1
Rob Baxter admits Christ Tshiunza 'rumours could be entirely true'
2
RugbyPass' Top 50 Players for Super Rugby Pacific 2026: 20-11
By Ben Smith
To celebrate the launch of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, RugbyPass has put together the inaugural top 50 list to predict the best players in Super Rugby Pacific for the 2026 season.
The list, compiled by the Australasian RugbyPass writers, considers recent form and achievements only at Super Rugby Pacific level to predict who will shine in the upcoming 2026 season. With over 450 players contracted to squads across Super Rugby Pacific, the Top 50 is the best of the best.
New Zealand teams produced 33 selections on the list, Australia have 12 and the two Pacific teams have five players. The most selections come from the Chiefs, with 10, with the Hurricanes a close second with eight, and the Crusaders in third with seven selections.
VIDEO
The Super Rugby Pacific Top 50 list for 2026 will count down each day, with numbers 20-11 below.
20. Leroy Carter (Chiefs, Winger)
Carter’s rise from the All Blacks Sevens program to the Chiefs, and then the All Blacks, was seamless. The 26-year-old was an absolute live wire for the Chiefs in 2025, scoring a double on debut against the Blues in round one. Carter’s aerial ability and lightning-quick pace made Super Rugby Pacific defenders struggle to keep up with the left winger. The Chiefs winger finished with nine tries last year, the sixth best overall, and second on the Kiwi list behind Will Jordan. Carter’s 44 defenders beaten and 754 meters gained show that the speedster isn’t afraid to get his hands on the ball to create opportunities, taking on the tough carries for the Hamilton-based franchise. With a clean slate when it comes to the All Blacks in 2026, Carter will look to build on his first year in the competition to lock down a spot in a black jersey.
19. Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders, Winger)
Another winger out of the All Blacks Sevens side, but Tangitau has taken no time in showcasing his raw ability in the 15-man code. Tangitau’s 676 meters gained is certainly impressive when you consider that the winger only played eight games in 2025, before getting injured for Jamie Joseph’s side. The 22-year-old’s instinct on defence has earned him multiple intercepts in the past year, and with his lightning-quick pace, he’s hard to track down from there. The Highlanders winger made 13 clean line breaks in eight games, and Joseph’s side will be looking to play on the front foot once again in 2026.
18. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa (Moana Pasifika, No.8)
The Southland Stags loose-forward was a ball carrying machine in 2025, leading the competition in that stat with 205 across the whole season. Tupou Ta’eiloa paired those carries with seven tries in thirteen games, alongside Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea in the loose-forward trio. With Savea on a sabbatical in Japan, the 22-year-old will take up even more of a role on both defence and attack, being the go-to ball carrier to get over the gain line. The barnstorming Moana Pasifika loose-forward racked up 448 post-contact meters, while his 31 defenders beaten was one of the best in the competition for loose-forwards. Tupou Ta’eiloa is no slouch defensively either, making 137 tackles throughout the campaign, with 14 of them being recorded as dominant.
17. Fabian Holland (Highlanders, Lock)
As this is being written, there are question marks surrounding the length of Holland’s shoulder injury that he picked up during last week’s final pre-season hitout against Moana Pasifika in Queenstown. If Holland is fit and available for the majority of the campaign, the Dutch-born All Black will be a huge asset for Joseph’s side. Holland’s work rate around the paddock and Brodie Retallick-type engine sets him apart from other locks in Super Rugby Pacific. The 23-year-old finished fifth on the overall tackles made list in 2025, with a mammoth 204 tackles. This transferred to the All Blacks, where he was then named World Rugby 15’s Men’s Breakthrough Player of the Year, which was no surprise to a lot of fans from the deep south, especially with the way the 204cm lock uses his large frame. Alongside Tomas Lavanini, the duo will be one of the best combinations going around, making them a massive nuisance when disrupting opposition lineouts as well as securing their own ball from set-piece.
16. Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes, Openside)
The Hurricanes’ openside flanker is a leader of men. Kirifi isn’t tall, but he makes up for his height in sheer determination and work rate across the paddock when leading with his actions. On 23 separate occasions, Kirifi’s ability to turn the ball over from the ruck got the Hurricanes out of trouble on defence. Kirifi led the competition in that stat category, while he finished second on the tackles completed leaderboard by just two tackles, with 220 over the course of the campaign. Kirifi was one of the Hurricanes’ four captains last season, and had multiple “captain’s knocks”, including a man-mountain performance against the Highlanders in Marvel round.
15. Codie Taylor (Crusaders, Hooker)
The 34-year-old veteran will once again be an influential part of the Crusaders franchise in 2026, bringing all of his 106-Test experience to the Christchurch-based franchise. Without Scott Barrett, Taylor will be asked to pick up more of a leadership role on and off the paddock. In the 2025 season, the Crusaders won 88.6 per cent of their lineout ball, winning 217 over the course of the season. Taylor’s a huge part of that, and has proved to be a steady hand at set-piece time for the Crusaders over a number of years. The 34-year-old’s 68 carries are on the low side compared to his impressive 2023 numbers, but the 208 overall meters is a solid number.
14. Peter Lakai (Hurricanes, No.8)
Lakai has come on leaps and bounds during last year’s Super Rugby Pacific comp, and then into the All Blacks end-of-year tour in 2025. Lakai finished fifth on the Super Rugby Pacific carries leaderboard with 180, making 569 meters in the process. The Hurricanes’ No.8 made 371 post-contact meters in last year’s competition, making him one of the most powerful and effective ball carriers after initial contact. Lakai’s versatile playing style, being able to play all three positions in the back row, has helped him develop into a solid all-round player with excellent skills around the paddock. The 22-year-old is in the No.14 spot as he’s predicted to continue his positive evolution as one of the competition’s best loose-forwards in 2026.
13. Ruben Love (Hurricanes, fly-half)
Love’s nine try assists in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season were the best in the competition, and a full season position switch to first-five could see his stocks and statistics rise. Love showed glimpses of what he was capable of in his games as the No.1 playmaker for the Hurricanes, but you get the feeling he’s the one to spearhead the Hurricanes into finals contention in 2025. Love’s ability to break the game open from first receiver will give other teams nightmares, while his option taking of when to kick, pass, and take the line on will improve with time in the saddle. Compared to 2024, Love’s touches of the ball increased, while his pass accuracy was up from 87 per cent to 93. With a new All Blacks coach in 2026, Love will be looking to impress from game one.
12. Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs, second-five)
Tupaea’s 2025 season was one of, if not his best, where he reminded fans and pundits around the world of what the midfielder is capable of, after a long knee injury impacted his previous campaigns. In 2025, the second-five was a standout in almost every statistical category. Tupaea made ten turnovers, 13 line breaks, 189 carries, beat 36 defenders, and made 473 post-contact meters, to name a few. The second-five will be looking to improve on his six try involvements from 2025, to help the Chiefs get over the final hurdle after three-straight second-place finishes.
11. Carlo Tizzano (Force, Openside)
Tizzano is coming off an incredible try-scoring season with the Force in 2025, leading the competition with 13, two more than Billy Pollard and Corey Toole in second place. Tizzano was seventh equal in tackles made with 198, while his 114 carries and 264 post-contact meters showcased the effectiveness of his ability across the field. Even if Tizzano can replicate half of what he did last campaign, he will be a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball. Expect the openside flanker to be pumped up ahead of another big Super Rugby Pacific season, while pushing for a spot in the Wallabies 23 as well.
Watch all the upcoming SVNS action for FREE on RPTV!
*Available live in select territories
