Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Highlanders sign former All Blacks Sevens speedster among haul of young talent

Caleb Tangitau of New Zealand dives to score his try during the World Rugby U20 Championship 2023, 5th Place semi final match between New Zealand and Australia at Athlone Sports Stadium on July 9, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

The Highlanders are stocking up on even more promising young players, with five signings announced ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.

ADVERTISEMENT

After signing former champion head coach Jamie Joseph to a Head of Rugby role that manages player recruitment and retention, the club have been pulling off some major coups by finding youngsters with promise who are surplus to their club’s requirements.

Last season, major pulls in the form of Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Tanielu Tele’a made an immediate impact for the southern club, while Jospeh’s activity around agents and New Zealand Rugby saw the Highlanders secure the services of the likes of Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rhys Patchell and Mitchell Dunshea.

Video Spacer

Tony Brown outlines work for Springboks playmakers

Video Spacer

Tony Brown outlines work for Springboks playmakers

For 2025, the former Japan head coach has managed to land five strong talents, the oldest of which is just 23 years of age.

Caleb Tangitau may be the biggest name on the list, with the Blues outside back having enjoyed strong seasons with the All Blacks Sevens and the New Zealand U20s in recent years.

Utility forward Will Stoddart is one of the two re-signings on the list, a 20-year-old Southlander who debuted for the club in 2024 and is a graduate of the Highlanders High Performance Programme.

Hooker Soane Vikena is the oldest of the recruits at 23, boasting four years of Super Rugby experience with the 2024 champion Blues.

ADVERTISEMENT

Loose forward Veveni Lasaqa joins from the Hurricanes, where the Fijian-born 22-year-old claimed his Super Rugby Pacific debut against the Reds during the 2024 season.

Current New Zealand U20 squad member Josh Whaanga is the second of the re-signings, a 20-year-old midfielder and fellow graduate of the Highlanders High-Performance Programme, whose brother, Josh, is also in the team.

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Singapore SVNS | Day 2

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
m
monty 277 days ago

It’s all about the future generations, a very smart but obvious move by Jamie joseph’s. It’s great to have coaching staff of his caliber back in nz.

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 3 hours ago
Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year

It really all depends of how much overseas players would be paid (by NZR) to play for the All Blacks. I’ve not heard a peep on this front from any author suggesting it’s a good idea.


If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.


I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.


I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.


I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.


If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?


Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?

24 Go to comments
J
JW 4 hours ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

Yeah of course it can be, it manages a good commerical outcome when 100 million people are following it. I’m saying rugby is no where near even remotely close to getting the payoff you’re talking about, never mind the distinct lack of anyway to implement it.


So you’re going for the dirty approach. I’m not surprised, it’s the only way to easily implement it right now. I wouldn’t see the benefit to doing that myself. A draft, if purely feasible in it’s own right, doesn’t need to provide commercial benefit at all (if it works, that’s all it needs to do, as it no doubt did back in america’s heyday). But without the advantageous backing of sponsors and interest levels, if you pick the wrong method to implement it, like a dirty approach, you do potential harm to it’s acceptance.


The aspect’s of the approach you chose that I don’t like, is that the franchises are the ones spending the money of the U20’s only for there opposition to get first dibs. Personally, I would much prefer an investment into a proper pathway (which I can’t really see SR U20s being at all in anycase). I’m not exactly sure how the draft works in america, but I’m pretty sure it’s something like ‘anyone whishing to be pro has to sign for the draft’, and results in maybe 10 or 20% of those being drafted. The rest (that accumulative 80/90% year on year) do go back into club, pronvincial, or whatever they have there, and remain scouted and options to bring in on immediate notice for cover etc. You yes, you draw on everybody, but what is generating your interest in the drafties in the first plaec?


This is your missing peace. If some come through school and into the acadamies, which would be most, you’ve currently got three years of not seeing those players after they leave school. Those that miss and come in through club, maybe the second year theyre in the draft or whatever, aged 20/21, you’re going to have no clue how they’ve been playing. NPC is a high level, so any that are good enough to play that would already be drafted, but some late bloomers you might see come in NPC but then Sky’s not going to broadcast that anymore. So what’s generating this massive interest you’re talking about, and most importantly, how does it tie in with the other 7 clubs that will be drafting (and providing) players outside of NZ?


Is the next step to pump tens of millions into SRP U20s? That would be a good start for investment in the youth (to get onto international levels of pathway development) in the first place but are fans going to be interested to the same level as what happens in america? Baseball, as mentioned, has the minor leagues, if we use that model it hasn’t to be broad over the whole pacific, because you’re not having one draft right, they all have to play against each other. So here they get drafted young and sent out into a lower level thats more expansive that SR, is there interest in that? There would be for large parts, but how financially viable would it be. Twiggy tried to get a league started and NPC clubs joined. BOP and Taranaki want SR representation, do we have a mix of the biggest clubs and provinces/states make a couple of divisions? I think that is far more likely to fan interest and commerical capabilities than an U20 of the SR teams. Or ofc Uni fits a lot of options. I’ve not really read anything that has tried to nut out the feasability of a draft, it can certainly work if this spitballing is anything to go by, but I think first theres got to be a need for it far above just being a drafting level.

36 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad? No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad?
Search