Highlanders continue re-signing spree with two ex-U20 stars and Pumas lock

The Highlanders’ 2027 squad is coming together, with three new re-signings following the five that were announced last week.

The club has secured two of its future stars and its most experienced 2026 squad member in the latest run of extensions, with one of the most hyped prospects in New Zealand secured through until 2029.

That three-year deal belongs to halfback Dylan Pledger, who is yet to make his Highlanders debut due to a pre-season ACL tear, but has been backed as the club’s next big thing after two standout New Zealand U20 campaigns and an eye-catching debut season for Otago in the 2025 NPC.

His former U20 teammate, lock Josh Tengblad, who also missed the 2026 season due to a knee injury, has been locked down on a two-year deal. Listed at 202 cm and 115 kg, the 21-year-old was included in the team’s wider training group this season, with his inclusion in the official squad slated for 2027.

The young lock will have the mentorship of Argentina’s Tomas Lavanini in next year’s campaign, with the 91-Test Pumas enforcer extending his time in Dunedin for another year after a disrupted debut season with the club in which he played just six of 14 games.

These signings follow the news that Finn Hurley, Sean Withy, Jack Taylor and Will Stodart have been retained on two-year deals, while Henry Bell has been extended on a one-year deal.