Week five of Super Rugby Pacific got underway in Dunedin on Friday evening when the Highlanders hosted the Hurricanes in the Super Kids round.
Ireland and Lions star Jack Conan is on the radar of Top 14 strugglers Racing 92 as they step up attempts to replace departed Springbok superstar Siya Kolisi.
The Chiefs are through to the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final after knocking off minor premiers the Hurricanes 30-19 at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
The Crusaders have missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015 under first year head coach Rob Penney prompting an external review of the season.
The Hurricanes have relinquished their top seed in Super Rugby Pacific to the Blues, but their spot in second is far from safe as they head to Hamilton to play the Chiefs in round 14.
The Hurricanes have named their team to play the Blues as the two best sides in Super Rugby Pacific prepare to square off at Eden Park on Saturday.
Billy Proctor will captain a new-look Hurricanes team on Friday night with coach Clark Laidlaw once again making mass changes.
The coach's resume had red flags, yet the franchise seemed set on appointing a man with Cantabrian connections at any price.
Super Rugby Trans-Tasman has many of the same competitive issues that existed in Super Rugby's old format, but here's how the imbalance between New Zealand and Australia can be resolved.
While taking out the Super Rugby Aotearoa title with just six wins from eight matches is entirely possible, doing so with just five victories under the belt seems unlikely at best. The Chiefs desperately need the win against the Crusaders this weekend.