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

The 12th round of Super Rugby Pacific saw the Hurricanes and Blues consolidate their playoff credentials with victories to stay in the top four. The Hurricanes defeated the Crusaders 38-31 on Friday night in a game that came alive after a dreary first half hour. On Saturday, the Blues were too slick for Moana Pasifika, winning 45-19.

The Reds climbed into fourth place by defeating the struggling Brumbies 30-21 in Brisbane. Fijian Drua beat the Highlanders for the first time 24-14 in Ba to keep their playoff hopes alive. Meanwhile, the Force continued their good form by outmuscling the Waratahs 20-17 in Sydney.

Who were the performers of the week in Round 12 of Super Rugby Pacific?  

Cam Roigard (Hurricanes) – With 61 kicks in the first half, you might have thought you were watching AFL. When rugby broke out, it was no surprise that Cam Roigard again reigned supreme by scoring a try and helping set up two more.

His quick tap penalty in the 20th minute led to Du’Plessis Kirifi crashing over for the Hurricanes’ first try.

With a minute left in the first half, Roigard spotted Braydon Iose in space on the short side. In one of the rare effective kicks, Iose executed a centre kick like 1950s All Black, Bill “Seguall” Clark, allowing Roigard to collect and score.

Thankfully, both teams were more committed to holding possession in the second half. The Hurricanes attacked directly through the middle of the rucks. In the 53rd minute, lively replacement hooker Raymond Tuputupu burst through off a Roigard pass.

When the All Black, who has won 20 of his last 24 matches with all teams, left the field in the 67th minute, the Hurricanes led comfortably 38-24. They then had a shaky finish, conceding a dubious try and scrambling after an interception.

Leicester Fainga’anuku had another good game at openside flanker, scoring his 36th try in 66 appearances for the Crusaders. He also made 13 carries, 13 tackles, two turnovers, and a lineout catch, matching Hurricanes centurion Kirifi, who made 16 tackles, 11 carries, and scored a try.

The Hurricanes have won seven consecutive matches at Hnry Stadium with their last loss in Wellington to the Crusaders on April 11, 2025. The Hurricanes also set their highest home score against the Crusaders, surpassing the 37 they scored in 2004. In that game, winger Brent Ward and hooker Andrew Hore scored twice for the hosts while David Howell kicked a dozen points in a 17-point triumph. The Crusaders fielded 17 internationals in their roster.

Mac Grealy (Western Force) – The Force have won back-to-back games for the first time since edging Moana Pasifika 45-44 and the Brumbies 45-42 in February 2025.

Following their win against the Crusaders on April 17, the Force outmuscled the Waratahs in Sydney on Friday night for the first time since 2021.

The manful Force pack paved the way again, winning abundant possession and executing a perfect 15/15 lineout.

The Waratahs made 285 tackles compared to the Force’s 147. Waratahs blindside Angus Scott-Young made 32 tackles alone.

The Force attack isn’t particularly enterprising, but in Mac Grealy they have a fullback of growing potency. Against the Waratahs, Grealy charged for a game-high 193 meters, including two clean breaks and delivered an offload among the best this year to create a second try for winger and former Waratahs flyer Dylan Pestich.

Grealy ranks in the top 20 of the competition for meters carried and defenders beaten. He represented Australia A in October 2025 and scored a try in a 71-7 thumping of Japan. Could Grealy join the Wallabies group of fullbacks from 2025 that included Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, and Max Jorgensen?

Elia Canakaivata (Fijian Drua) – Milestone man Elia Canakaivata celebrated his 50th match for the Drua with a mammoth display against the Highlanders. He topped the tackle count with 14 and snaffled four turnovers. He was a cast anchor over the ruck, vital as the Highlanders created enough opportunities to win. Additionally, one of Canakaivata’s eight carries was a short drive over for a 47th-minute try, the last scoring act of the game.

Canakaivata joined Isoa Nasilasila, Samu Tawake, and Tevita Ikanivere as the fourth Drua player to achieve 50 matches. He has played in 19 of the Drua’s 23 all-time victories and scored 14 tries, three short of the record held by Iosefo Masi.

He started playing rugby after the tragic loss of his father and older brother in a vehicle accident. He has been capped 19 times by Fiji, scoring five tries and achieving 13 wins. In 2025, he was named Fiji’s Players’ Player of the Year. He signed for the Sale Sharks in 2027.

Fullback Isikeli Rabitu returned from his concussion injury and thrived with two cracking tries until he was yellow-carded in the 61st minute. It was much better than the unusual lunacy of Ilaisa Droasese against the Chiefs last Sunday.

Stephen Perofeta (Blues) – The Blues consigned Moana Pasifika to a 10th consecutive loss, wearing down a spirited outfit headed towards extension. Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu emerged as the biggest bully in the forward exchanges, well supported by fellow lock Sam Darry and Anton Segner.

In his first start since a 30-27 loss to the Brumbies on February 28, Stephen Perofeta provided a timely reminder of his talent. After being yellow-carded for the last ten minutes of that match, Perofeta didn’t return following a calf injury until last Saturday’s win against the Reds.

He got through 64 minutes in the Blues’ seventh win out of eight against Moana, scoring a try in the 58th minute after breaking the line a minute earlier. He played with poise and precision and kicked all five conversions.

Perofeta has only played 550 minutes of rugby in the past two seasons. When the Blues won Super Rugby in 2024, he started all 11 games he played, amassing 851 minutes on the field.

Moana hooker Mills Sanerivi had a huge match with two tries, 11 carries for 56 metres gained, and 22 tackles. His first try was a Paarl Boys’ High School lineout special.

Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds) – Another top-shelf performance by the Reds captain, who topped the tackles (21), carries (12), and offloads count. His defensive display was most responsible for stymying the Brumbies. He didn’t miss a tackle, conceded just one inconsequential penalty, and was a bigger thief at the breakdown than the “Postcard Bandit.”

McReight set the tone early with a trademark jackal. In the 25th minute, he repeated the dosage as the Reds gained momentum before halftime. He added another steal in the second half.

McReight, Highlanders loose forward TK Howden, and Moana Pasikifa lock Alan Craig, who made 32 tackles against the Blues, rank as the top three defenders in Super Rugby Pacific.

The Brumbies had won their last three matches in Brisbane. Now they have lost three games in a row against Australian opposition for the first time since July 2017 and March 2018. The Brumbies lost three competition games in a row for the first time since Round 13 to 15, 2022, and lost both matches in a season to the Reds for the first time since 2021.

The biggest compliment one can get is from their opposition. Blues flanker Anton Segner said about McReight last Saturday.

“His work around the breakdown is spectacular. He’s an expert in that part of the game. His work rate is huge. He’s always there, lurking. We spent much of the week finding ways to nullify his impact.”