All Blacks flanker Dalton Papali’i has signed a three-year deal with French Top 14 club Castres Olympique, bringing to an end his near decade-long association with New Zealand rugby.

Key points:

• Dalton Papali’i has signed a three-year contract with Top 14 club Castres Olympique
• The 28-year-old Blues captain will depart at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season
• Papali’i made just one Test appearance under Scott Robertson in 2025
• The flanker has 37 All Blacks caps and featured in every match of the 2023 World Cup
• His departure ends any prospect of featuring in New Zealand’s 2027 World Cup campaign
• Papali’i is two matches away from reaching 100 appearances for the Blues

The 28-year-old, who has captained the Blues since helping them end a 21-year title drought in 2024, will depart Auckland at the conclusion of the current Super Rugby Pacific season. His decision follows a fractured relationship with now-sacked All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, under whom Papali’i made just one Test appearance in 2025.

“This club means everything to me,” Papali’i said in a statement released by the Blues. “I grew up dreaming of wearing the Blues jersey and representing my country. I’ve been lucky enough to live that dream for a long time. The Blues gave me my chance, backed me, and helped me become the player and person I am.”

The loose forward, capped 37 times by New Zealand since his debut against Japan in 2018, was a regular fixture in the Test side under both Steve Hansen and Ian Foster. He featured in every match of the 2023 World Cup, including the final against South Africa, but found himself frozen out when Robertson took charge.

Speaking recently about his diminished role, Papali’i offered a candid assessment. “I was there when Shag and Fozzie were there holding the helm,” he said. “Seeing it change to Razor’s agenda – you could see there was a big difference. People spoke up and they had to have a review. We followed that process. What happened, happened.”

His departure effectively ends any prospect of featuring in New Zealand’s 2027 World Cup campaign. Papali’i had been contracted to New Zealand Rugby through to the tournament but was granted an early release.

At Castres, he will join a club with a proud history of welcoming All Blacks, including Kees Meeuws, Carl Hoeft, Chris Masoe and, more recently, Jack Goodhue. Abraham Papali’i, a Tongan international and no relation despite sharing the surname, already operates in the Castres back row.

“I think I’ve reached the maturity necessary to have such an experience, to adapt to a different style of rugby and embark on a new adventure while contributing fully to the team,” Papali’i said. “I know the club’s history. It’s a city passionate about its club and offers a family-oriented environment. It’s also a club that loves taking on challenges. All of that suits me.”

Castres president Pierre-Yves Revol described the signing as an exception to the club’s usual recruitment philosophy. “Dalton Papali’i is a complete player with rich experience and true leadership despite his young age,” Revol said. “Even though our recruitment focuses on promoting players from our academy, high-potential players in Pro D2 and developing foreign players, we can sometimes make exceptions and seize the opportunity to bring in a player with strong added value.”

Director Matthias Rolland highlighted Papali’i’s versatility as a key factor. “Xavier wanted a player of this type: complete and capable of playing all three back-row positions. We believe Dalton ticks many boxes to integrate well into our squad.”

Blues general manager of rugby Murray Williams paid tribute to a player who has made 98 appearances for the franchise. “Dalton embodies everything it means to be a Blues man,” Williams said. “We’re proud of what he’s achieved here, and will continue to support him and his family as he takes on this next chapter. This club will always be his home.”

Papali’i is on course to reach his century of Blues caps during Round 3’s fixture against the Brumbies in Canberra, having scored a try in last weekend’s defeat to the Chiefs in the season opener. Opus 4.5Claude is AI and can make mistakes.

The Chiefs made the perfect start to life under new coach Jono Gibbes, snatching a scrappy but precious 19-15 victory over the Blues at Eden Park as All Black halfback Cortez Ratima raced clear with four minutes remaining to silence the Auckland faithful.

Key moments

3 mins – PENALTY MISSED CHIEFS: Josh Jacomb, playing in place of new father Damian McKenzie, pulls his first kick badly to the left from 40 metres out in front. A poor start off the tee. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
7 mins – PENALTY MISSED BLUES: Stephen Perofeta does the exact same thing, dragging his kick hopelessly left from near in front. Dreadful miss that should have been converted with his eyes closed. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
19 mins – HELD UP BLUES: Bradley Slater nearly comes up with a dream start against his old side, but the new Blues hooker is held up over the line by Daniel Rona. Sums up a tense, scoreless opening quarter. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
28 mins – MISSED CHANCE CHIEFS: Quinn Tupaea spots space and opts for the crossfield kick to an unmarked Naitoa Ah Kuoi, but puts too much on it and the ball sails out of play. Should have just passed. (Blues 0-0 Chiefs)
32 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Tupou Vaa’i opens the scoring with an acrobatic effort. Josh Jacomb’s superb 50/22 puts the Chiefs on the attack, and from the resulting lineout, Vaa’i spots the Blues defenders going low and dives over the top to claim the first try. Jacomb misses the conversion from wide on the left. (Blues 0-5 Chiefs)
35 mins – TRY BLUES: The hosts strike back immediately. A Bradley Slater steal ignites the attack, and Caleb Clarke breaks through the line with a powerful run down the left touchline. Pita Ahki, on debut, provides an excellent offload to put Zarn Sullivan into a hole, and the fullback strides through the gap to score unopposed. Stephen Perofeta misses the conversion. (Blues 5-5 Chiefs)
38 mins – YELLOW CARD CHIEFS: Kaylum Boshier is sent to the sin bin after shoulder-to-head contact with Blues prop Josh Fusitu’a. The TMO confirms yellow card only, but the Chiefs will be down a man heading into the break. (Blues 5-5 Chiefs)
Half-time: Blues 5-5 Chiefs. A cagey, error-strewn opening 40 minutes with neither side able to gain control. Both goal-kickers wayward, both defences dominant. Blues have man advantage entering the second half after Boshier’s yellow card.
53 mins – TRY BLUES: Dalton Papali’i crashes over from close range for the captain’s try. Zarn Sullivan creates the opportunity with a powerful run that almost sees him burst through, and with the advantage up their sleeves, Papali’i is able to crash and smuggle his way to the line. Sullivan takes over the goal-kicking and curls through from out on the right. (Blues 12-5 Chiefs)
57 mins – CLOSE CALL CHIEFS: Etene Nanai-Seturo dribbles a kick towards the corner which bobbles into the in-goal, but Finlay Christie does superbly to win the race and ground it for a goal-line dropout. The Chiefs denied. (Blues 12-5 Chiefs)
63 mins – TRY CHIEFS: Samisoni Taukei’aho powers over from the back of the rolling maul. The Chiefs show patience, with the backs joining the drive as it charges towards the line before collapsing a metre out. Taukei’aho comes off the back, keeping low and powering his way to the line. Josh Jacomb converts from left of the posts. (Blues 12-12 Chiefs)
66 mins – PENALTY BLUES: Some sloppy play from the Chiefs at the restart—they fumble forward and are called for accidental offside. Zarn Sullivan slots the penalty from in front to reclaim the lead with 14 minutes remaining. (Blues 15-12 Chiefs)
74 mins – LINEOUT STOLEN CHIEFS: Crucial moment. Tupou Vaa’i and Naitoa Ah Kuoi thwart a Blues lineout drive in the corner, winning back possession with the visitors trailing by three. (Blues 15-12 Chiefs)
76 mins – TRY CHIEFS: The match-winner. Samipeni Finau takes a pop pass off Vaa’i to burst between defenders, breaking the line with a powerful surge. He pops it off his left shoulder to find Cortez Ratima in support, and the All Black halfback is too quick, racing clear to score under the posts with four minutes remaining. Josh Jacomb converts. (Blues 15-19 Chiefs)
78 mins – YELLOW CARD BLUES: Sam Nock is sent to the sin bin for a cynical infringement after Kaylum Boshier swoops on a horrid pass from Josh Beehre. The Blues’ hopes of a comeback take a fatal blow. (Blues 15-19 Chiefs)
80 mins – LINEOUT STOLEN CHIEFS: The final nail. The Blues have one last chance with a lineout on the Chiefs’ 10-metre line, but the visitors pinch the throw and run down the clock.
Full-time: Blues 15-19 Chiefs

In a derby dominated by the defences and littered with handling errors, it was a rare moment of attacking magic that decided the outcome. Samipeni Finau’s explosive break through tired defenders set up Ratima’s match-winning score, leaving the Blues to rue a game they had in their grasp.

For Gibbes, taking charge after replacing Clayton McMillan, it was a dream debut. The Chiefs begin another season desperate for their first title since 2013 after three consecutive grand final defeats under McMillan—and this gritty win at the home of their arch-rivals suggests they remain contenders.

Neither side had their star playmaker available. The Blues were without Beauden Barrett as he continues his managed return to play, while Damian McKenzie missed the birth of his first child, a baby boy. The battle between Stephen Perofeta and Josh Jacomb would determine much, but both flyhalves endured mixed evenings.

The opening quarter was a comedy of errors. Both Jacomb and Perofeta missed simple penalty goals within the first seven minutes—Jacomb pulling his effort badly left from 40 metres, Perofeta doing the exact same from even closer. Handling was poor, lineouts went astray, and few attacks stirred the Auckland crowd.

The Blues flirted with the try line in the 19th minute when new recruit Bradley Slater—facing his former side—lunged for the whitewash, only to be held up by Daniel Rona. The Chiefs had their own opportunity when Quinn Tupaea spotted an unmarked Naitoa Ah Kuoi on the wing, but his crossfield kick sailed out of play.

Eden Park had to wait until the 32nd minute for the first points. Jacomb’s excellent 50/22 gave the Chiefs prime attacking position, and from the resulting lineout, the ball was worked close to the line. Tupou Vaa’i—back to his pestering best after recovering from an ankle injury—spotted the Blues defenders going low and launched himself over the top with remarkable athleticism. Jacomb missed the conversion.

The Blues struck back within three minutes. A Slater steal at the breakdown ignited a counter-attack, and Caleb Clarke’s powerful run down the left touchline took the hosts inside the 22. Pita Ahki, making his first Blues appearance since 2015 after a lengthy stint in France, provided an excellent offload to put Zarn Sullivan into a hole. The fullback strode through the gap to score unopposed, though Perofeta’s conversion drifted wide.

To make matters worse for the Chiefs, Kaylum Boshier’s shoulder connected with the head of Blues prop Josh Fusitu’a before the break, earning a yellow card and leaving his side a man down heading into halftime locked at 5-5.

While the Blues had the numerical advantage, they could not capitalise before the interval. Quinn Tupaea won a crucial turnover on his own line to preserve parity.

The second half offered a slight improvement in execution. The Vern Cotter-inspired Blues forwards began to find their footing, working patiently towards the Chiefs’ tryline. In the 53rd minute, Sullivan almost burst through on a powerful run, and with the advantage up their sleeves, captain Dalton Papali’i crashed over from close range. Sullivan took over the goal-kicking duties and curled through from the right—the Blues led 12-5.

The Chiefs’ answer came from their set piece. After Finlay Christie denied Etene Nanai-Seturo with a superb goal-line recovery, the visitors went to the corner and set up the rolling maul. The backs joined the drive as it charged towards the line before collapsing a metre out. Samisoni Taukei’aho came off the back, keeping low and powering his way over. Jacomb’s conversion levelled scores at 12-12.

Some sloppy play from the Chiefs at the restart—fumbling forward and conceding accidental offside—presented Sullivan an easy chance to nudge the Blues back in front. His penalty from in front made it 15-12 with 14 minutes remaining.

Time was ticking on the Chiefs. When Vaa’i and Ah Kuoi thwarted a Blues lineout drive in the corner, it sparked hope. Then came the moment of decisive quality.
Finau, brought off the bench for impact, took a pop pass from Vaa’i to burst between tired defenders and break the line. He popped it off his left shoulder to find Ratima in support, and the All Black halfback was too quick, racing clear to dive over under the posts with four minutes remaining. Jacomb’s conversion made it 19-15.

The Blues lost their heads from there. A horrid pass from Josh Beehre was swooped upon by Boshier, and when Sam Nock infringed cynically after the cover tackle, he was sent to the sin bin. The final blow came when the Chiefs pinched a lineout on their 10-metre line with seconds remaining, allowing them to run down the clock and seal victory.

For the Blues, despite defeat, there were positives. Stand-in captain Papali’i was exceptional throughout, Sullivan looked sharp on his welcome return from injury, and Ahki showed his class on debut. But the late collapse will sting.

The Chiefs showed again that they will be contenders in 2026. Vaa’i was a menace on both sides of the ball, Luke Jacobson troubled around the rucks, and the bench impact from Finau and Ratima proved decisive. Even without McKenzie’s spark, this remains a dangerous side.

Match details

Blues 15 (Tries: Zarn Sullivan, Dalton Papali’i; Conversions: Zarn Sullivan 1/1; Penalties: Zarn Sullivan 1/1)
Chiefs 19 (Tries: Tupou Vaa’i, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Cortez Ratima; Conversions: Josh Jacomb 2/3)
Halftime: 5-5

Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Todd Petrie, Maggie Cogger-Orr
TMO: Brett Cronan
Yellow Cards: Kaylum Boshier (Chiefs, 38′), Sam Nock (Blues, 78′)

What’s next

The Blues trek across to Perth to face the Western Force next Saturday, looking to bounce back from this late heartbreak. The Chiefs travel south to play the Highlanders in Dunedin on the same day, seeking to build on a winning start under Gibbes.

The Graveyard of the Pacific has fallen. Moana Pasifika stormed Churchill Park with a statement 40-26 victory over the Fijian Drua, proving emphatically that life without Ardie Savea can still be fruitful as new captain Miracle Faiilagi crossed for a hat-trick.

Key moments

5 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa opens the scoring after Moana’s phase play rolls forward thanks to big, hard carries in tight. A couple of Drua penalties contribute to the territory gain, and Tupou Ta’eiloa has the pure power to burrow over from close range. Patrick Pellegrini converts. (Fijian Drua 0-7 Moana Pasifika)
10 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Miracle Faiilagi, the new captain replacing Ardie Savea, is involved often and finishes by driving through the defence in the corner. The flanker shows his intent early as the visitors race clear. Patrick Pellegrini converts from wide. (Fijian Drua 0-14 Moana Pasifika)
17 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Faiilagi doubles his tally after a superb 50/22 from milestone man William Havili. The fullback drills the ball long and Faiilagi catches it directly off the lineout before running straight at Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, who does little to slow the flanker’s roll en route to his second try. Patrick Pellegrini converts. (Fijian Drua 0-21 Moana Pasifika)
23 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The hosts finally get on the board after stringing phases together. Ilaisa Droasese lobs it over the top for Ponipate Loganimasi, who runs onto the ball before kicking ahead. Isoa Nasilasila chases hard and forces William Havili to leave it behind. The Drua rip it out at the ruck and send it to the backs, where Tuidraki Samusamuvodre steps inside and cruises in beside the posts. Kemu Valetini converts. (Fijian Drua 7-21 Moana Pasifika)
30 mins – YELLOW CARD FIJIAN DRUA: Mesake Vocevoce is sent to the sin bin for repeated team infringements after instantly tackling Jonathan Taumateine following a five-metre scrum that ended in a Moana Pasifika penalty. Referee Marcus Playle has seen enough. (Fijian Drua 7-21 Moana Pasifika)
31 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Tevita Ofa makes the Drua pay for the yellow card. After two handling errors see probable tries go begging, Moana work it out the scrum with a huge overlap to the right edge. William Havili comes to the line and fires wide into the arms of Ofa, who rounds towards the posts and walks it in. Patrick Pellegrini converts. (Fijian Drua 7-28 Moana Pasifika)
40 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The hosts strike back right before the break with classic Fijian offloading. New recruit Virimi Vakatawa breaks clear in the wide channel before throwing the moon ball over his head for Kitione Salawa to run onto and score in the left corner. Kemu Valetini misses the conversion. (Fijian Drua 12-28 Moana Pasifika)
Half-time: Fijian Drua 12-28 Moana Pasifika. Moana dominate with accurate possession play in contrast to an extremely loose Drua performance. Vocevoce poor in all regards and fortunate to keep his place. Drua have seemingly not learned from last year—dumb offloads and ill-discipline plague them.
42 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Faiilagi completes his hat-trick with a stunning solo effort. Moana claim the lineout on halfway and come back to the left edge, where Ngani Laumape shows deft hands to pirouette out of a tackle and set up a 2-on-1. It comes to Faiilagi, who with clear air pins his ears back and races 30 metres to score in the left corner. Patrick Pellegrini misses the conversion. (Fijian Drua 12-33 Moana Pasifika)
47 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The Drua strike back immediately. The hosts are patient with the pack, edging within 10 metres of the line. Eventually Manasa Mataele attacks the left edge before dropping it out to Ponipate Loganimasi. He hands it back inside with Ilaisa Droasese hitting it hard and forcing his way over. Kemu Valetini converts. (Fijian Drua 19-33 Moana Pasifika)
59 mins – TRY DISALLOWED FIJIAN DRUA: Heartbreak for the hosts. Frank Lomani breaks through the line with a brilliant individual effort, streaking away into the backfield before firing out left to Isikeli Rabitu, who rounds behind the posts. But the TMO pulls things back—Lomani’s wide pass was forward. No try awarded. (Fijian Drua 19-33 Moana Pasifika)
64 mins – TRY FIJIAN DRUA: The Drua keep coming. Nasilasila claims the lineout and works it down into a maul before Isoa Tuwai peels into midfield. He smashes over the five-metre line with Rabitu then having a charge before co-captain Temo Mayanavanua crashes in under the sticks. Kemu Valetini converts. The margin is down to seven. (Fijian Drua 26-33 Moana Pasifika)
71 mins – PENALTY MISSED MOANA PASIFIKA: Patrick Pellegrini has the chance to extend the lead to 10 points but pushes his kick to the right from the right sideline. The margin stays at seven. (Fijian Drua 26-33 Moana Pasifika)
73-80 mins – DRUA ILL-DISCIPLINE: The Drua give away five penalties in a seven-minute period, allowing Moana to park inside the 22 heading into the final minutes. Costly self-inflicted pressure.
78 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Ofa Tauatevalu seals the win. The Drua look to run it out but cough it up right on their own 22-metre line. Moana spread it out to the right edge, working on the five-metre line. Tauatevalu spies some space, picking and going around the ruck to charge in down the right edge. Patrick Pellegrini converts. (Fijian Drua 26-40 Moana Pasifika)
Full-time: Fijian Drua 26-40 Moana Pasifika

In the Battle of the Pacific that opened both teams’ seasons, it was Moana who produced the more convincing performance in one of Super Rugby’s most enthralling rivalries. The visitors raced to a 21-0 lead after just 17 minutes and, despite a spirited Drua fightback, always had enough in reserve to secure their first win at Churchill Park.

Many had written off Moana Pasifika as wooden spoon candidates for 2026 following the departure of Savea to a Japanese sabbatical. Those predictions will need swift revision after a display built on accuracy, patience and the destructive carrying of their back-row.

The visitors were on fire from the opening whistle. Their phase play rolled forward thanks to big, hard carries in tight, with a couple of early Drua penalties contributing to the territory gain. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, backing up his excellent debut season, had the pure power to burrow over from close range in the fifth minute for the opening try of the afternoon.

Both teams tested the aerial battle with contestable kicks, but it was Moana who proved more capable at retrieving them. They were soon back on the attack with momentum in their carry game, and Faiilagi announced his arrival as captain with a powerful finish in the corner to make it 14-0.

The new skipper was everywhere. When milestone man William Havili—celebrating his 50th Super Rugby appearance—drilled a superb 50/22 in the 17th minute, Faiilagi caught the ball directly off the lineout and ran straight through Issak Fines-Leleiwasa’s attempted tackle en route to his second try. At 21-0, the hosts were shellshocked.

The Drua finally strung some phases together and got themselves on the board through Tuidraki Samusamuvodre in the 23rd minute. Ilaisa Droasese’s chip over the top found Ponipate Loganimasi, who kicked ahead with Isoa Nasilasila chasing hard to force the error. The centre stepped inside and cruised in beside the posts to stem the bleeding.

But the hosts’ discipline remained a major problem. Mesake Vocevoce was sent to the sin bin in the 30th minute for instantly tackling Jonathan Taumateine after a five-metre scrum ended in a Moana penalty. Referee Marcus Playle had issued multiple warnings and finally lost patience.

Moana made them pay immediately. After two handling errors saw probable tries go begging, they worked the ball out the scrum with a huge overlap to the right edge. William Havili came to the line and fired wide into the arms of Tevita Ofa, who rounded towards the posts to extend the lead to 28-7.

The Drua showed glimpses of their devastating best right before the break. New recruit Virimi Vakatawa broke clear in the wide channel before throwing a spectacular moon ball over his head for Kitione Salawa to run onto and score. The audacious offload brought the score to 28-12 at halftime, but Moana had dominated and the Drua had much to do.

Faiilagi completed his hat-trick within two minutes of the restart with a stunning solo effort. Ngani Laumape, making his return to Super Rugby after five years, showed deft hands to pirouette out of a tackle and set up a 2-on-1. With clear air in front of him, Faiilagi pinned his ears back and raced 30 metres to the line, capping a captain’s performance.

The Drua showed character to fight back. Droasese crossed in the 47th minute after patient phase play, reducing the margin to 14 points. When Frank Lomani broke through the line with a brilliant individual effort in the 59th minute, it appeared the hosts had found their spark—but the TMO cruelly ruled his pass to Rabitu had gone forward, denying what would have been a superb try.

The hosts kept coming. Co-captain Temo Mayanavanua crashed over in the 64th minute after a dominant driving maul, and suddenly the margin was just seven points with 16 minutes remaining. The Churchill Park crowd, famous for transforming matches into cauldrons of noise, sensed an unlikely comeback.

But ill-discipline cost the Drua dearly down the stretch. They gave away five penalties in a seven-minute period, allowing Moana to park inside the 22 and run down the clock. Patrick Pellegrini missed a penalty that would have extended the lead to 10, but the visitors had done enough.

With three minutes remaining, the Drua’s desperate attempt to run the ball out of their own territory ended in a turnover on their 22-metre line. Ofa Tauatevalu picked and went around the ruck to seal the victory and silence the crowd.

For Moana Pasifika, it was a statement performance. Faiilagi was magnificent, but he was ably supported by the relentless Tupou Ta’eiloa and the game management of halfback Jonathan Taumateine, whose box-kicking controlled territory throughout. Havili’s milestone match was marked with a superb 50/22 and assured displays under the high ball.

The Drua will be bitterly disappointed. They came into this match with a proud home record at Churchill Park, but showed little interest in protecting it, playing what one observer described as “a really lazy brand of rugby.” It was almost as if it was still pre-season—silly penalties, forced offloads, and generally poor decisions. Ponipate Loganimasi picked up where he left off last year, and Valetini tried his best to provide direction, but across the board it was not good enough.

Match details

Fijian Drua 26 (Tries: Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, Kitione Salawa, Ilaisa Droasese, Temo Mayanavanua; Conversions: Kemu Valetini 3/4)
Moana Pasifika 40 (Tries: Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, Miracle Faiilagi 3, Tevita Ofa, Ofa Tauatevalu; Conversions: Patrick Pellegrini 5/6)
Halftime: 12-28
Venue: Churchill Park, Lautoka
Referee: Marcus Playle (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Fraser Hannon, Dan Moore
TMO: Glenn Newman

What’snext

The Fijian Drua travel to Sydney to face the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium next Saturday, desperately needing to address their discipline issues. Moana Pasifika head to Wellington to take on the Hurricanes, looking to build on this impressive statement win.