2026 Super Rugby Aupiki | RugbyPass' Team of the Season

The Blues successfully defended their Super Rugby Aupiki title for a third consecutive year with a thrilling 28-21 win over Matatu in the final at Te Kaha/One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.

With 20 wins in 30 games, the Blues have the best record in the competition, but it took some late, daring rugby to prevail in 2026. While Matatu impressed by winning a club-record four consecutive matches to top the round-robin standings, the Hurricanes Poua were arguably the darlings of the competition, improving out of sight.

Who were the best players in Super Rugby Aupiki in 2026?

15. Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Blues)

Masterful performance in the last-round 38-29 win over Matatu with two tries and four conversions, which propelled the Blues to the final. While not as spectacular as 2025, Sorensen-McGee still ranked in the top ten for meters gained, clean breaks and points [45].

14. Wikitoria Viljoen (Hurricanes Poua)

Scored five tries in five games, including the only Poua hat-trick in the record 45-30 win over the Blues. She ranked in the top ten for clean breaks and defenders beaten. In the past two seasons of the Farah Palmer Cup [FPC], she has scored 13 tries in 14 games for Manawatu.

13. Hinemaringi Scott (Hurricanes Poua)

Scored two tries, completed 23 of 25 tackles, and has emerged as a genuine late bloomer at 30. The “Te Mahoe Titian” recently undertook a Psychology and Human Performance degree at the University of Waikato and featured in the last two Waikato FPC winning Premiership teams. She earned a chance at Aupiki level after spreading her wings with the USRC Tigers in Hong Kong.

12. Grace Brooker (Matatu)

Outstanding captain of the runners-up. Was the top-tackling back with 97 and broke 26 tackles to rank second, scoring two tries. Her partnership with Amy du Plessis is a potent one for Canterbury and Matatu and could be reprised in the Black Ferns.

11. Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a (Chiefs Manawa)

Was one of the few Manawa success stories. After the round robin, she ranked third in tries [five], fifth in points [25], ninth in carries [55], third in clean breaks [nine], and first in defenders beaten [28], metres gained [626] and offloads [12]. From a Samoan background, she attended Sacred Heart College and Hamilton Girls’ High School. In the 2025 FPC Premiership win by Waikato, she scored five tries in four games. From the bench, Katelyn Vahaakolo caught fire for the Blues in the last two games, scoring three tries including the 83rd-minute winner in the final.

10. Renee Holmes (Hurricanes Poua)

The leading points scorer in Aupiki history was also the top scorer at the end of the round robin with 71. Holmes kicked 24 of her last 27 goals. More significantly, she made a successful transition to first-five, impressing with her ability to run a backline. She did not lose her attacking ability while growing as a tactician and distributor. She has emerged as a genuine option as an international first five. Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant was clinical when it mattered most, delivering the match-winning pass in the final and helping steer a Blues backline that scored a competition-leading 36 tries.

9. Iritana Hohaia (Hurricanes Poua)

The experiment of playing her at full-back was a flop. Once the policewoman and 19 Test Black Fern returned to her familiar position, she was in career-best form. She scored four tries, including one in each of the last three wins. Her ability to mix up the tempo with quick taps, snipping runs, and the occasional kick stood out.

1. Angel Mulu (Hurricanes Poua)

The loosehead prop produced a legendary performance when she helped Poua win a tighthead scrum down 31-26 against Matatu and then scored an 84th-minute match-winning try. Mulu was a key part of the Hurricanes’ rapidly improving set piece. They tripled their lineout accuracy and rivalled the Blues for the most dominant scrum, securing 49 of 52 on their own and creating two tries from tightheads against Chiefs Manawa. Mulu has always carried with gusto.

2. Atlanta Lolohea (Blues)

Scored two tries in the final and ranked in the top ten for tackles [85] and carries [73]. The Blues won 55 of 57 scrums and 60 of 69 lineouts, the best in the competition.

3. Mo’omo’oga Ona Palu (Hurricanes Poua)

Played 278 minutes throughout the campaign, more rugby than the Black Ferns tighthead is accustomed to. The Poua scrum improved throughout and decimated Matatu and Chiefs Manawa in their last two matches.

4. Maia Roos (Blues)

The Blues captain was their top tackler with 103, won the most lineouts with 28, and carried 70 times, ranking seventh overall. She has played in all 30 games and 20 wins for the Blues in Aupiki history and has featured in 41 of the Black Ferns’ last 44 Test matches.

5. Laura Bayfield (Matatu)

Third for most tackles and second for most lineout catches, Bayfield is a workhorse from a military background whose value is growing exponentially with every team she’s a part of.

6. Amarante Sititi (Blues)

Enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, ranking in the top ten for tackles with 93 and carries with 87. The 19-year-old may soon join her father Semo Sititi and older brother Wallace Sititi as a rugby international.

7. Elinor-Plum King (Matatu)

Ranked second for most tackles and inside the top ten for most lineouts won. King scored a memorable hat-trick, just the second in Matatu history, in their record 52-26 opening round victory against Chiefs Manawa at Te Kaha/One New Zealand Stadium.

8. Kapio Olsen-Baker (Matatu)

Aupiki’s player of the season will be officially crowned at the New Zealand Rugby Awards in December. Almost certainly Kapio Olsen-Baker will join Luka Connor [Chiefs Manawa 2022], Lucy Jenkins [Matatu 2023], Katelyn Vahaakolo [Blues 2024], and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe [Blues 2025] as the fifth Aupiki MVP.

The Black Ferns No.8 was dynamite, scoring in every round robin match and finishing the competition with a leading eight tries in seven appearances. Olsen-Baker ranked top tackler with 136, 18 ahead of teammate Elinor-Plum King, who was two ahead of lock Laura Bayfield. Olsen-Baker made the most carries with 108, the only player to crack a century. She also ranked in the top ten for clean breaks [six] and defenders beaten [26]. Olsen-Baker is a force of nature, arguably the best women’s rugby player on the planet.