1
Ireland coach John Fogarty makes frank Tadhg Furlong admission
5
{{item.n}}
RugbyPass' Top 50 Players for Super Rugby Pacific 2026: 30-21
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.
The Super Rugby Pacific Top 50 list for 2026 will count down each day, with the 30-21 selections below.
30. Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes, Hooker)
Aumua is set for a big campaign for the Hurricanes after an injury-ravaged season in 2025. The barnstorming hooker played eight games last season, not nearly enough to create consistency and form for higher honours. The Hurricanes hooker’s stats from last season don’t paint a great picture, but his 30 defenders beaten in 2024 showcase how destructive he can be with ball in hand. If Aumua can put together a strong run of Super Rugby Pacific performances, the 28-year-old is a shoo-in come the first All Blacks squad in July. Aumua’s 34 carries in 2025 for the Hurricanes is on the low side for his standards, one stat that he will look to improve on throughout an important campaign for the Wellington-based franchise.
29. Christian Lio-Willie (Crusaders, No.8)
The 27-year-old qualified dentist had a breakthrough season in 2025, where he earned his first All Black cap under Robertson. The Crusaders’ loose-forward led the competition in tackles completed with 222, showcasing how busy and effective he is around the park. Lio-Willie was superb for the Crusaders and managed to lock down a role in a congested loose-forward group in Christchurch, where he finished sixth in the carries list, with 177. There’s no doubt he is an important piece to the Crusaders puzzle, and he’s in for another absorbing and physical season in red and black.
28. Harry Wilson (Reds, No.8)
The Wallabies captain from 2025 had a huge year. Not only was there a historic British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, but also a taxing campaign with the Reds before the tour, a Rugby Championship with a memorable win over the Boks in South Africa where Wilson was exceptional, and an end-of-year Northern Tour with the Wallabies. Wilson is the fifth-ranked No.8 on this list, which is also due to the 26-year-old missing the start of the 2026 season with a knee injury that he picked up playing for the Wallabies. The Reds’ most dominant and forceful ball carrier will be looking to improve on the 117 carries he made in 2025, a season in which he will hopefully play a huge part for Les Kiss’ side.
27. Billy Proctor (Hurricanes, Centre)
Proctor was a standout for the Hurricanes in 2025, single handedly destructing opposition defences, making him one of the in form backs towards the business end of the season. The 26-year-old midfielder proved too hard to leave out for former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, who eventually moved the Hurricanes centre into the starting side. Proctor finished tenth in the defenders beaten category in the 2025 season, with 38, showcasing his raw talent with ball in hand. The centre is in for another big year alongside All Black teammate Jordie Barrett, with Ruben Love also there to make a push for higher honours. Expect the 26-year-old to play a huge part in Clark Laidlaw’s attacking-based game plan in 2026.
26. Beauden Barrett (Blues, First five)
The 144-Test All Black playmaker is coming off an injury-affected season in 2025 for both the Blues and the All Blacks. Barrett won’t feature for the Blues in the opening couple of rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, which has slightly dampened his ranking on this list, but in a huge year for the All Blacks, his experience will no doubt be key. Barrett is one of the competition’s most frequent kickers, leading in kick metres but there were flashes of his running game last year. He scored a blistering solo try against the Brumbies in the first half before breaking his hand. Barrett finished second on the overall points table for 2025, with 112, behind Damian McKenzie with 209. The 34-year-old also had 15 offloads in 2025, only behind Rivez Reihana, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Sevu Reece. If Vern Cotter’s Blues want any chance at the title in 2026, Barrett must not only play a key part, but the veteran playmaker must be at his game-breaking best with ball in hand.
25. Max Jorgensen (Waratahs, Fullback)
The Wallabies and Waratahs speedster only featured six times for his Super Rugby Pacific franchise in 2025, and until his last game against the Hurricanes on March 28, Jorgensen was one of the standouts in the competition. The 21-year-old’s ability to play both fullback and on the wing is one reason he’s so important for the Wallabies, while his try against South Africa at Ellis Park will go down as one of the best Wallabies moments in recent memory. After only six games in last year’s competition, Jorgensen had seven line breaks, one of the leaders in that category, before injury impacted the rest of his campaign. If Dan McKellar is to get the best out of the Waratahs backline that includes Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i, Jorgensen will need to continue his upward trajectory. Jorgensen is expected to go to another level in 2026 hence why he has pushed up the list.
24. Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs, Lock)
The All Black lock is the second-highest ranked lock in this Top 50 in 2026, after an impressive season with the All Blacks, despite missing the end-of-year tour with a knee injury. Vaa’i’s brief move to No.6 for the All Black could end up being a short-term move, but the lock’s growth as an international-level player has been to the Chiefs’ benefit. The 26-year-old, 118kg lock scored six tries in the 2025 season, the highest of a lock, showcasing his knack for being in the right place at the right time. You could consider Vaa’i a key cog for the All Blacks going forward, one that is entering his prime years right before the “Greatest Rivalry” tour of South Africa and the Rugby World Cup in 2027. Vaa’i is also seemingly growing as a leader, taking up more of a responsibility at lineout time for both the Chiefs and the All Blacks, a valuable skill that makes him an important asset going forward.
23. Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs, Hooker)
Like Vaa’i, Taukei’aho is the second-highest ranked hooker on this list, proving his worth for both the All Blacks and the Chiefs moving forward. Taukeiaho’s ability to get over the gain line from a standing start is among the best in the competition, if not the world. The Chiefs hooker had 267 post-contact meters in the 2025 competition, showcasing his raw power and confronting ball-carrying ability. With Aumua back in the mix for an All Black call-up, and the likes of McAlister, Bell, and Codie Taylor in the selection frame, a huge season from the 28-year-old from Hamilton is on the cards.
22. Sevu Reece (Crusaders, Winger)
Reece surpassed TJ Perenara as Super Rugby’s all-time leading try scorer last year with 66 tries, adding eight to his tally in 2025. The winger’s finishing ability is still clearly among the best in the league, and he will be looking for a successful swansong in New Zealand in 2026 before making the move to Perpignan in France. Reece will already go down as one of the most successful Super Rugby backs of all time, helping the Crusaders win a number of their titles along the way, while representing the All Blacks 37 times. Reece led the competition in offloads last year, by a long way, with 27, while he was in and around the top of the leaderboard in the meters gained, defenders beaten, and clean break categories. The 28-year-old will be in for another big season if the Crusaders are to continue their dominance, especially with their new stadium, Te Kaha, to be played under a roof with attacking, free-flowing rugby.
21. Emoni Narawa (Chiefs, Winger)
Narawa’s ability to break a game open and score a try out of nowhere is one of the main reasons why he’s in the No.21 position on this Top 50 list. In 2025 Narawa formed a lethal tandem with breakout star Leroy Carter, with the pair of wings causing damage all over the park in roaming roles. Narawa had six tries on the season with 12 line breaks, adding two try assists. He also is a breakdown threat in wider channels, forcing eight turnovers on the year. Narawa’s season with the All Blacks would have been completely different without that major injury against South Africa at Eden Park, where he scored an exceptional try in the second minute. He is one of the Chiefs’ key players, and with Kyren Taumoefolau’s addition to an already exciting backline, Narawa is in for a big campaign with the Chiefs in 2026.
Create your ticketing account and unlock presale access for Rugby World Cup 2027 now!
