Uncapped Kiwi dubbed Super Rugby's form loose forward

There are some serious riches of loose forward talent in the Kiwi capital, and although he already has two years of All Blacks XV selections under his belt, 2026 appears to be the year Devan Flanders really gets his flowers.

The 26-year-old has emerged as a big talking point through five rounds of the new Super Rugby Pacific season, starting every game for the Hurricanes and impressing in a loose forward unit that includes All Blacks Du’Plessis Kirifi and Peter Lakai.

Flanders’ most recent performance, another 80-minute effort in a 31-23 win over the Western Force, was a major factor in the team rising to the top of the Super Rugby table and has sparked the most vigorous discussion yet over his Test-level credentials.

The flanker’s form was analysed on this week’s episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, which can be found on RugbyPass TV.

“He’s been doing this… he had a massive NPC. I think he scored two chip and chase tries; his attacking prowess has just gone through the roof,” said ex-All Black James Parsons.

“21 handles of the ball, 16 carries, and the most run meters on the whole park: he had 141 run meters. Just a massive work rate.

“But he’s got those fast-twitch fibres, he can go zero to 100, and I’m not saying he’s as fast as a Beauden Barrett, but it catches you off guard. You know, he’s sort of just dancing on his feet, and then, boom, he’s gone. He’s got the offload ability, he can beat defenders, he made line breaks in this game, and he’s extremely accurate on defence.

“To be fair, I think he’s been doing this for two or three years, and every time he’s been given the opportunity, like in the All Blacks XV, he’s gone really well.

“I’d love to see him get more opportunities at the high level, because I think he’s one of those guys —you know, there are guys that will go to Test match level, and they just look like they belong there. I really feel like Flanders is that sort of player; if he’s given an opportunity, he will take it with both hands and potentially dominate at that level.”

Ex-Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall agreed that Flanders’ game would translate to the next level due to his high work rate and efficiency at the breakdown, even going as far as to say Flanders is “arguably the form loose forward” in Super Rugby thus far in the season.

When Hall highlighted Flanders’ ability to carry over the gain line, Parsons backed up the praise with some stats.

“You also know, Dave Rennie, what he’s looking for is gain-line carriers, because that means you can get that quick ball, you can dismantle the breakdown,” Parsons added.

“He was at 73 per cent gain line for his individual carries, and then it’s 90 per cent quick ball off that 73 per cent, so you think about his ability to get between defenders and get over the gain line.

“A four-meter carry is perfect, and he has the ability to almost get there every time. And the ability to recycle ball.

“You have to think, you think of Liam Messam back in the Chiefs’ heyday, when Dave Rennie was there, he was a ball carrier, he was a ball player. Flanders is definitely a ball player. He’s not someone who needs a tip ball or run off a back. He can be the first receiver and dominate in and around that attacking area.”