Three teams at the top after Round Five of Super Rugby Pacific
- Sanzaar Media
- 2 minutes ago
- 9 min read
Three teams, the Hurricanes, Blues and ACT Brumbies, share the Super Rugby Pacific lead after a high-scoring, yet yellow card-ridden, round five at the weekend.
The Hurricanes, who have already had their bye, sit with a game advantage on 15 points, while the Blues and ACT Brumbies share the position.
However, the Chiefs and Queensland Reds, who have had their bye, have a chance to move higher while sitting on 13 points.
The Fijian Drua pulled off the upset of the weekend with their 42-27 humbling of the Brumbies, while the Crusaders got their game back on track with a 29-18 win over the Highlanders.
Hurricanes 31, Western Force 23
The Force scored first against the Hurricanes in Napier after an impressive build-up for wing Darby Lancaster to show his attacking skill to score out wide. But home halfback Cam Roigard, who had earlier missed a try from a blindside break and kick ahead that beat him to the deadball line, made no mistake in the 35th minute when sniping over from a goalline ruck. Nine minutes into the second half, flanker Brad Shields claimed the lead for the first time after a series of rucks on the goalline before he went the other way from the back of the ruck to score. In the 52nd minute, a classic Hurricanes breakout from their 22m area resulted in a tap penalty in the Force’s 22m and flanker Devan Flanders scored. Eight minutes later, first five-eighths Callum Harkin scored from a ruck close to the line, while lock substitute Warner Dearns scored after 69 minutes. The Force came back with another try to Lancaster and replacement forward Lopeti Faifua, but fell short of a loser’s bonus point.
Close as the half-time score was at 5-8 to the visitors, the Hurricanes dominated all the key statistical areas by game’s end. They had nearly 60% of possession and territory, dominated the rucks and mauls 98-78, carried 129 times to 96, and required the Force to make 162 tackles against 116. Yet, Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw described the game as a ‘mixed bag’, most especially in the first three-quarters. Co-captain Jordie Barrett said the Hurricanes ‘missed the jump’ on their game due to their own errors. “We gave them a little bit of a leg-up with discipline things.”
Fijian Drua 42, ACT Brumbies 27
Brumbies wing Hudson Creighton ran onto a kick ahead to score the first Super Rugby Pacific try in Ba, against the Drua, after seven minutes in what was to prove a 10-try fest with the goal-kicking boot of Drua first five-eighths Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula proving the deciding factor in the result. The Drua responded after a superb build-up for flanker Etonia Waqa to run in from 25m to score. But with prop Mesake Doge sin-binned, they also lost No 8 Elia Canakaivata as the Brumbies scored through lock Toby McPherson. Being reduced to 13 proved no issue, however, as Armstrong-Ravula landed a penalty and with both men back, four minutes before the break, it was Canakaivata who scored beneath the posts for a 20-12 half-time lead.
The Drua’s line-out maul saw hooker Sairusi Ravudi score four minutes into the second half and six minutes later it was post-line-out play, in heavy rain that saw an unlikely try scored from an Armstrong-Ravula crosskick by fullback Iliasia Droasese. Macpherson scored from untidy Drua play with the wet ball and then minutes later, replacement Ryan Lonergan scored. Within 10 points, the Brumbies conceded a penalty, which Armstrong-Ravula landed and then, with 10 minutes left, Droasese scored a second after a kick ahead by centre Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, who regained the ball and threw a pass that Droasese grasped to score. The Brumbies scored a last-minute consolation try to wing Andy Muirhead.
Crusaders 29, Highlanders 18
Fullback Will Jordan’s growing stature in the Crusaders’ leadership was evident not only from his game-opening fourth-minute try but also from his captaincy during the crucial late stages of a tight contest with their southern neighbours and first-round winners, the Highlanders. Both he and regular captain David Havili had plenty of work to do as three yellow cards to hooker Codie Taylor, prop Finlay Brewis and wing Chay Fihaki hit them hard. While Taylor was off, centre Tanielu Tele’a scored after a tap penalty put flying wing Caleb Tangitau in space to give Tele’a his chance. Soon after Havili left the field injured, Argentine lock Tomas Lavanini showed his halfback skills, clearing a ruck for prop Angus Ta’avao to plunge through a gap and put fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens in. Four minutes later in the 30th minute, a tap penalty provided a chance for prop Fraser Newell to power over underneath the crossbar. A penalty by first five-eighths Cameron Millar gave the Highlanders a 15-12 lead.
But in the second half, in the 49th and 54th minutes, new flanker Johnny Lee showed his class. The first saw him link with fellow flanker Ethan Blackadder and take a return pass to score, and the second saw him come through a line-out maul to seal a crucial advantage for the home team.
Queensland Reds 26, NSW Waratahs 17
Continuing the turnaround from earlier derbies in the competition, the Reds rebounded from their 36-12 loss in round one to the Waratahs. First five-eighths Carter Gordon had a significant hand in the outcome, his sixth-minute bomb creating a chance that fullback Jock Gordon gathered to put No 8 Harry Wilson over for the opening try. Ten minutes later, late Waratahs replacement flanker Jamie Adamson scored from a goal-line ruck.
The scores were level at 7-7 until the 57th minute when a line-out maul saw substitute hooker Ioane Moananu score for the Waratahs. But Gordon capitalised on some untidy Waratahs defence out from their line to gather loose ball to score. Six minutes later, the Reds were guilty of letting the ball slip through from a Waratahs kick ahead and wing Harry Potter scored. But with 10 minutes left, wing Filipo Daugunu took his chance from his own 22m area by breaking through poor Waratahs’ defence to set up a clear run at the line from second five-eighths Isaac Henry. Seven minutes from the end, centre Triston Reilly’s dive at the corner looked to have reclaimed the lead, but he put part of the ball down on the sideline. From the restart, Gordon found space on the inside near halfway and set off on a thrilling run to seal the win with his try.
Blues 43, Moana Pasifika 7
Putting their effort into pressuring Moana Pasifika’s pack with close-driving play, the Blues hit early at Eden Park when halfback Sam Nock capped off several pick-and-go plays with the opening try three minutes into the game. Moana Pasifika looked likely after a break by first five-eighths Patrick Pellegrini but the Blues got the ball and Nock was taken with a head high shot from his marker Augustine Pulu, whose yellow card was upgraded to red. That only added to the pressure on Moana Pasifika, with wing AJ Lam scoring off a kick by Nock’s replacement Taufa Funaki. Moana Pasifika did pick up a 26th-minute try to hooker Millennium Sanerivi but that was to be their lot for the remainder of the game, with two tries ruled out for infringements. Prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi went over two minutes after Moana Pasifika’s try.
The Blues opened up in the second half with prop Marcel Renata scoring after six consecutive drives at the line. First five-eighths Beauden Barrett’s 50:22 preceded lock Sam Darry’s 49th-minute try, while wing Codemeru Vai benefitted from a turnover 60m out to run away for a try. Then, after fullback William Havili was sin-binned for a head-high shot on flanker Anton Segner, it was prop Mason Tupaea who completed the scoring.
Meanwhile, there is a three-way tie at the top of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year tally after the first five rounds of the season, with Highlanders inside centre Timoci Tavatavanawai, NSW Waratahs winger Max Jorgensen and Western Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson leading the field.
Tavatavanawai picked up eight votes in his side's Round 5 defeat to the Crusaders, seeing him surge into the joint lead with 22 votes for the season and joining the two Australians, who both scored strongly in the earlier rounds.
Blues winger Cody Vai (four votes) is currently leading the race for Rookie of the Year honours, with teammate Torian Barnes, brothers Kadin and Treyvon Pritchard, and Crusaders young gun Johnny Lee also in contention (all two votes).
PLAYER OF THE YEAR LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 5
Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) - 22
Max Jorgensen (NSW Waratahs) - 22
Ben Donaldson (Western Force) - 22
Charlie Cale (ACT Brumbies) - 20
Caleb Clarke (Blues) - 19
Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) - 17
Will Jordan (Crusaders) - 17
Vaiolini Ekuasi (Western Force) - 16
Miracle Faiilagi (Moana Pasifika) - 15
Dalton Papali'i (Blues) - 15
Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) - 15
ROUND 5 VOTES
Hurricanes v Western Force
Cam Roigard (Hurricanes) - 5
Jeremy Williams (Force) - 5
Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes) - 4
Brad Shields (Hurricanes) - 4
Darby Lancaster (Force) - 3
Nick Champion De Crespigny (Force) - 3
Josh Moorby (Hurricanes) - 2
Devan Flanders (Hurricanes) - 2
Ben Donaldson (Force) - 1
Kurtley Beale (Force) - 1
Fijian Drua v ACT Brumbies
Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (Drua) - 5
Rob Valetini (Brumbies) - 5
Isoa Nasilasila (Drua) - 4
Hudson Creighton (Brumbies) - 4
Motikai Murray (Drua) - 3
Tuaina Taii Tualima (Brumbies) - 2
Andy Muirhead (Brumbies) - 2
Elia Canakaivata (Drua) - 2
Luke Reimer (Brumbies) - 1
Tuidraki Samusamuvodre (Drua) - 1
Frank Lomani (Drua) - 1
Crusaders v Highlanders
Will Jordan (Crusaders) - 8
Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders) - 8
Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders) - 5
Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders) - 2
Johnny Lee (Crusaders) - 2
Angus Ta'avao (Highlanders) - 2
Jack Taylor (Highlanders) - 2
Antonio Shalfoon (Crusaders) - 1
Queensland Reds v NSW Waratahs
Carter Gordon (Reds) - 6
Joey Walton (Waratahs) - 6
Jock Campbell (Reds) - 3
Isaac Henry (Reds) - 3
Fraser McReight (Reds) - 2
Matt Philip (Waratahs) - 2
Filipo Daugunu (Reds) - 2
Jack Debreczeni (Waratahs) - 2
Jamie Adamson (Waratahs) - 2
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds) - 1
Pete Samu (Waratahs) - 1
Blues v Moana Pasifika
Sam Darry (Blues) - 5
Dalton Papali'i (Blues) - 5
Millennium Sanerivi (Moana Pasifika) - 4
Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa (Moana Pasifika) - 3
Xavier Taele (Blues) - 3
Allan Craig (Moana Pasifika) - 3
Beauden Barrett (Blues) - 2
Patrick Pellegrini (Moana Pasifika) - 1
AJ Lam (Blues) - 1
William Havili (Moana Pasifika) - 1
Cody Vai (Blues) - 1
Taufa Funaki (Blues) - 1
Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year voting sees captains and head coaches of both teams nominate their top three players from the opposing team each week, allocating three votes, two votes, and one vote, respectively.
The process has been bolstered in 2026 with the addition of a panel of respected rugby media identities and an assigned panel member submitting 3-2-1 votes for each game.
The competition has also introduced two new major accolades - Rookie of the Year and Team of the Year - to be presented alongside the Player of the Year.
The Rookie of the Year will be determined by Player of the Year votes, with all players who begin the 2026 season with four or less Super Rugby Pacific appearances (or equivalent top-flight professional rugby competition) eligible for the honour.
The Team of the Year will also be informed by the top-ranked players in the final Player of the Year count, with competition management able to exercise its discretion for players who appear across multiple playing positions in 2026.
The Super Rugby Pacific Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) has found Moana Pasifika player Augustine Pulu guilty of a dangerous tackle in contravention of Law 9.13.
The dangerous play, for which Pulu received a red card, occurred in the 17th minute of the match between the Blues and Moana Pasifika at Eden Park on 15 March.
The FPRC determined that the mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches was appropriate for the incident in which Pulu, making a tackle, made direct contact with his swinging arm against an opponent's head, with no mitigation.
In light of the player's acceptance that he committed an act of foul play, as well as mitigating factors such as his prior disciplinary record and remorse, the FPRC applied the full 50 per cent reduction in sanction.
*Pulu was also given permission to apply to take part in World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Programme as a substitute for the final match of the sanction.
Pulu has been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks, which will apply to the following Super Rugby Pacific matches:
Moana Pasifika v Crusaders, Saturday, 21 March
Moana Pasifika v Highlanders, Friday, 27 March
Moana Pasifika v Chiefs, Saturday, 11 April *
The match of Round sees third versus fourth in Canberra as the ACT Brumbies host the Chiefs; while the table-topping Hurricanes travel to Dunedin to play the Highlanders; second-placed Blues travel to Sydney to face the Waratahs; while fifth placed Reds face a tricky test in Lautoka against Fijian Drua.
FIXTURES
(All times local - home team)
FRIDAY
Highlanders v Hurricanes @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (7.05pm)
ACT Brumbies v Chiefs @ GIO Stadium, Canberra (7.35pm)
SATURDAY
Fijian Drua v Queensland Reds @ Churchill Park, Lautoka (3.35pm)
Moana Pasifika v Crusaders @ North Harbour Stadium, Auckland (7.05pm)
NSW Waratahs v Blues @ Allianz Stadium, Sydney (7.35pm)
BYE: Western Force
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