that came the disjointed loss to England.

The last images of Razor Robertson weren’t of celebration either, but of a coach under enormous pressure after a difficult summer.

Add in the lingering pain of that record defeat to South Africa in Wellington, and it’s obvious why supporters are desperate for a fresh start.

First impressions matter.

A new coaching group.

A new season.

A chance to build momentum from day one.

Razor’s first Test began with a nervous 16-15 win over England.

Last season started with a scratchy 31-27 victory over France.

This time, a convincing performance against the French would do more than put one win on the board.

It would set the tone.

It would create belief.

And it would give the country every reason to get excited about what’s coming next.

Share

Anton Segner, Xavier Numia, Fehi Fineanganofo, Josh Moorby, during the All Blacks 2026 Squad Announcement (Photo by John Cowpland / action press)

1. They have picked on form … mostly

The naming of four new caps is a pretty clear indication the selectors have been paying close attention to Super Rugby form and rewarding performances accordingly.

That said, when Dave Rennie first spoke about “picking on form”, perhaps what he really meant was form would be a major factor, but not the only one.

Because let’s be honest — international selection has never been as simple as rewarding the best 34 players from Super Rugby. Experience matters. Test match temperament matters. Positional depth matters. Opposition matters. Game plans matter.

The selectors have clearly looked at current form, but they’ve also balanced it against a whole raft of other considerations. That’s exactly what you’d expect at this level.

Subscribe now

Share

2. There are some genuinely unlucky players

And that’s where the debate begins.

Every squad announcement creates winners and losers, but there are a couple of names that immediately jump out as being desperately unlucky.

At the top of my list is Du’Plessis Kirifi. He has been outstanding all season. If you’re comparing him directly against Luke Jacobson for that secondary openside role, it’s hard not to make a strong case for Kirifi.

Then there’s Timoci Tavatavanawai.

“Jimmy the Difference” has become one of the most influential players in Super Rugby. He brings energy, versatility and genuine X-factor. He can cover wing, second five and midfield roles, and off the bench he feels like the sort of player capable of changing a game in a matter of minutes.

We all have our own list of unlucky omissions. Mine would also include Noah Hotham, Ethan Blackadder and perhaps even Reiko Ioane.

The reality is that selection meetings are often more about who misses out than who gets in.

3. Ardie was always going to be captain

One comment stood out more than any other during the squad announcement.

“Ardie was always my captain.”

For me, that tells us everything we need to know about the thinking of the new coaching group.

This wasn’t simply a case of Scott Barrett’s injury making the decision easier. It appears the decision had already been made.

And frankly, it’s hard to argue with it.

Ardie Savea is one of the most respected players in world rugby. He’s hugely experienced, universally admired by teammates and opponents alike, and when most of us sit down to pick an All Blacks team, he’s usually one of the first names written on the team sheet.

He’s already shown he can lead at Test level and he’ll undoubtedly embrace the responsibility.

This feels like a natural transition rather than a forced one.

4. Dreams really can come true

For the second consecutive year we’ve seen one of rugby’s great modern fairytales.

Last year it was Fabian Holland.

This year it’s Anton Segner.

Imagine being a young rugby player growing up in Europe, making the courageous decision to move halfway around the world to chase an almost impossible dream — and then actually achieving it.

Segner becomes the first German-born All Black, and his story is every bit as inspiring as Holland’s.

What I particularly admire is that his selection isn’t based on potential alone. It’s been earned.

As the Blues battled through a difficult back end of the season, Segner continued to perform week after week. His consistency never wavered, regardless of what was happening around him.

The selectors have recognised that.

His selection sends a wonderful message to young players everywhere: if you’re good enough and prepared to do the work, opportunities can come from anywhere.

5. Are we a little short on height in the loose forwards?

I have to give credit to my good mate Murray Mexted for raising this one.

Do we have enough height in the loose-forward trio?

It’s an interesting question.

We’re not exactly blessed with a towering presence in the mould of South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit. Yes, players like Wallace Sititi and Peter Lakai offer lineout options, but our aerial strength will still depend heavily on who’s selected at lock.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a weakness.

In fact, it may be a deliberate strategic choice.

Perhaps we’re sacrificing a little height in exchange for mobility, work rate and breakdown dominance. Maybe the coaches see this as a squad designed to play at speed, win collisions and get to the ball quicker than the opposition.

Time will tell, but it’s certainly one of the more intriguing aspects of the squad makeup.

6. Add these four players and the squad looks even stronger

Alongside the 34 players selected, four significant names were listed as unavailable through injury.

Scott Barrett.

Leicester Fainga’anuku.

Fabian Holland.

Tamaiti Williams.

Now let’s play a little game.

If all four were fit and available tomorrow, would this squad be stronger?

Absolutely.

Every one of them would either walk straight into the starting side or place enormous pressure on those currently selected.

That’s not a criticism of the squad that has been named. Quite the opposite.

It’s actually a reminder of the depth New Zealand rugby currently possesses.

When players of that calibre are unavailable and you can still name a squad this strong, you’re not in a bad place at all.

7. It’s time to give Ruben Love the keys

Surely we’re all heading towards the same conclusion here.

The time is now.

Ruben Love is playing with confidence, freedom and genuine belief. He’s performing at the highest domestic level and consistently influencing games.

The next step is obvious.

Can he do it in Test rugby?

The only way to find out is to give him the opportunity.

The Italy Test in Wellington seems the obvious moment, but why wait?

Why not back him immediately against France?

Play him alongside Cam Roigard and Jordie Barrett — combinations he’s already comfortable with. Send him the message that the coaches trust him and believe he’s ready.

The more I think about it, the harder it becomes to find a compelling reason not to.

At some point, potential has to become opportunity.

For Ruben Love, that moment feels like it’s arrived.

Share

Leave a comment

Aaron Gillions / action press

Five Reasons The Hurricanes Will Win

1. Cam Roigard

Quite possibly the best rugby player in New Zealand right now.

Cam Roigard is operating at a level very few players ever reach. He’s quick-thinking, decisive, dangerous around the ruck, excellent off the boot and capable of changing a game in a heartbeat. Most importantly, he dictates tempo. When Roigard gets the Hurricanes playing at his pace, they become incredibly difficult to contain.

The Chiefs’ first job on Saturday night is simple: stop Cam Roigard.

The problem is nobody has really managed to do it all season.

Subscribe now

Share

2. The Ton-Up

One hundred tries.

Let that sink in.

No team in the 30-year history of Super Rugby has scored 100 tries in a single season. The Hurricanes have become an attacking machine capable of scoring from almost anywhere on the field and through almost anyone in the team.

They’re averaging more than six tries a game.

Even in their Round 10 loss to the Chiefs, they still crossed three times.

If the Chiefs are to lift the trophy, they first have to solve the most potent attack Super Rugby has ever seen.

3. Fehi

For many fans, Fehi Fineanganofo has been the breakout star of Super Rugby Pacific 2026.

His 16 tries have him tied with Joe Roff (1997) and Ben Lam (2018) for the all-time single-season record. What’s even more remarkable is that he didn’t score one in last weekend’s nine-try demolition of the Blues.

So what are the chances he breaks the record in the final?

Pretty good, I’d say.

And if Fehi is celebrating, chances are the Hurricanes supporters will be too.

4. Home Advantage

Surely it still means something.

Otherwise why bother finishing top?

A sold-out crowd. A week spent preparing in familiar surroundings. No travel. No disrupted routines. No hotel rooms.

In a final between two evenly matched sides, even the smallest edge matters.

The Hurricanes have earned the right to host this game. On Saturday night they’ll hope that advantage is worth a few points.

5. They Deserve It

Yes, I’m a Hurricanes fan. Have been for 30 years.

But bias aside, I think it’s a fair argument.

The Hurricanes have been the best team in the competition from start to finish. They’ve played an exciting, ambitious brand of rugby that has set the benchmark for everyone else.

Of course, being the best team over 16 weeks guarantees nothing.

But if you’re asking which team has most deserved the title based on the season as a whole?

It’s the Hurricanes.

Five Reasons The Chiefs Will Win

1. Damian McKenzie

Damian McKenzie was magnificent against the Crusaders.

His kicking game was masterful. His game management was elite. His ability to turn half chances into scoring opportunities was the difference between the two sides.

If selectors weren’t already leaning towards him wearing the All Blacks No.10 jersey against France, they probably are now.

The Chiefs need their best player to be their best player again.

If McKenzie delivers another performance like last weekend’s, they’re every chance.

2. Round 10

April 18.

Chiefs 22, Hurricanes 17.

That game remains the blueprint.

The Chiefs did something nobody else has consistently managed this season: they disrupted the Hurricanes’ rhythm.

They slowed the game down. They competed ferociously at the breakdown. They turned the contest into trench warfare and refused to let the Hurricanes dictate terms.

Yes, they needed golden point to win it.

But they won it.

And perhaps more importantly, they proved it can be done.

3. The Buffalo Bills Factor

No team in Super Rugby history has lost four consecutive finals.

The Chiefs are staring down that possibility.

Many of these players have endured three straight grand final defeats, all games they entered as favourites. At some point, that sort of history becomes impossible to completely ignore.

The Buffalo Bills lost four straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s and the shadow of those failures still hangs over that franchise.

The Chiefs won’t want to become rugby’s version of that story.

Pressure can crush you.

Or it can drive you.

Saturday night will tell us which.

4. Wellington’s Weather

The forecast isn’t exactly tropical.

Cold. Windy. Maybe a bit damp.

In other words, Wellington.

Those conditions may suit the Chiefs perfectly.

The uglier the game becomes, the better their chances. Strong winds and a slippery ball make expansive rugby harder to execute and increase the value of set-piece dominance, territory and patience.

The Hurricanes would prefer a fast track and a free-flowing contest.

The Chiefs would happily take an arm wrestle.

5. The Devlin Curse

Now we arrive at the most compelling reason of all.

The Devlin Curse.

I maintain it doesn’t exist.

It’s nonsense. Pure myth. Complete fabrication.

And yet, somehow, whenever I publicly declare confidence in a team, things have a habit of going horribly wrong.

Over the years, fans have genuinely pleaded with me not to pick their side.

“Whatever you do, Devlin, don’t back us.”

So, in an effort to finally disprove this ridiculous theory once and for all, I’ll make my prediction.

The Hurricanes will win.

And Fehi Fineanganofo will score the winning try.

There.

Curse officially debunked.

We’ll find out on Saturday night.

Share

Leave a comment

Ofa Tu’ungafasi addresses the Blues after their loss to the Crusaders. Image: Craig Butland/ActionPress

The Blues head to Wellington next weekend for a semi final, despite losing their last four games in a row and conceding 194 points along the way. Marty reckons it’s a farce, Jamie says it’s a bit more complicated.

Marty: Super Rugby’s six-team finals format has a problem. The coaches know it. The players know it. The fans certainly know it.

The Blues do not deserve to be playing a semi-final this weekend. Their season should already be over.

Instead, they head to Wellington for a match that, if we’re being brutally honest, feels more like a formality than a contest. The Hurricanes will start overwhelming favourites and for good reason. Based on current form, it’s difficult to make a credible case for the Blues being genuine contenders.

This isn’t about one bad night. This is about a team that has spent the last month being comprehensively outplayed by quality opposition.

Their last win came back on May 2, a 45-19 victory over Moana Pasifika. Since then they’ve lost to the Crusaders (36-20), Hurricanes (47-24), Chiefs (59-34) and Crusaders again (52-31).

The points they’ve scored during that stretch will fool some people into thinking they’re still dangerous. Don’t be distracted by that. Look at the points they’ve conceded: 194 points in four matches. Almost 50 points per game.

That isn’t just poor. That’s alarming.

For a team that entered the season with expectations of challenging for another title, those numbers should be setting off every alarm bell inside the organisation.

And yes, criticism is warranted. This is professional sport. These are elite athletes. Standards matter.

Nobody expects perfection, but effort, pride and defensive commitment should never be negotiable. Right now, the Blues simply aren’t showing enough of any of them.

Imagine if Auckland FC lost five straight matches while conceding seven goals every game. Scores of 7-2, 7-1, 7-4, 7-3 and 7-0. The reaction would be immediate and ruthless. People would call it exactly what it was: unacceptable.

Rugby sometimes escapes that level of scrutiny because high scores have become normalised. We see 40s and 50s every week and tend to shrug them off. But conceding nearly 50 points per game over an extended period isn’t normal. It’s a serious indictment of where this team currently sits.

You have to feel for players like Anton Segner, who consistently puts his body on the line and competes hard every week. There are individuals still fighting. Still trying. But rugby is the ultimate team sport, and right now the collective effort isn’t matching the standard required.

The fans have every right to be frustrated. The coaches should be frustrated. The leadership group should be frustrated. Most importantly, the players should be frustrated.

Because what we’ve seen over the past month simply isn’t good enough for a club with the Blues’ history, resources and expectations.

Which brings us to Saturday night.

A semi-final in name. Whether it’s a semi-final in quality remains to be seen.

The Blues have one final opportunity to prove everyone wrong. Sport has a funny habit of producing unlikely stories when people least expect them. But based on everything we’ve witnessed over the past five weeks, it feels like this season’s ending has already been written.

And if it unfolds the way most people expect, the real conversation won’t be about the Hurricanes.

It will be about how a defending champion fell so far, so fast.

That post-mortem is coming.

The Blues have one last chance to delay it.

Hoskins Sotutu will leave the Blues at the end of the season. Image: Craig Butland/ActionPress

Jamie: OK, I’ll admit it. This isn’t a great look for the comp and an even worse one for the Blues, but the hard truth is that Super Rugby Pacific is judged on an entire season’s worth of work - not just the previous month.

That’s a season in which the highest the Blues have been placed is first, and the lowest is fourth. Up until last month their record was 8-3, with losses to the Chiefs on opening weekend, the Brumbies in Canberra and the Hurricanes in Wellington. That’s really not bad at all, especially considering no one has even come close this year at the Cake Tin.

They even knocked off the Crusaders way back in round four, which admittedly seems like a long time ago now. But it did happen and those points were banked, along with victories over everyone else.

The issue is, something is badly wrong at the Blues at the worst possible time. If I were to guess I would say it has to do with the impending exit of not just a bunch of players, but also Vern Cotter and the effect of that on the squad’s mentality.

All of their losses recently have followed the same script: going pretty well through the first 40 minutes before fading horribly in the second. It’s so unlike the way Cotter’s plan meant the Blues bulldozed their way to a title in 2024.

But yet here we are, talking about the likes of Anton Segner and Sam Darry playing big roles in the All Black season. How Malachi Wrampling, Torian Barnes and Eli Oudenryn are stars of the future.

So there is good there. Plus, if it makes the Blues feel any better, they aren’t even the only team in Auckland to be having this problem lately. Auckland FC infamously failed to win seven games in regulation on the way to a semi final win, while the Warriors limped into the NRL playoffs after losing seven out of their previous 11 games.

As discussed on the show, Super Rugby Pacific’s seemingly imperfect playoff system is more due to broadcast commitments than anything else. It’s just a shame that it’s been exposed like this due to the Blues spending so much time under their own posts lately.

Share

Leave a comment

Daniel Sinkinson scores during the Chiefs v Blues. Image: ActionPress

With the regular season now in the books, here are my five highlights and five areas that still need work.

Let’s start with the good stuff.

BEST

1. Super Round + Te Kaha Stadium = A Winner

Let’s bundle these together because they’re impossible to separate.

Super Round was a success. The new Te Kaha Stadium is outstanding. The Crusaders sold it out every time they played there. Add it all together and you’ve got something genuinely special.

The stadium is world-class. The atmosphere is electric. The fan experience is exactly what New Zealand sports supporters have been asking for.

The decision should be easy. Lock Super Round into Christchurch for the next few years and let it grow. The competition has finally found its own version of Magic Round and, if nurtured properly, this event will only get bigger.

Book early next year. You’ll probably need to.

2. Upsets, Upsets and More Upsets

This season delivered exactly what sport needs: unpredictability.

The Highlanders knocking over the defending champion Crusaders in Round One set the tone, and the surprises kept coming. Moana Pasifika stunning the Brumbies in Canberra. The Brumbies putting 50 points on the Crusaders. The Drua upsetting the Hurricanes.

Every week felt dangerous for tipsters.

Fans don’t want certainty. They want drama. They want the unexpected. Super Rugby delivered plenty of both.

Subscribe now

Share

3. The Rise of the Bolters

One of Super Rugby’s greatest strengths is its ability to produce new stars.

Every season introduces players who arrive from nowhere and suddenly become household names. This year, nobody embodied that more than Fehi Fineanganofo.

He exploded onto the scene, equalled the single-season try-scoring record and now looks destined for higher honours.

The production line of emerging talent remains one of Super Rugby’s greatest assets.

4. The Hurricanes

The Hurricanes weren’t just the best team of the round robin — they were often the most entertaining.

Their attacking rugby has been thrilling, their point-scoring relentless and their confidence infectious.

Whether they can convert regular-season dominance into a championship remains the big question, but as a spectacle they have been exceptional.

Some of their rugby this year has been breathtaking.

5. Less TMO, More Rugby

Credit where it’s due.

The competition made a conscious effort to reduce TMO intervention and allow on-field officials to manage games.

The result? Faster matches, better flow and fewer interruptions.

No system is perfect and every fan can point to a decision they disagreed with, but overall the game felt more continuous and more enjoyable to watch.

World Rugby should be paying close attention.

WORST

1. Easter Weekend Fell Flat

This one needs a rethink.

The Easter round lacked energy and never really captured attention. While the NRL embraced the long weekend with wall-to-wall rugby league, Super Rugby felt like it quietly stepped aside.

Fans don’t care about the excuses. They want a better product.

The scheduling needs to be smarter and the weekend needs to feel like an event.

2. Injuries to the Big Names

Injuries are part of sport. We know that.

They still hurt.

When marquee players spend large chunks of the season on the sidelines, the competition loses some of its shine. Few absences were felt more than that of Will Jordan.

The stars matter. Fans pay to watch them.

3. The Uncertain Future of Moana Pasifika

Whether this is truly the end or not remains to be seen.

But the uncertainty surrounding Moana Pasifika feels disappointing on every level.

The team has provided some memorable moments and represented something bigger than rugby results alone. Whatever happens next, the competition would be poorer without a strong Pacific presence.

Let’s hope a solution can be found.

4. Australian Inconsistency

The Australian teams showed flashes. Some were genuinely impressive at times.

But consistency remains the issue.

Thirty years on, Super Rugby is still largely driven by New Zealand success. For the competition to reach its full potential, it needs multiple Australian sides regularly challenging for titles.

Every sporting competition is healthier when new contenders emerge.

More genuine threats from across the Tasman would make Super Rugby significantly stronger.

5. Crowds Still Need Work

The television audience is healthy.

The in-stadium crowds? Not quite there yet.

Attendances have improved in some markets, but half-empty stadiums still dominate the conversation and fuel criticism of the competition.

Everyone involved is working hard to grow crowds, but until venues like Eden Park and Hnry Stadium consistently look full rather than sparse, this issue won’t go away.

Because fair or not, perception matters.

And full stadiums always tell a better story than empty seats.

Share

Leave a comment

Has Ruben Love done enough? Image: ActionPress

It feels like we’re seeing rugby’s biggest sliding doors moment play out as the Hurricanes continue their charge to an elusive second Super Rugby Pacific title. Key to a lot of the success that’s seen them lock in top spot with a week to spare has been Ruben Love, whose form at first five has been outstanding.

And yet, if it wasn’t for an injury in pre season to the luckless Brett Cameron, it’s likely we wouldn’t even be considering Love to be a serious option to start at 10 for the upcoming All Black season. Love has not only been the perfect foil for both Cam Roigard and Jordie Barrett, two men who will certainly be starting at halfback and second five in July, but also has relieved Barrett of the goal kicking duties to showcase that facet of his game to new All Black coach Dave Rennie.

Subscribe now

Share

So while there’s plenty of people in Wellington ready to give him the All Black first five role, where he sits in Rennie’s estimations is an intriguing question. It’s one that will only get more pressing if Love helps the Hurricanes lift the trophy in just under a month’s time.

That’s because, by then, we’ll know if Love can perform at 10 in the most pressurised situation outside of test rugby. Finishing top means the Hurricanes get a life in the playoffs but they will still need to win two in a row against presumably the Crusaders and Chiefs. If this body of work is successful, it may well finally render the constant argument of Richie Mo’unga’s eligibility a bit of a moot point.

Don’t get me wrong. Mo’unga will play for the All Blacks at some point this year and likely on the South African tour, it’s just that a strong selection case for Love would mean that he would serve his time in the NPC with little complaint.

While NZ Rugby probably wouldn’t admit it, that scenario would vindicate the policy they’re enforcing around Mo’unga, which has come down to the fact that he’s signed an 18-month deal rather than a two year one.

And that’s just Love. Beauden Barrett’s form has been of concern lately, but the fact remains that he has played 144 tests and that counts for something. Then there’s Damian McKenzie, who proved to be far more of a safe pair of hands in the times he’s relieved Barrett of the 10 jersey.

So that’s four players deep in arguably the most important position in the All Blacks, ironically a goal trumpeted by Scott Robertson when he took the job back in 2024. While that regime is over, Robertson’s strategy is something that will need to be continued on with whether Rennie likes it or not, because the attrition rate this year alone will likely necessitate the use of over 50 players.

Rennie already said publicly that he had planned to start Mo’unga in the first match of the tour, against the Stormers in Cape Town. He didn’t elaborate on whether that was going to be a tune up for a start in the first test of the series, but it’s worth remembering that Rennie has a better idea than most around his form, given he scouts him every week in Japan Rugby League One.

That’s not Super Rugby Pacific, though. We’re all seeing what Love can do, week in, week out. The rest of the competition and the July tests against France, Italy and Ireland may well be the time for Love to cement in that selection for when the All Blacks run out onto Ellis Park.

Share

Leave a comment

Jordie Barrett during the Blues v Hurricanes match at Eden Park. Image: Blake Armstrong / action press

The Hurricanes solidify their top of the table status with a big win at Eden Park, but there’s plenty more to talk about after the weekend. Martin Devlin has a few things on his mind:

1. The Blues aren’t winning this thing. Sorry.

Righto. Somebody switch the BBQ off because the Blues are cooked.

I know they’re sitting third. I know the table says they’re contenders. And yes, I’m also the first bloke to say the ladder never lies. But if you’re leaking points like a rusty chilly bin at a summer picnic, eventually the truth catches up with you.

The Hurricanes have now put 42 and 47 on them. The Crusaders hung 36 on them. That’s 125 points conceded across three big games against actual contenders.

You don’t win titles defending like that. You just don’t.

And the scary bit? The latest scoreline probably flattered them. They got absolutely towelled up. Properly shellacked. The Canes looked quicker, sharper, more physical and honestly… like they were playing at a different speed altogether.

The Blues are still in the mix because everyone else keeps tripping over themselves too. Outside the top few teams, consistency has been rarer than a polite comment section online.

But championship teams don’t concede tries that easily. End of story.

2. Caleb Tangitau — what a rotten piece of luck

This one genuinely stings.

Caleb Tangitau doing his Achilles on Friday night is brutal. Absolutely brutal.

The kid’s only 23 and was having one of those breakout seasons where every week felt like another step toward the big stage. You could see it coming. Defenders certainly couldn’t.

He looked every bit an All Black-in-waiting.

Fast. Confident. Dangerous. One of the form wingers in the comp from Round 1.

And then bang. One moment changes everything.

That’s the cruelty of rugby. The game gives you momentum, excitement, a sniff of the top level… then it can rip it away in half a second.

The good news? He’s young. He’ll come back. Modern rehab is incredible and there’s still plenty of runway before the next World Cup cycle really locks in.

But it’s also another reminder that all our World Cup planning this far out is mostly guesswork dressed up as certainty.

Every year someone emerges. Every year someone disappears through injury.

That’s rugby.

3. Australian rugby is basically one giant shrug emoji right now

Nobody knows who’s good. Including them.

Not one Aussie side currently has a winning record, yet two of them will probably stumble into finals rugby anyway because the whole middle of the table looks like a traffic jam.

The Brumbies, Reds, Tahs and Force are separated by basically nothing and all seem capable of beating each other one week and forgetting how rugby works the next.

You could throw a doona over the lot of them.

And then there was the jersey situation.

The Force — whose entire identity is literally built around blue and white — turned up at home wearing red… while the Reds were in white.

Mate.

You are called the Reds.

The clue is in the bloody title.

It’s honestly one of professional sport’s great modern mysteries that teams now seem determined to dress like they’ve lost a bet with the marketing department.

4. Zac Lomax looks like the real deal

Very early days, yes. Calm down everyone.

But also… c’mon. The bloke looks seriously good.

Every time Zac Lomax gets near the ball something feels like it might happen. He’s got that energy about him. That proper “watch this” presence.

Strong carry. Fast feet. Physical. Competitive. Busy.

You know those players who just look dangerous before they’ve even fully settled into the level? That’s him.

If he was ours, we’d already be quietly pencilling him into wider All Blacks conversations. Don’t pretend otherwise.

5. Bristol getting a bonus point in a 94–33 hiding is peak modern rugby nonsense

This might be one of the dumbest things rugby currently does.

Northampton absolutely dismantled Bristol. And when I say dismantled, I mean full public undressing levels of humiliation.

Final score: 94–33.

Fourteen tries to five.

One hundred and twenty-seven total points. A try every couple of minutes. It looked less like rugby and more like someone accidentally left the difficulty settings on “rookie”.

Yet Bristol still got a bonus point.

Why?

Because they scored five tries while getting smashed into another dimension.

Honestly, rewarding teams for being catastrophically bad as long as they occasionally fall over the line is one of rugby’s strangest achievements.

You concede 94 points, lose by nine tries, and still walk away with something?

No. Stop it.

At some point we have to bring shame back into sport.

6. The Waratahs have made me look stupid again

Which, to be fair, isn’t difficult.

After absolutely roasting the Tahs during the tipping comp this week — calling them rugby’s ultimate Instagram team — what do they do?

They go to Fiji and put 50 on the Drua.

In Fiji.

Where teams usually melt into the turf by halftime.

The Tahs arrived there having lost seven of their previous nine, carrying all the emotional confidence of a damp sock, and somehow blew the game open by halftime at 36–7.

Honestly, it was one of the more surprising results of the season.

And now they’re somehow still alive in the playoff race.

So yes. Hand me the “No Dickheads” hat. I’ve earned it this week.

Because clearly… what would I know?

Share

Leave a comment

Richie Mo’unga during his last test, the 2023 World Cup final. Image: Bob Martin/ActionPress

Once again, apologies for the lack of content. I arrived home last week after a 30 hour journey from Sri Lanka, which really took it out of me. Back to normal transmission from now on, though.

Steve Lancaster had a bit to do on his first couple of days as new full time NZ Rugby CEO. The affable ex-Crusader’s duties mainly consisted of answering questions about the same core issues the game here has had to deal with lately, mainly financial, participatory and governance.

But, inevitably, the hot button topic that got the headlines was around eligibility. Specifically, the eligibility of Richie Mo’unga, who was last seen in an All Black jersey in the 2023 World Cup final.

Subscribe now

Share

Lancaster confirmed that Mo’unga would not be considered for selection before he’d done his mandatory time in the NPC, which means he may well feature in August’s highly anticipated series against the Springboks - but he won’t be on the plane when the squad leaves for the South African tour. Theoretically Mo’unga could be called up as a replacement after playing for Canterbury, which seems like a roundabout way of doing things.

Let’s look at the key factors involved in this:

NZR’s policy is kinda stupid

This isn’t about the eligibility rule, which probably deserves a column of its own. This is about him having to turn out in domestic games first, because it’s not like Mo’unga is just coming back to pick up another few test caps and a pay day. He’s re-signed with the Crusaders and committed to NZ for the World Cup cycle, presumably with the motivation of playing a significant role in it.

Is that not good enough? Besides, this isn’t some World Rugby stipulation, this is something NZR has set for itself, so no one else is really going to care if they break it.

They’ve broken it anyway

All it would take is the NZR board to simply grant Dave Rennie permission to select him, it’s that simple. They did so for Steve Hansen when he asked for Matt Todd to be added to his All Black squad for the 2018 end of year tour, on top of the record 51 players he’d already taken anyway. Part of the justification was that Todd was returning to the Crusaders the following season.

But back in 1995 Kevin Schuler and Graeme Bachop were granted exemptions despite playing in Japan, which they returned to as soon as the tournament finished.

NZR have actually granted an exemption this year, under arguably even flimsier circumstances for the Black Ferns when Georgia Ponsonby was allowed to rejoin the team while contracted in England.

The precedent

One of the main issues for NZR though is that if it wasn’t for Mo’unga, it’s unlikely that eligibility would be the lightning rod headline it’s become over the last few years. Remember, this dominated Scott Robertson’ early tenure after it was literally the first thing he was asked about.

Other than Carl Hayman in the lead up to the 2011 World Cup, there hasn’t been discourse around anyone else that has gone overseas about being an automatic selection back into the All Blacks. So at least from NZR’s point of view, there would be a serious reticence to let one player control the entire narrative around this any more than Mo’unga unintentionally already has.

Mo’unga watches the All Blacks play England in 2024. Image: Lynne Cameron/ActionPress

Is it automatic, though?

It is worth remembering that before the 2023 season, Mo’unga was regarded as a very good player, but not an all time great. The ‘21-22 seasons were an exceptionally tumultuous time, punctuated by some incredible All Black performances mostly at the expense of the Wallabies.

Mo’unga wasn’t, and likely still isn’t a magic bullet for all the issues the All Blacks face, and his decision to come back was made while Robertson’s regime was still intact. Dave Rennie has had a decent look at Mo’unga up in Japan but just where the new coach sees him in the pecking order is anyone’s guess.

Is this just a ruse?

Or maybe Mo’unga is all part of Rennie’s plan, and this whole thing is a work. It would be some uncharacteristic slyness by NZR to misdirect the Springboks into thinking Mo’unga will be playing NPC when the All Blacks head to Ellis Park for the first test, but given Rassie Erasmus’s penchant for mind games then maybe they’ve felt like it’s time to play one of their own.

Share

Leave a comment

Billy Proctor tackles Taha Kemara. Image: ActionPress

Again, apologies as I’m currently in Sri Lanka with the New Zealand Under 85kg team. Marty has kindly done this column about his thoughts around Super Rugby Pacific, also topical as when I get back to NZ I’ll be joining the DSPN as executive producer.

So here’s what the big talking points are:

HOT TAKE 1 – CANES IN CONTROL… OR ARE THEY?

Let’s start easy.

The Hurricanes are in the box seat. Top spot is theirs to lose — simple as that. They’re already two points clear and they’ve still got a game in hand. On paper? Dream scenario.

Subscribe now

Share

But… there’s a catch.

No bye. No break. No breather. It’s seven straight games from here if they go all the way — including finals. That’s a grind.

They’ll probably need to win all four remaining round robin games to lock in that number one seed and home advantage. Maybe they can drop one… because the top Kiwi sides are about to beat each other up over the next few weeks anyway.

Moana next — you’d expect a win there. Maybe even a chance to rotate the squad a bit. But then… Blues away, Crusaders away, and the Highlanders at home wedged in between.

They’re sitting at 8 and 2, same as the Chiefs. Only losses? Drua away early and Chiefs away recently.

Everything is lining up nicely. The only real question now… are they actually ready to finish the job?

⸻

HOT TAKE 2 – THE FORWARD PASS… COME ON NOW

The Crusaders have every right to be a little grumpy after that one in Wellington.

Let’s just say it out loud — that pass was forward. We all saw it. Everyone at home saw it. The dog probably saw it.

And yet somehow, the ref and TMO land on “no clear and obvious evidence.” Now look, I get the whole “momentum, hands going backwards, physics lesson” thing… but sometimes you just have to call it what it is.

Forward is forward.

Did it cost them the game? Probably not outright — there was still 15 minutes to play. But it did push the score to 38–24, and suddenly the Crusaders are chasing the game instead of staying within striking distance.

And more importantly — it changes the entire last quarter. Tactics shift, pressure shifts, everything changes. So no, not the sole reason they lost… but definitely one of those “what if” moments that sticks.

⸻

HOT TAKE 3 – WARATAHS… WHAT IS GOING ON?

Alright… someone explain the Waratahs to me.

Every year — big talk, big build-up, big social media energy. The gym clips, the hype, the “this is our year” vibes…

And then the rugby starts. And it’s… underwhelming. Again. This is meant to be the biggest, richest rugby market in Australia. There’s no shortage of resource, talent, or noise. But results? Always just a bit… meh.

Last four years — 34 games, 18 wins. That’s barely scraping over 50%.

This year? Started 2–0… and now they’ve dropped six of the last eight. It’s not a talent issue. It’s not a potential issue.

It’s consistency. It’s delivery. It’s actually turning up when it counts. Because right now, they look great on Instagram… and pretty average on a scoreboard.

⸻

HOT TAKE 4 – AND WHAT ABOUT THE BRUMBIES?

And while we’re in Australia… can we talk about the Brumbies?

Because this one’s even stranger. They started 3–0. Top of the table. Went to Christchurch — and put 50 on the Crusaders. In Christchurch!

That’s not normal. That’s statement stuff.

And since then? They’ve lost six of their last eight. Losses to the Reds twice, Drua twice, and the Waratahs. Games you’d back them to win most days of the week.

So who are they? That early-season powerhouse? Or this version that just can’t get it done?

The Reds are the only Aussie side above .500 at 6–4. Across all four teams? 19 wins, 22 losses. Compare that to New Zealand — 33 wins, 20 losses.

The gap’s real. And right now, it’s growing.

⸻

HOT TAKE 5 – THE DRAW FROM HELL

Now here’s where it gets really interesting. Who’s got the toughest run home — Crusaders, Chiefs, or Blues?

Take your pick, because none of them are exactly cruising. Chiefs have four left: Reds, Highlanders, Crusaders, Blues.

Blues? Crusaders, Hurricanes, Chiefs. Crusaders? Blues, Chiefs… and Hurricanes.

It’s basically a round-robin of pain. Every Kiwi team is about to take points off each other. No one’s getting through clean.

Which opens the door — slightly — for the Aussie sides. But can they actually take advantage?

Only four teams in the whole comp have winning records: Canes, Blues, Chiefs, Reds.

Four out of eleven. So the real story? Most teams this year… are losing more than they’re winning.

Not exactly a competition full of dominant forces.

⸻

HOT TAKE 6 – KARL BUDGE MAKES SOME NOISE

And finally — a bit of off-field theatre. Karl Budge, Blues CEO, barging Auckland into the Super Round conversation. Didn’t see that coming… but I like it.

Big vision — Eden Park hosting, full entertainment weekend, music, food, wine, fan experiences, the whole thing. Now look, is it all a bit ambitious? Sure.

Is Auckland exactly known for smooth logistics right now? Also… sure.

But that’s not really the point.

This was a PR play and a good one. Make some noise. Get headlines. Force Super Rugby to actually think about their options instead of just handing it to Christchurch again.

Will Auckland get it next year? Probably not. Should it stay in Christchurch for now? Honestly, yes.

But Budge has done one very smart thing — he’s made sure Auckland is now part of the conversation.

And in this game…that’s half the battle.

Share

Leave a comment

One NZ Stadium. Image: Martin Hunter/ActionPress

First off an apology for the lack of content over the past week. I’m currently in Sri Lanka with the New Zealand Under 85kg team, working as a media advisor. It’s been a fantastic trip so far and I’ll file an update soon.

Super Rugby Pacific finally got the Super Round it wanted - and it only took a city building a billion dollar stadium to achieve that. In all seriousness though, the new One NZ Stadium in Christchurch looked absolutely magnificent, as 10 teams and thousands of fans descended on it for the weekend.

Subscribe now

Share

However, it feels like it couldn’t have come a moment sooner, as the narrative around rugby’s popularity has been far more negative than usual lately.

So here’s a rundown of what went down over Super Round, both on and off the field.

Canes train back on track

Thanks to a significant points differential, the Hurricanes are back on top of the table after their 45-12 hammering of the Brumbies. It was an important one for Clark Laidlaw’s side after their loss last weekend to the Chiefs, with all signs pointing now to a rematch of that fixture firming as a potential final.

However, that’s now four losses in a row for the Brumbies, who drop to fifth and need to figure out something fast to avoid sinking any lower. It’s alarming for the team that is a consistent Australian presence in the play-offs, especially with the talent they have on their roster.

Fineanganofo’s plans

Fehi Fineanganofo has no problems finding the try line, adding another four to his tally in the Hurricanes’ win. It would be fascinating to know what sort of conversations he’s having with his agent about the contract he’s signed with Newcastle.

The dumbest try ever?

Meanwhile, we’ll probably never know what Ilaisa Droasese was thinking when he tried to grubber kick the ball out of his own in goal, because he likely doesn’t know himself. The fact that it was a terrible idea wasn’t helped at all by it being a terrible kick, not even making it to the try line for Jared Proffit to dive on. The only saving grace was that it didn’t really matter in the end, with the Chiefs running out 42-22 winners.

Blues take Super Point win

It wouldn’t be Super Round without Super Point, with the Blues pipping the Reds 36-33 in the battle of the teams with the least amount of effort put into their names.

Try of the weekend

While it’s been a tough time for Moana Pasifika, they can at least claim the best try of Super Round. Israel Leota’s leap looked like it came straight out of the AFL, with a clean landing that would scored perfectly with Olympic gymnast judges. Gus Pulu carried on the theme in the second half with some tumbling to score a nice try too, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Highlanders picking up a much-needed 27-17 win.

Crusaders move home

The most emotional part of the weekend was the first game, with the Crusaders finally getting the stadium they’ve had to wait 15 years for. It all went according to script with a 35-20 win over the Waratahs, although it was one that left plenty of room for improvement as the play-offs loom. Rob Penney’s side has had a strangely inconsistent season, but at least they didn’t fluff their lines completely on opening night.

Verdict

Super Round worked because it had the fans and at least one game that came down to the wire, but next year it would likely make sense to move it to Easter weekend or even earlier in the season before the NRL starts so it can have complete clear air.

Share

Leave a comment

Image: John Cowpland/Action Press

Unless some interesting rumours prove to be more than just that, we can now add Moana Pasifika to the now rather long list of defunct Super Rugby teams. Chat has floated that there might be a potential saviour, somewhere, for the team sitting bottom of the ladder - but really they will need to have some deep pockets and a bottomless well of goodwill to even consider taking over.

That’s because not only are Moana’s running costs large, there’s also a significant amount of debt to be taken on as well. Then there’s the issues that the team has faced that need more than money to fix, like the governance barriers that hamstrung them from day one or the fact that rugby in general is suffering an attendance problem in New Zealand.

Subscribe now

Share

Well, domestic rugby to be more precise. The All Blacks have no issues at all selling out their home tests, a testament to that was how they filled up Eden Park twice in under a month last year.

It’s also important to note that rugby isn’t unpopular either. Sky TV’s numbers last year showed record increases in viewership and it’s understood that rugby is so important to them that it would be out of business without the rights.

But it is getting tricky to be confronted by the fact that Super Rugby Pacific has a massive situation going on regarding teams folding. That’s now two in three years that have gone under, with Moana joining the Melbourne Rebels in the history books. While it’s easy to compare them on the surface due to the shared lack of success, they are very much different cases.

So what now? Unless there’s some big news coming out soon, it’s going to be Super 10 all over again.

First, let’s look on the bright side. Super Rugby Pacific is now a far more watchable competition due to the fact that none of it is on in the middle of the night anymore. One less team isn’t going to affect that and may well mean the competition does away with its annoying mid season lag where only three matches get played on one weekend.

Then there’s the fact that Moana’s best players will hopefully solidify rosters (although whether Ardie Savea is among them remains to be seen), with the Rebels’ talent spread had a noticeable affect on the overall Australia fortunes last season.

But while that’s a tactical benefit, there is the wider strategic challenge.

Super Rugby’s history has been one of confused expansion, firstly through the historical sense of bringing together NZ, Australian and South African teams. Ever since the 90s there were questions about where and when new teams would join, which eventuated into non-traditional Australian markets, Japan and Argentina.

None of those teams, bar the Force, are still part of the competition. But 10 teams feels too small, and is too small if Super Rugby Pacific wants to command a substantial increase in broadcast revenue, so expansion has to be back on the cards whether anyone likes it or not.

So then, where? The biggest hurdle to that answer is that everything has pretty much been tried. The Jaguares could make a comeback, but the Pumas are doing just fine without them and there have been no serious calls from Argentina to make that happen.

The US and Canada not in any sort of place to set up a sustainable presence and simple geography rules out going any further than there.

However, it is worth remembering that only a year ago, we were lauding Super Rugby Pacific as being the best competition in years. Moana were a massive part of that, which makes their demise even sadder, but maybe the concentration of talent can offset what’s going to be an unwanted concentration of a schedule.

Share

Leave a comment

Image: Aaron Gillions / action press

Just like that, it’s done. Within a matter of hours of the reports that Moana Pasifika were to exit Super Rugby Pacific started swirling, it was confirmed by mid-morning Wednesday.

That leaves just six games left in the team’s existence unless they make the playoffs, which, like everything else Moana has faced, is probably too big an ask. It’s sadly fitting that probable last fixture will be at the least hospitable venue in the competition, the windswept and unloved GIO Stadium in Canberra against a Brumbies team that were a composite side themselves when they started.

Subscribe now

Share

There are many questions around just how it got to this, how an idea that had not only been pitched but used as a way of pointing out NZ Rugby’s seeming indifference to Polynesian rugby. It all seemed so straightforward: a Pasifika team based in Auckland that played selected games in the islands.

An inbuilt fanbase. Strong player pathways. Benefits for the national teams.

Except it turns out none of that was simple at all. Firstly, the idea of a mixed Samoan and Tongan side sounds like a winner, but it’s actually a foreign concept for Samoans and Tongans who see each other as rivals. Getting the sort of passion generated by Mate Ma’a Tonga and Toa Samoa can’t be done by simply slapping a label on a team and basing them out of Mt Smart.

Which leads onto the next one: Playing in the islands proved to be too expensive and Sky TV knew that full well. Auckland as a home city made sense given the large Pasifika population there, but the often baffling and immovable stadium situation made it far less so. Mt Smart didn’t work, but that’s not to say it couldn’t have worked, because Auckland FC managed to do that in their first season.

There’s just a few million reasons why Moana and Auckland FC’s financial models bore different outcomes there, though. Which is the next big talking point throughout their existence, who was paying for Moana and was it sustainable?

That’s been answered with today’s announcement, but really the fact that a professional rugby team was being run as a charity offshoot of Pasifika Medical Association, which itself is funded by government contracts, raised eyebrows from the start.

Moana always pushed the message that they were ‘doing things their way’ in terms of the Pasifika aspect, but the connection to government money always seemed a little bit problematic. Especially if you looked at it through the lens of professional sport and that given Moana was a start up team, any promise shown by its playing group would simply be pounced on by others.

Levi Aumua and Timoci Tavatavanawai were the first to prove that, being snapped up by the Crusaders and Highlanders. Kyren Tamouefolau went to the Chiefs, and now the team folding means that all NZ teams’ rosters will be bolstered by off contract players.

That may well be the cruelest irony of all, that the whole reason that Moana were set up was to develop players for Manu Samoa and Tonga1. Now the likes of Miracle Faiilagi and Semisi Tupou-Ta’eiloa are off to use that development as a professional player for any team that will gratefully accept it for no extra cost.

The Ardie factor

Image: Marty Melville/ActionPress

Even when the talent flow went the other way, there’s one slightly uncomfortable question to be asked. Was the addition of Ardie Savea ultimately a double edged sword?

Yes if you look at in the way that they originally were getting 50c out of every dollar they spent on him, which has dropped to 33c now that he definitely won’t play next year.

But that’s a bit too simplistic. Savea’s effort in the 2025 season was undeniably incredible, so much so that it may well have stayed this execution date as long as it has. At least Moana can go out knowing that they did make a difference for one year, not only as a relevant team but the storyline of Super Rugby Pacific during their dream run into the playoffs.

Not only that, but it’s fair to say the experience had a tangible effect on Savea’s career trajectory thereafter. While he would be understandably sad at today’s news, the fact is that he may well be in Japan for good right now had it not been for Moana’s desperation to sign him.

Savea’s frustrations around the All Blacks over the last two seasons are now well known, without this opportunity to cash up and come back for the World Cup, who knows what his motivations would be right now.

There’s now an intriguing question as to what Savea does now. The most logical option would be to go to the Blues in a straight replacement for Dalton Papali’i - but that’s if he comes back at all. The fluid nature of his contract negotiation, earned through playing 12 out of 14 Super Rugby seasons in his pro career and an incredible 26 games in 2025, may see him take up residence in Japan again next season for another big pay day. Really though, simply keeping him in the lower impact Japan Rugby League One may be something new All Black coach Dave Rennie may prefer anyway.

The sad inevitability

Image: Greg Butland/ActionPress

The most frustrating part of all of this is simply going back and reading what everyone was saying this time 12 months ago. Moana had just flogged the Crusaders 45-29 in Christchurch, a barely believable outcome and one that was a full team effort around another outstanding Savea display. Things were looking up in a way that no one thought, and only a month later they defeated the Blues in front of their biggest crowd ever at North Harbour Stadium.

Somehow, this project that had every possible obstacle put in front of it, was working. Sure, it took the best player in the world to achieve that, but Moana were showing that with the right things going their way, they could capture hearts as well as wins.

But then came the off season, which started with the announcement that 15 players as well as Savea would be leaving. That total actually tracks with their turnover in other years, but it was a shock after a campaign that saw as much success as 2025 to see so little consistency.

And so, the questions started to get asked about money. In June an in depth investigation into Moana’s finances was published in the NZ Herald that outlined a $3 million loan given to them by Sport NZ. It also detailed Pasifika Medical Association’s funding cuts, which had reduced by $12 million over the previous four years.

Even when times were good, the dark clouds were never far away. So when the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific draw was released and they didn’t have a game at North Harbour Stadium till round six, alarm bells started really ringing.

That was just the latest of what felt like a series of inevitable barriers, which started before they’d even signed any players. That’s because back in 2021 Moana were only granted a provisional license for their first six months of existence, giving every other team all that time to lock up their talent. It meant that the first Moana squad was devoid of any big names, or even ones anyone who wasn’t clued into Auckland club rugby would recognise.

Just how it got that way is a question worth answering, especially when you think about how expansion teams are treated in other competitions. In fact, you don’t even need to move any further than Mt Smart to see that, with Auckland FC given an exceptionally friendly draw that saw them almost win the A-League in their first season.

But maybe that’s where the saddest reality of all this lies. Moana just couldn’t catch a break, no matter what they did. Some of it was of their own making, especially having a somewhat naive approach to an ultimately ruthless business. But when it came down to it, they never got the leg up they needed.

These last few weeks will be a slow goodbye to a team that came in with the warmest of intentions, but walk out having had those extinguished by the cold reality of professional sport.

Share

Leave a comment

Andrew White (Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/2-204807-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand)

Something a bit different today, decided to republish my review of WJ Moloney’s book Invincible from 2023 that originally ran on The Spinoff. The book covers All Black Andrew (Son) White’s life and experiences of World War I, rugby and survival. Felt like it fit as we close in on Anzac Day.

“He saw it, and all the other memorials, was conceived and created for what was lost, by those who survived. Stark and imposing, thoughtfully designed and inscribed with respectful words, they told only of the cost. But Son found them lacking in life. They told nothing of the excitement of the soldiers’ lives, of their loves, of their fears, their achievements and their failures, of what they had done, of how they had lived. These monuments were built because they had died.

Not because they had lived.”

There’s been a laudable focus by rugby players recently on the issue of mental health. The pressures of performance and how it affects today’s professionals is an interesting topic, but like most sports narratives, it’s nothing new. In fact, one of the most incredible instances of a sportsperson battling his inner demons belongs to an All Black who made his debut over a century ago.

Subscribe now

Share

Andrew White (nicknamed Son as he was the only boy in a family of five girls) played for the All Blacks 38 times including three tests on the legendary “Invincibles” tour of the UK, Ireland, France and North America in 1924–25. That’s where White’s story as told by W J Moloney gets its name.

Moloney’s Invincible is a hefty tome, clocking in at over 500 pages. But for those interested in the New Zealand experience of the First World War, it’s well worth the read. It’s also an enriching addition to the bookshelf of any rugby buff, bringing life to a tour that has mostly been confined to publications and flickering newsreel footage of the period. But to get to that, the reader must undergo the same, harrowing journey that White did after he volunteered to serve his country in 1914.

While the book is a work of historical fiction, it is well known among rugby historians that White’s real life war service was a thoroughly horrific experience from start to finish. After joining the Otago Mounted Rifles at age 20, he and his comrades from rural Southland shipped off thinking they’d be barreling down on the enemy in spectacular cavalry charges. Instead, they found themselves in the trenches of Gallipoli, slowly getting massacred by the Ottoman Turks while their beloved horses were worked to death as pack animals.

If you’re looking for the sort of adventurous account of our boys fighting bravely, Invincible isn’t it. This is a grim introduction to White’s war, telling how soldiers were just as likely to perish shitting themselves to death from dysentery than from Turkish bullets. There’s a very disturbing account of the Battle of Chunuk Bair, told in an unbroken narrative that rattles with the tempo of a Maxim machine gun over five pages:

“The smell everywhere. Dead in the trench. Behind us. In front. Bloating. Occasionally you would see one burst. Hit by a shot. Or just the pressure. The gas. Bits of a man would rain down. Same all across no man’s land. Two days of that and we walked down. I couldn’t eat. I could barely drink. The smell seemed to be in me. Lining my nose. My mouth. I wanted to stick a spoon in and scrape it out. Get rid of the lining of my mouth and nose, till it was new, till all I could smell was fresh blood, my fresh blood. But with every breath I smelt that rotting meat up on the hill.”

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for White. That’s because, unsurprisingly, he quickly developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, at the time not very well understood and generally put down to cowardice. Things didn’t get any better when he and the few survivors were sent to the Western Front (the Otago Mounted Rifles suffered such appalling casualties at Gallipoli the remnants were absorbed into infantry brigades).

This is where Invincible really delves into what it’s like to be a prisoner of a condition that was exacerbated daily by the sheer magnitude of industrialised slaughter. White endures crippling alcoholism, harsh punishment by the army and a descent into madness. There has been a theme among Great War media for a while now, particularly the intensely depressing recent Netflix adaptation of All Quiet On The Western Front, to ramp up just how awful the war was with gratuitous depictions of violence and terror. Invincible is no exception, but goes further by making the pure monotony of White’s existence as a soldier part of the psychological torment.

Obviously, it’s not much of a spoiler to reveal that White survived the war, returning home to a society ill-equipped to deal with the mental damage inflicted on the men it sent away. It’s here where the story must make its inevitable transition to a sports one, and while it’s done in a logical fashion, from then on it certainly feels very different.

The story of White’s rugby career on its own is remarkable. There’s no evidence to suggest that he’d even played a proper game before he went to war, but after joining a local club in 1919 he managed to be selected for the All Blacks by 1921. It’s not like White was some sort of genetic freak of nature either – he stood 1.8m and weighed around 80kgs. However, while White’s lightning-fast pathway is notable, the legendary Invincibles team included some of the most famous names in All Black history. George Nepia, the Brownlie brothers, Bert Cooke, Mark Nicholls and others are all prominent characters in the back half, essentially relegating White to being a supporting role in his own story.

If there is one criticism of Invincible it is this, because what we know of White as a player from reports of the time is that he was very much a blue collar forward. The Invincibles tour is famous for Nepia redefining the fullback position, Cooke’s strike rate of almost a try a game, and Cyril Brownlie being sensationally sent off at Twickenham. It’s not really remembered for White’s now outdated dribbling skills and occasional goal kicking. It shows in the narrative: while there are call backs to his war experiences and the descriptions of games and rowdy tour life are entertaining, you get the feeling this might have worked better as two volumes (or even just two parts) as the story progresses from one man’s experience to that of many others.

“What this 1924 team knew and wasn’t saying, wasn’t even admitting to themselves, was that being a middle-child was freeing from expectation and obligation. They could simply be, for that was enough when no one thought you would be anything else. They knew ‘expected to lose’ was the same as ‘nothing to lose’.”

For all their glory, the sad part of the Invincibles tour is that there were 10 more All Blacks with presumably traumatic war experiences too, alongside the numerous British, Irish, French and Canadian veterans they played against. For context, Australian rugby was destroyed so thoroughly by the carnage that they couldn’t field a proper test side again until 1929.

Moloney clearly cares deeply about both aspects of White’s life. This is an incredibly well-researched story that gives a fantastic perspective on a generation so far removed from how we live today it’s hard to even comprehend. He also includes strong themes about the Great War’s futility, as well as the dangers of glorifying the dead while ignoring the shattering societal effects of war – something that is getting ominously common during increasingly jingoistic modern interpretations of Anzac Day on both sides of the Tasman.

Invincible is an apt title for the story of Son White, because he survived deep, deep trauma to rehabilitate himself to a point that he was an All Black. But invulnerable he was not. He was a man who went through hell for no good reason along with millions of others and suffered terrible consequences for it. The men and women who carry his legacy today by wearing the same jersey and using it to platform discussions about mental health would do well to know his story.

Invincible by WJ Moloney (The Copypress, $45) can be ordered from Unity Books Auckland and Wellington.

Did you like this? Let me know if you did and I’ll try and do more reviews.

Share

Leave a comment

Mererangi Paul on the way to the tryline. Image: Garret Spenst / Action Press

Congratulations to the Black Ferns, who kicked off their season with a 48-15 win over the USA in the opening match of this year’s Pac 4 tournament. Some of it was sublime, some not so much, which is about the same way to sum up the way the team has been playing ever since their iconic World Cup final win at Eden Park.

There were signs that Whitney Hansen has come in with a mandate to institute a more balanced game plan, with the signs there that the first instinct should be to take the safest option rather than just run the ball at all costs. We’ll get a better idea of just how much progress they’ve made there after this weekend, with their upcoming Canadian opponents having badly exposed the lack of any Plan B in last year’s World Cup semi final.

There were also, frustratingly, signs that the Black Ferns players are not adapting to the standards of discipline in today’s game. Three yellows, with one upgraded to red, is unacceptable and would have been punished heavily by a better team1.

But there is a broader issue right now with the Black Ferns, and to an extent other women’s test sides.

It’s that the standout, famous players aren’t there. Jorja Miller and Braxton Sorensen-McGee, who were both given awards for the way they played at the World Cup are with the Black Ferns Sevens.

Now, this isn’t a new one. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe only played 34 tests across 12 seasons due to her preference for Sevens, and she’s not alone. That was when the Black Ferns’ schedule was lighter and targeting World Cups was easier, but Sunday morning was the first of 11 tests this year. They all matter, because the consistent (and valid) feedback on why England are so dominant now is that they simply play more often.

That’s not a dig at NZ or even World Rugby either, because they’ve certainly done what they can to put a proper season together. The Women’s Six Nations schedule isn’t something that can be replicated in this part of the world, so the Pac 4 is it until Australia (who are in the same boat regarding Sevens players) somehow get to a position of challenging the Black Ferns.

There are some legitimate concerns over the wisdom of shifting Super Rugby Aupiki to the middle of the year, although that is a trade off to have more test matches, which is what the original problem was in the first place.

So the schedule is there for test rugby. The question now should be about where Sevens sits, because you could take all the logic for England’s dominance in fifteens and apply it to the Black Ferns Sevens. Each governing body has stacked the chips on either version of the game, with the now Great Britain Sevens side that once included the likes of Ellie Kildunne reduced to complete also-rans in the abbreviated version of the game.

Jorja Miller. Image: Jack Megaw/ActionPress

We’ve seen the power that Sevens has in terms of gaining visibility thanks to its place in the Olympics2. However, that may well have been the best and worst thing World Rugby could’ve done given that they’ve essentially handed over their showpiece event to a far bigger and infinitely more powerful governing body. The knock on effect is that the rest of the Sevens circuit feels like a secondary competition to a gold medal and it’s shown in the significant decline in attendance and media interest.

While it’s been an obviously incredible patch for the Black Ferns Sevens, the fact that they’ve made every final for the past five years is also a reflection on the declining state of their opponents too. So the question really needs to be asked how sustainable this is and whether the women’s Sevens programme is treated like a pathway to the fifteens side and then loaded up with talent for the Olympics.

Because really, it is going to get harder to get people interested in the Black Ferns if the best players in the country aren’t there. Miller and Sorensen-McGee are the ones with all the brand value right now, but play for a side that never has any home games.

This certainly isn’t taking anything away from the players that did start in those positions against the USA, especially since Mererangi Paul scored three well taken tries. The problem now is that if she keeps going like this, it’s more than likely she’ll end up back in Sevens too.

Kicking the can down the road used to be the way women’s rugby was treated, so it is somewhat ironic that this situation has been caused by a well funded, well coached and incredibly dominant Sevens team3. But overall, it feels like the commitment to fifteens is something that’s unavoidable4 if New Zealand Rugby wants to get the Black Ferns on the same level as England.

It won’t be unprecedented as they did it with the men, even at the expense of a proper shot at Olympic gold. So for the players, administrators and fans, the question is simple: which one do we want more?

CORRECTION: the original version of this story stated that Sorensen-McGee wouldn’t play for the Black Ferns this year, however that’s incorrect as her new contract has a clause for her to do so.

Share

Leave a comment

Captain Hurricane is flying high. Image: Marty Melville/ActionPress

As far as statements go, that’s about as emphatic as the Hurricanes can be. The 42-19 thumping of the second-placed Blues on Saturday night was one built on patience, ruthlessness and the ability to shift up a gear at the business end, the last part being the most crucial for their title ambitions this season.

It wasn’t entirely perfect, with a couple of defensive lapses that kept the Blues in the game for longer than they should have and two yellow cards. Somewhat incredibly, those two cards were part of only three penalties they conceded in the whole game.

Subscribe now

Share

But the ability of the Hurricanes’ key men at the right times certainly made up for it. Cam Roigard’s try that pushed the lead out to an impossible ask for the Blues was all down to quick thinking, with Jordie Barrett spotting wide open country at the back after the Hurricanes were awarded a penalty. Instead of kicking for touch, Barrett blasted the ball straight down the middle of the field, isolating the inexperienced Payton Spencer.

The result was another penalty, a quick tap and Roigard crashing over under the posts. It’s that sort of thing that can win playoff games and finals.

The Blues certainly didn’t look like the side that had racked up five good wins leading into this one and it wasn’t just because the Hurricanes were making it hard for them to be. They were clearly missing Dalton Papali’i’s influence at the breakdown and overall leadership, plus losing Ofa Tu’ungafasi after 20 minutes was a significant setback.

However, the fact that they were gashed for so many points will be of serious concern to Vern Cotter, because once again it doesn’t feel like the Blues have the ability to chase a game. Cotter’s era has been built on the Blues setting the tone early in games and forcing their opposition to adjust. While it won them a title two years ago, it has made them seem a bit one dimensional when things aren’t quite going their way right from the start.

Callum Harkin leaves the newly blonde Zarn Sullivan in his wake. Image: Marty Melville/ActionPress

While the Roigard try perfectly encapsulated where the Hurricanes are at right now, Carter Gordon’s score against the Crusaders summed up everything people love (and a lot of northern hemisphere pundits somehow hate) about Super Rugby.

In a movement that involved three turnovers and then a kick from Harry Wilson that would’ve looked at home in the centre square of an AFL match, Gordon showed enough toe to make Chay Fihaki look like an oil tanker in comparison. However, Fihaki did show good smarts to run in a try as close to the posts as possible on the last play, which gave the defending champions a valuable bonus point.

That means they hold a five point lead over the Waratahs in sixth spot, with that arm’s length difference likely to come in handy down the track.

The Chiefs were gifted an extra home game by Moana Pasifika’s inability to take Saturday’s fixture to Tonga, with it moved to Rotorua. They repaid the favour by handing Tana Umaga’s side a 62-17 flogging, although Moana at least got a decent crowd in to watch. Out of all the issues lately around scheduling, this one has flown under the radar a bit, however it feels like that scoreline would’ve ended up happening no matter where this game was played given Moana’s -207 points differential.

The Highlanders and Brumbies played out a contender for the most frustrating watch of the season on Friday, and not just because neither side really wanted to score any points. Henry Bell’s yellow card was the annual reminder that rulings around head clashes are sometimes baffling, as well as being seemingly designed to shift any sort of blame from the officials and lawmakers rather than player safety.

The Fijian Drua have managed to start their rebuild of Churchill Park’s fearsome reputation with their 24-22 win over the Force, although they may want to doing some actual building of some extra lighting. By the time the game finished it was very dark, while it probably wasn’t the main reason Ben Donaldson missed what would have been the game-winning kick, it certainly wouldn’t have helped.

Share

Beauden Barrett tackles Cam Roigard. Image: Andy Radka/ActionPress

Hurricanes v. Blues
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 11 April (NZT)
Hnry Stadium, Wellington

This is, literally, the oldest rivalry in Super Rugby. Admittedly only by a matter of hours, but the fact remains that the Hurricanes and Blues have been playing each other for longer than anyone else in professional rugby in this part of the world.

That was February 1996. The next year, the two sides put on a match at Eden Park that encapsulated everything that everyone fondly remembers about Super 12’s early years. It had everything, from a massive buildup that included a full page phoney weather report of an extreme low pressure system forming over Eden Park, to a sold out, roaring crowd littered with Wellingtonians who had traveled north, a beautiful daylight kick-off and a stirring but ultimately unsuccessful comeback by the battling Canes over the star-studded Blues.

Subscribe now

Share

Oh and eight cracking tries in the eventual 45-42 Blues victory. And the Barrett brothers’ dad.

Wellington humour made it to Eden Park. Image: Sky Sport NZ

That last part makes it feel a long time ago, especially since Carlos Spencer’s son is on the bench for the Blues this Saturday too.

While it’s not quite at the national frenzy level of the ‘97 match, it’s safe to say that this next chapter of the Hurricanes and Blues rivalry is the most significant game of Super Rugby Pacific so far this season.

For a start, it’s a top of the table clash. Whoever wins this can set themselves up to set proceedings for an all-important home playoff run.

Then there’s the intriguing match up of styles. The Hurricanes have been on a scoring spree and have fashioned a reputation for a sort of throwback, free-wheeling Super Rugby style. It’s also proven the depth of their talent, with Ruben Love moving into first five and playing a key role outside Cam Roigard.

Meanwhile the Blues have leaned even further back onto their utilitarian approach to rugby. The best case in point being that their highest margin of victory this season - the 43-7 win over Moana in round five - featured six tries from close range, with only Code Vai’s effort involving the scorer running for more than five metres.

This aspect is what gives it a bit more of a test match edge and it may well have a bearing on the test season itself. Love’s match up with Beauden Barrett is the most pressing one, especially since Barrett tends to save some of his best rugby for when he plays his old team.

There’s obviously the firepower matchups out wide with Vai and Caleb Clarke contending with the competition’s joint-top tryscorer Fehi Fineanganofo. But it feels like the whole thing will be decided up front, where the somewhat unsung Hurricanes tight five have been laying a platform for all the fun stuff. Warner Dearns has been an outstanding addition to the side and has quickly established himself as a key man in the whole competition, while up front the scrum has been operating at a high level despite not having Tyrel Lomax.

So there’s the challenge for the blue-collar Blues, to not be out-muscled at their own game. The onus will be heavily on the loose forwards to make sure that battle stays contained around a breakdown, rather than spreading the defence too thin for the likes of Jordie Barrett to exploit.

Also bubbling away in the background is the now very real momentum behind Clark Laidlaw. He has signed on as Hurricanes coach through till the end of next season, however if he can win games like this and ultimately bring a title to their long-suffering fans, he’s going to attract some attention from overseas clubs.

Sadly, the lack of print and the current state of the creativity in the media isn’t quite what it was in the 1990s, so there aren’t any going to be any full page weather system ads today1 . But there’s certainly enough intrigue on and off the field to stir up the sort of emotions felt all those years ago once the teams head out of the tunnel.

Share

Canes fans too young to remember when their team won a title. Image: Marty Melville/ActionPress

After last weekend’s short round, we’ve got another weird looking set of games. Four in a row on Saturday, to be precise, so if you don’t feel like leaving your couch then this will be a good one for you.

To be fair, it shouldn’t have been this way. The Moana Pasifika v Chiefs game was originally supposed to be in Tonga, presumably on the Friday, but had to be shifted to Rotorua after traveling to the islands fell into the too-hard basket.

Subscribe now

Share

Here’s a run down of all the weekend’s action:

Highlanders v Brumbies
Kick-off: 7:05pm Friday 10 April
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Image: Jaye Grieshaber / action press

There’s a fork in the road kind of feel for a few teams this weekend, with the Brumbies needing this to get them back into their natural habitat of the top four. It’s been a weird season for Stephen Larkham’s side, thrashing the Crusaders one week and getting beaten by the Tahs the next, so an away win here should set them back on the right track.

Meanwhile it feels like it’s deckchairs on the Titanic already at the Highlanders, who have once again recorded a big result early only to fall away dramatically ever since.

Highlanders: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Jack Taylor, 3. Angus Ta’avao, 4. Oliver Haig, 5. Mitch Dunshea, 6. Te Kamaka Howden, 7. Veveni Lasaqa, 8. Nikora Broughton, 9. Nic Shearer, 10. Cameron Millar, 11. Jona Nareki, 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13. Jonah Lowe, 14. Caleb Tangitau, 15. Taine Robinson
Bench: 16. Henry Bell, 17. Josh Bartlett, 18. Saula Ma’u, 19. Hugh Renton, 20. Sean Withy, 21. Adam Lennox, 22. Reesjan Pasitoa, 23. Tanielu Tele’a

Brumbies: 1. James Slipper, 2. Billy Pollard, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Lachlan Shaw, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Rory Scott, 8. Charlie Cale, 9. Ryan Lonergan, 10. Declan Meredith, 11. Corey Toole, 12. David Feliuai, 13. Kadin Pritchard, 14. Ollie Sapsford, 15. Andy Muirhead
Bench: 16. Lachlan Lonergan, 17. Blake Schoupp, 18. Darcy Breen, 19. Toby Macpherson, 20. Luke Reimer, 21. Klayton Thorn, 22. Tane Edmed, 23. Hudson Creighton

Moana Pasifika v Chiefs
Kick-off: 2:05pm Saturday 11 April
Rotorua International Stadium

Aaron Gillions / action press

In giving up on taking this game to Tonga, Moana have also effectively given up a home game. Rotorua put their hands up to host it, but of course that’s Chiefs country and they barely needed much more help anyway. Damian McKenzie goes back to first five in a backline with four All Blacks in it, as well as Moana’s best back from last year Kyren Taumoefolau.

Moana will be doing well to keep this scoreline respectable as their season already looks like it’s over.

Moana Pasifika: 1. Malakai Hala-Ngatai, 2. Millennium Sanerivi, 3. Paula Latu, 4. Tom Savage, 5. Veikoso Poloniati, 6. Miracle Faiilagi, 7. Niko Jones, 8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 9. Augustine Pulu, 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11. Glen Vaihu, 12. Lalomilo Lalomilo, 13. Tevita Latu, 14. Solomon Alaimalo, 15. William Havili
Bench: 16. Samiuela Moli, 17. Abraham Pole, 18. Atu Moli, 19. Jimmy Tupou, 20. Semisi Paea, 21. Melani Matavao, 22. Patrick Pellegrini, 23. Tyler Pulini

Chiefs: 1. Ollie Norris, 2. Tyrone Thompson, 3. Reuben O’Neill, 4. Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 5. Tupou Vaa’i, 6. Samipeni Finau, 7. Jahrome Brown, 8. Simon Parker, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Kyren Taumoefolau, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Kyle Brown, 14. Leroy Carter, 15. Liam Coombes-Fabling
Bench: 16. Brodie McAlister, 17. Jared Proffit, 18. Sione Ahio, 19. Fiti Sa, 20. Luke Jacobson, 21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22. Josh Jacomb, 23. Reon Paul

Fijian Drua v Western Force
Kick-off: 4:35pm Saturday 11 April
Churchill Park, Lautoka

After a false start a fortnight ago, it’s hopefully time for Zac Lomax to begin what might be a fascinating journey to test rugby…or simply waiting out the purgatory imposed by the NRL. Whatever the case is, the Force will be feeling pretty confident after their good win last weekend in Brisbane, as well as the fact that the Drua seem to have lost their Asterisk Magic Potion effect when playing at home.

Fijian Drua: 1. Haereiti Hetet, 2. Zuriel Togiatama, 3. Mesake Doge, 4. Isoa Nasilasila, 5. Joseva Tamani, 6. Etonia Waqa, 7. Motikiai Murray, 8. Elia Canakaivata, 9. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 10. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 11. Ilaisa Droasese, 12. Iosefo Namoce, 13. Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 14. Isikeli Basiyalo, 15. Isikeli Rabitu
Bench: 16. Mesulame Dolokoto, 17. Emosi Tuqiri, 18. Samuela Tawake, 19. Mesake Vocevoce, 20. Kitione Salawa, 21. Vilive Miramira, 22. Simione Kuruvoli, 23. Manasa Mataele

Western Force: 1. Sef Fa’agase, 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3. Misinale Epenisa, 4. Franco Molina, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Nick Champion de Crespigny, 7. Jack Daly, 8. Vaiolini Ekuasi, 9. Henry Robertson, 10. Ben Donaldson, 11. Dylan Pietsch, 12. Bayley Kuenzle, 13. Hamish Stewart, 14. George Bridge, 15. Mac Grealy
Bench: 16. Nic Dolly, 17. Marley Pearce, 18. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 19. Lopeti Faifua, 20. Will Harris, 21. Agustin Moyano, 22. Kurtley Beale, 23. Zac Lomax

Hurricanes v Blues
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 11 April
Hnry Stadium, Wellington

Cam Roigard. Image: Andy Radka/ActionPress

Here’s the big game and it feels like this will have been worth the wait. A long-standing rivalry, two teams in form and All Blacks littered across the park - it’s hard to get much better than this.

I’ll have a full preview of this feature match coming out tomorrow, because it’s just so tasty it deserves a whole column to itself.

Hurricanes: 1. Xavier Numia, 2. Asafo Aumua, 3. Pasilio Tosi, 4. Caleb Delany, 5. Warner Dearns, 6. Devan Flanders, 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 8. Peter Lakai, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Ruben Love, 11. Fehi Fineanganofo, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Billy Proctor, 14. Josh Moorby, 15. Callum Harkin
Bench: 16. Raymond Tuputupu, 17. Siale Lauaki, 18. Tevita Mafileo, 19. Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20. Brad Shields, 21. Brayden Iose, 22. Ereatara Enari, 23. Jone Rova

Blues: 1. Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 2. Bradley Slater, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Josh Beehre, 5. Sam Darry, 6. Che Clark, 7. Anton Segner, 8. Malachi Wrampling, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Xavi Taele, 13. AJ Lam, 14. Codemeru Vai, 15. Zarn Sullivan
Bench: 16. James Mullan, 17. Mason Tupaea, 18. Sam Matenga, 19. Tristyn Cook, 20. Torian Barnes, 21. Taufa Funaki, 22. Pita Ahki, 23. Payton Spencer

Reds v Crusaders
Kick-off: 9:35pm Saturday 11 April
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

George Bell. Image: Martin Hunter/ActionPress

Another turning point match, with the Reds on the edge of throwing their season away and coach Les Kiss under some serious scrutiny given that he’s due to take over at the Wallabies later this year. It’s not going to be an easy salvage job against a Crusaders side that had a big win last weekend, although they are missing Will Jordan and there’s a direct correlation between him being off the park and the fortunes of his team so far this season.

Queensland Reds: 1. Aidan Ross, 2. Matt Faessler, 3. Nick Bloomfield, 4. Seru Uru, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Joe Brial, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Kalani Thomas, 10. Carter Gordon, 11. Tim Ryan, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Josh Flook, 14. Filipo Daugunu, 15. Jock Campbell
Bench: 16. Richie Asiata, 17. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18. Zane Nonggorr, 19. Hamish Muller, 20. Vaiuta Latu, 21. Louis Werchon, 22. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23. Isaac Henry

Crusaders: 1. George Bower, 2. George Bell, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Antonio Shalfoon, 5. Jamie Hannah, 6. Dom Gardiner, 7. Corey Kellow, 8. Christian Lio-Willie, 9. Noah Hotham, 10. Taha Kemara, 11. Sevu Reece, 12. David Havili, 13. Leicester Fainga’anuku, 14. Chay Fihaki, 15. Johnny McNicholl
Bench: 16. Manumaua Leitu, 17. Finlay Brewis, 18. Seb Calder, 19. Tahlor Cahill, 20. Johnny Lee, 21. Louie Chapman, 22. Rivez Reihana, 23. Dallas McLeod

Share