The five performers of the week from Super Rugby Pacific round six

The sixth round of Super Rugby Pacific was headlined by James Slipper becoming the most capped player in Super Rugby history during the Brumbies’ rousing 33-24 comeback victory against the Chiefs at GIO Stadium in Canberra.

Down 24-7 with 20 minutes left, the hosts not only drew on the extra emotion of Slipper’s milestone to produce a fairytale ending but in a predicament so deep perhaps channelled inspiration from the improbable feats of the late Chuck Norris, who by the way, would have been the only one that could have caught Corey Toole during his run for the ages.

In other matches, the Hurricanes underscored their championship credentials by smashing the Highlanders 50-7 in Dunedin. The Reds won for the first time in Fiji, shutting down the Drua 21-6. The Crusaders made it back-to-back wins, putting 50 on languishing Moana Pasifika.

The Blues dug themselves out of a 20-8 hole to overpower the Waratahs 35-20 in Sydney.

Who were the performers of the week in Super Rugby Pacific?

Cam Roigard (Hurricanes)

The gulf in class separating the Hurricanes and the Highlanders was best illustrated by the urgency, judgment, and execution of 17-Test All Black Cam Roigard.

After conceding the first try, the Hurricanes’ halfback scored the next two with quick initiative, blows from which the hosts never recovered. With ample possession supplied from a commanding forward pack, the Hurricanes chalked up a half-century against the Highlanders for the third time in 45 matches.

Winger Fehi Fineanganofo joined Tana Umaga (Won, 60-34, Wellington, 1997), Jordie Barrett (Won, 30-19, Dunedin, 2021), and Salesi Rayasi (Won, 41-14, Wellington, 2024) to have also scored hat-tricks against the Highlanders.

But this was a canvas for the wizardry of Roigard, right now at least the equal of French “Martian” Antoine Dupont.

He even made eight tackles and topped the turnover count with two. Since April 19, 2025, Roigard’s teams have lost only two of the 15 matches he has played. The Hurricanes have won 10 straight matches against the Highlanders.

Only their 12 consecutive wins against the Melbourne Rebels from 2012 to 2024 are better than any other against a single opponent.

Roigard has scored at least one try in his last five appearances against the Highlanders, including a try in their previous record win at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, 47-12 in 2021.

The Hurricanes have scored 50 or more points 27 times since 1996,  four of those instances in 2026. In their last three games, they have outscored the opposition 99-22 in the second half.

The Hurricanes’ biggest winning margin against the Highlanders was 56-20 at McLean Park in Napier on June 5, 2015, the day legendary All Blacks captain and Pourira hardman Jerry Collins died. The Highlanders rallied to beat the Hurricanes in that year’s final, but that possibility in 2026 seems remote.

There was an alarming regression from the promise of the first four matches. Ethan De Groot was dismantled by All Blacks teammate Patolsi Tosi in the scrums. The Highlanders have so many lock injuries, they might soon be looking for answers on Speights bottle caps. The Highlanders’ biggest loss at home was 60-20 against the Blues in 2023.

Declan Meredith (Brumbies)

When Tane Edmed left the New South Wales Waratahs after 55 games in five seasons, it seemed unlikely Declan Meredith would be a regular starter at first-five eighth for the Brumbies. Yet through the first six games, Meredith has played 148 more minutes than the 10-Test Wallaby and is becoming a genuine match-winner.

He scored two tries in the 56-24 first-round crushing of the Force in Perth, was authoritative in the record 50-24 trouncing of the Crusaders in Christchurch, and scored another try in the fortunate 30-27 escape against the Blues.

Against the Chiefs, he made an outstanding start, sending  Wallabies hooker Billy Pollard through a gap, winning a pilfer penalty in the 13th minute, and making a potential try-saving tackle on All Blacks lock Josh Lord.

Things then regressed with errant kicking and four missed tackles as the Brumbies fell behind 24-7.

But when his team needed him most, he delivered. Attacking the line incisively, his choices to run, pass, or kick were faultless in the last quarter. His try, sneaking around the unprotected blindside like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, tied the scores with ten minutes remaining.

The biggest comeback in Super Rugby history occurred in 2018 when the Crusaders overcame a 29-point deficit to defeat the Waratahs 31-29 in Christchurch.

Meanwhile, prop James Slipper, 36, passed four-time Crusaders title-winning prop Wyatt Crockett as the most capped Super Rugby player of all time by making his 203rd appearance.

His 52 minutes against the Chiefs were typically solid. He was the equal-leader for tackles midway through the first half, with a vital stop on All Blacks halfback Cortez Ratima a highlight. The Brumbies scrum was sturdy, and an Excoet missile cleanout helped Hudson Creighton score a try.

Only Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks Crockett (147), Sam Whitelock (134), and Owen Franks (123) have won more Super Rugby matches than Slipper’s 122. Crockett won four of his five clashes with Slipper. A member of the 2011 Reds championship team, Slipper has beaten all 18 sides in the competition’s history.

This segued into a record-breaking 151-Test Wallabies career (2010-2025) in which he beat all 18 countries he played at least once, matching the achievement of international rugby’s greatest winner, Richie McCaw (148 Tests, 131 wins).

Though it has not been a golden era for the Wallabies, Slipper won half of his 22 Tests against the Springboks, which compares favourably with George Gregan, who holds the Australian record with 14 wins in 30 Tests against the four-time World Champions.

John Bryant (Queensland Reds)

For the first time in Fiji and only the third time in 63 matches, the Drua failed to score a try. With Wallabies tackling machine Fraser McReight rested, the visitors needed a workhorse replacement, and Bryant delivered with 20 tackles and a couple of turnovers in just his fourth full 80-minute performance since joining the Reds in 2024.

Bryant had some misses, but none were vital as the Reds overcame a possession and territory deficit to win four consecutive matches for the first time since Round 4, 2022. The Reds also won successive away matches for the first time since a 34-31 victory against the Brumbies in 2023.

Bryant played for Australia at the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in 2023, earning wins over New Zealand (44-35) and Wales (57-33). He is a product of St Laurence College, which has produced Wallaby Rugby World Cup winners Dan Crowley and Mark Connors.

When asked about the role of a flanker, he memorably replied, “It’s scorch the earth and destroy what is in front of you to make sure there is a good delivery of the ball.”

Chay Fihaki (Crusaders) 

It was another good night for the All Blacks XV winger in career-best form. Two tries and four conversions were entered into the scorebook against Moana Pasifika, while Fihaki delivered the last pass in two other tries.

While not “express” pace, his aerial prowess, kicking strength, and ability to cover both wings and fullback are all reasons the Crusaders extended his contract to 2028 this week.

The defending champions were struggling to withstand the cellar dwellers until Leicester Fainga’anuku came off the bench and blasted through for a 50-metre try in the 49th minute.

How fun would it be to watch Fainga’anuku and Highlanders captain Timoci Tavatavanawai in midfield? Could that bruising combination help the All Blacks, especially later in games against fatiguing defence?

Allan Craig and Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa are all heart for Moana, both ranking inside the top ten for most tackles in the competition, with 140 between them in six matches.

Torian Barnes (Blues)

Down 17-8 at halftime against a Waratahs side that blew several other opportunities and without their captain Dalton Papali’i, who made 18 tackles in the first 40 minutes, the Blues appeared to be in trouble in Sydney.

Instead, the visitors won the second half 27-3, extending their winning streak against the 2014 champions to 12.

The Blues’ resurgence was sparked in part by two key contributions from the bench by loose forward Torian Barens and halfback Taufa Funaki. Funaki picked up where he left off last weekend, finding holes close to the ruck with his sniping, combative runs and slick distribution.

With his bigger frame and more direct approach, is he a better starting fit for the Blues than Finlay Christie?

Barnes had even bigger boots to fill and did so with a full-throttle display. He topped the Blues carry count with 11, scored a try, made 8 tackles, and won more lineout ball than any player.

The Blues lineout, which surrendered four throws in the first half, was stabilised by Barnes.

The 2025 Canterbury NPC winner has moved from the periphery of the Crusaders to the Blues’ wider training group and now has a full-time contract with the Blues senior team until 2028, all in six months, with consistently strong efforts.

Locks Sam Darry and Josh Beerhe are the heart of the Blues’ engine room, combining for 35 tackles. AJ Lam was menacing in midfield. The All Blacks XV midfielder scored two tries in a match for the first time since he dotted down twice for the Blues in a 29-27 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch on May 25, 2024.

Rookie Waratahs fullback Sid Harvey warrants more attention from opponents after a vibrant display that featured three first-half line breaks.