New All Blacks and Perenara replacement headline 2025 Hurricanes squad

The Hurricanes have revealed their 2025 DHL Super Rugby Pacific squad with nine new signings along with seven All Blacks.

The club is of course without international stars like Ardie Savea and TJ Perenara, who have moved on from their home team while Jordie Barrett is also absent from the squad naming as he takes a sabbatical with Leinster.

Samoan international Ereatara Enari joins the squad for 2025, bringing Super Rugby championship experience to the team in the iconic Perenara’s absence. Perenara is the Hurricanes’ most capped player.

“We’ve been really intentional in seeking out players that tie into our team model and how we want to play the game. These are men that have a great deal of maturity on and off the field. They’re coming into our environment and they’re ready to play Super Rugby,” Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw said.

“Kade Banks and Lucas Cashmore are the perfect example of this. They might be young players, but they’re coming in from the Blues with experience in a Super Rugby environment. They’ve both had cracking NPC seasons, and they fit how we want to play the game.”

A notable omission is Patrick Tuifua, the recent France U20 star who has been involved in the Hurricanes’ development pathway.

Riley Hohepa returns to the club to help cover the impending injury absence of first five-eighth Brett Cameron, heading north from the Crusaders along with promising lock Zach Gallagher.

All Blacks Sevens powerhouse Fehi Fineanganofo is locked in for his first Super Rugby Pacific season, bringing X-factor to a squad missing both of their starting wingers from 2024 in Salesi Rayasi and Josh Moorby.

Taranaki Bulls loose forward Arese Poliko has made the squad off the back of a bruising NPC campaign.

Player Tackles Won

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Arese Poliko

22

2

Jesse Parete

21

3

Josh Lord

20

“Arese is one of those players with an incredible mindset, not only has he proven that he’s a high performer on the field, but he’s also shown a real sense of gratitude and a hunger to get stuck in and attack the coming season,” said Laidlaw.

“We’ve seen a bit of player movement but we’re realistic about what it means to have an open market. I’m confident with the depth that we’ve got in our squad. We’re in a good spot with guys like Peter Lakai, Ruben Love and Harry Godfrey locked in for the next two or three years. They’re going from strength to strength, and that consistency will help us continue to build our depth over the next few seasons.”

“We’re extremely fortunate that we’ve found players who can come into our environment and be ready for round one if we need them. Look at Ere Enari, a Samoan internationalist with more than forty super rugby games under his belt. He’s 27, and he’s playing some of his best rugby right now. He’s going to have an incredible few years ahead of him.”

Hurricanes 2025 Squad:

Tom Allen – Hawke’s Bay

Asafo Aumua – Wellington

Kade Banks – North Harbour

Brett Cameron – Manawat?

Lucas Cashmore – Bay of Plenty

Tjay Clarke – Wellington

Caleb Delany – Wellington

Jacob Devery – Hawke’s Bay

Ereatara Enari – Hawke’s Bay

Fehi Fineanganofo – Bay of Plenty

Devan Flanders – Hawke’s Bay

Zach Gallagher – Canterbury

Harry Godfrey – Hawke’s Bay

Riley Higgins – Wellington

Riley Hohepa – Counties Manukau

Brayden Iose – Manawat?

Du’Plessis Kirifi – Wellington

Peter Lakai – Wellington

Siale Lauaki – Wellington

Tyrel Lomax – Tasman

Ruben Love – Wellington

Tevita Mafileo – North Harbour

Kini Naholo – Taranaki

Xavier Numia – Wellington

Arese Poliko – Taranaki

Billy Proctor – Wellington

Ngatungane Punivai – Canterbury

Pouri Rakete-Stones – Hawke’s Bay

Cam Roigard – Counties Manukau

Brad Shields – Wellington

Daniel Sinkinson – Waikato

Bailyn Sullivan – Waikato

Josh Taula – Manawat?

Pasilio Tosi – Bay of Plenty

Will Tucker – Otago

Raymond Tuputupu – Manawat?

Peter Umaga-Jensen – Wellington

Jordi Viljoen – Manawat?

Isaia Walker-Leawere – Hawke’s Bay