Super Rugby Pacific 2024: Highlanders are the off-season champions
The RugbyPass Round Table writers answer the big questions ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season. Ben Smith (BS), Finn Morton (FM) and Ned Lester (NL) weigh in on a range of topics and make their predictions for the season.
Who will be the best signing/transfer of the season?
Ben Smith: The Chiefs get an A for retention by locking in experienced players for the long haul. They didn’t have any ‘marquee’ signings on the open market, instead securing their key players like Damian McKenzie, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Anton Lienert-Brown, Shaun Stevenson, Quinn Tupaea, Cortez Ratima for 2024 and beyond.
The Crusaders went and bought the best gain line centre in the competition in Levi Aumua from Moana Pasifika who is a chance at being the best signing. Veteran Ryan Crotty is also back to provide stability in the midfield after they lost hybrid wing-centre Leicester Fainga’anuku and Jack Goodhue.
The Hurricanes were not big winners on the market with any headline-grabbing transfers. Brad Shields might turn out to be a savvy signing, already named team captain, while former Highlanders prospect Ngani Punivai could find his footing in the capital. After losing Dane Coles to Japan, Julian Savea to Moana Pasifika, Ardie Savea to sabbatical and Owen Franks, the Hurricanes have been hit by high-profile departures.
The Blues weren’t splashy on the open market either, but they did snag All Black tighthead prop Angus Ta’avao from the Chiefs. Seven of their nine signings were under 23 years old, adding more youth to the roster. They have some sleepers on the books already, players who can turn into stars of the future like Zarn Sullivan, Corey Evans, Anton Segner, and Sam Darry.
There aren’t many players in the Blues squad in the middle tier age bracket between 25-28. Just 13 players fit that description. It’s either young talent or veterans turning or over 30.
The Highlanders get an A for their recruitment class of 2024 and are officially crowned the off-season champs after big wins through the pre-season.
After a dreadful year last year they have gone to market and addressed many concerns on the roster, signed a bunch of young players coming through their development systems, while at the same time have brought back former head coach Jamie Joseph.
They required a clean out and didn’t shy away from doing so. Many players have moved on, including All Blacks Aaron Smith and Shannon Frizell.
The Mitch Hunt era didn’t pay off, now they have two New Zealand U20 prospects, Ajay Faleafaga and Cam Miller, to compete with Welsh international Rhys Patchell for the No 10 jersey.
Former Crusaders No 8 Tom Sanders is an underrated signing, bringing the loose forward back from Japan. After losing Frizell and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u they needed to bolster the back row depth.
Out wide they signed fullback prospect Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and centre Tanielu Tele’a from the Blues, two impact players that have looked good in pre-season. But the boom signing is Fijian Timoci Tavatavanawai from Moana Pasifika, one of the hardest men to tackle in Super Rugby.
Tavatavanawai is the dark horse pick for best transfer of the year. At 25-years-old the winger has plenty in the tank and is already dominate at Super Rugby level. He finished second in defenders beaten last year but was on one of the worst performing teams.
On the end of the right backline Tavatavanawai will be one of the top five try scorers. Time will tell if the Highlanders is that place, but early pre-season form suggests it is.
Finn Morton: The Highlanders’ new trio of Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Timoci Tavatavanawai and former Wales international Rhys Patchell could all make some noise in their colours in 2024. Especially Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Tavatavanawai, who could both push for All Blacks honours on the back of a strong campaign with the Highlanders.
Across the Tasman, if you’d consider this a signing, Junior Wallaby Harry McLaughlin-Phillips could establish himself as a star of tomorrow after being promoted from the Queensland Reds Academy. There’s a lot to like about so many players.
But there’s one man who stands out above the rest; one player who has already proven himself to be a hard-hitting, no-nonsense kind of talent who could very well be an All Black in foreseeable future. That man is Crusaders centre Levi Aumua.
Aumua, who played two seasons with Moana Pasifika, scored five tries last season, including a double away to the Crusaders in Round Seven. With an imposing frame, a clean pair of heels and a frighteningly determined focus on the field, there’s not much to dislike about Aumua’s game.
Ned Lester: Brad Shields was the signing the Hurricanes needed. The fact that he’s been named the captain makes his the best signing of the season.
Without the leadership of Ardie Savea and Dane Coles, there wasn’t a clear cut favourite to lead the team in 2024, but Shields’ experience lends a needed voice to the playing group and specifically the forward pack.
While additions like Levi Aumua for the Crusaders, Timoci Tavatavanawai for the Highlanders and Ben Donaldson for the Force add plenty of firepower, Shields is taking on the most responsibility on and off the field and servicing the biggest need.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments