Super Rugby Pacific performers of the week for round 11

The eleventh round of Super Rugby saw the Chiefs compile another huge score.

The Blues and Highlanders are languishing while the Crusaders look ominous. Are the Hurricanes resurgent?

Here are four standout players from the latest round of Super Rugby Pacific.

Kaylum Boshier (Chiefs)

The Chiefs embarrassment of riches in the loose forward department is enhanced with the increasingly compelling form of Kaylum Boshier. In the 56-22 win against the Force on Friday night, he topped the Chiefs’ tackle count with a dozen and was powerful at the breakdown and with possession.

Boshier demanded a start after two tries from the bench in the 46-10 thrashing of the Highlanders a week earlier. Boshier has started four of his seven matches this season for the Chiefs. With Taranaki, he’s made 51 appearances since 2018, winning an NPC championship, premiership, and Ranfurly Shield.

Player Tackles Won

1

Carlo Tizzano

20

2

Nicholas Champion de Crespigny

19

3

Ryan Coxon

17

The Chiefs first game at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui saw a sold-out crowd of 11,000 attend. Samisoni Taukei’aho marked his 100th game with a try. The All Blacks hooker is the 12th Chiefs player to reach that milestone.

World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year (2024), Wallace Sititi, made his long-awaited return from injury. Cortez Ratima had his best game of the season, scoring two tries. He’s jousted with Xavier Roe for a starting spot. Shaun Stevenson had a field day at fullback with 83 metres gained, two line breaks, and four defenders beaten.

Codie Taylor (Crusaders)

The gulf in class separating the Crusaders and Highlanders is best illustrated by the fact that the Crusaders made 270 tackles and won 43-10.

A quick scan of the highlights has Will Jordan’s pyrotechnics splashed all over them. No less effective was All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor. Taylor’s lineout accuracy was a hundred percent, and he made 22 tackles, winning a turnover when the Highlanders were camped on the Crusaders line.

Taylor scored two tries to boost his Super Rugby tally to 47. His cheeky tap and run for a score right on full time added insult to injury for the hosts.

Taylor is the Crusaders all-time leading forward try scorer. Matt Todd scored 29 tries in 141 games. Richie McCaw 27 in 145 games. Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles had 29 tries in 140 games.

Tom Lynagh (Reds)

Are the defending champions gone? The Blues 35-21 defeat to the Reds in Brisbane on Friday night has all but extinguished their playoff prospects.

A commanding display by Tom Lynagh went a long way towards sinking the Blues. Lynagh scored tries in the fourth and seventh minutes as the Reds started with gusto. His fourth-minute try showcased anticipation and strength, while searing pace ensured a second opportunity was finished.

The Blues’ attack was often stagnant and predictable, and despite having two-thirds of possession in the last ten minutes, they couldn’t overcome the deficit.

Lynagh converted all five tries and finished with 20 points, the most points by a Reds player against the Blues since Quade Cooper scored 22 points in a 37-31 victory in 2011, the year the Reds won their solitary Super Rugby title.

Player Line Breaks

1

Lachie Anderson

1

2

Dre Pakeho

1

3

Tom Lynagh

1

Ngane Punivai (Hurricanes)

Celebrated resigning with the Hurricanes for two years with two tries and an outstanding display in a season-saving 35-29 win over the Brumbies.

Punivai’s finishes on the right wing were routine, but his all-around game was far from that. Punivai carried more than any Hurricane with 16 charges for a gain of 111 metres. He made two line breaks and beat six defenders.

From 2019 to 2023, Punivai managed only 740 minutes of play for the Highlanders and Crusaders. In 2025, he has already amassed 534 minutes. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a player struggling to make the Petone club premier team last year.