Du’Plessis Kirifi marked his 100th Super Rugby appearance in style as the Hurricanes dismantled the ACT Brumbies 45–12 at One NZ Stadium, with winger Fehi Fineanganofo scoring four tries to close in on the all-time season record.

Key moments

7 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Ruben Love breaks the line through the middle and the ball is recycled quickly, with Billy Proctor floating a long pass out to Fehi Fineanganofo who walks over in the left corner. Love converts. (Hurricanes 7–0 Brumbies)

20 mins – TRY HURRICANES: The Brumbies’ lineout is stolen five metres out and the Hurricanes work downfield. Jordie Barrett finds Fineanganofo through the back door, and the winger explodes through a hole to score under the posts. Love converts. (Hurricanes 14–0 Brumbies)

22 mins – MEREDITH MISSES TOUCH: Declan Meredith slices his penalty kick for touch dead for the first time, handing the Hurricanes a scrum on their own 22. A recurring theme for the Brumbies’ first half.

38 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Callum Harkin slices through the middle and Devan Flanders drives into the 22. Cam Roigard floats it left, with Proctor shifting on to Fineanganofo, who steps inside two defenders to complete his hat-trick in the left corner. Love pushes the conversion wide. (Hurricanes 19–0 Brumbies)

40+2 mins – MEREDITH MISSES TOUCH AGAIN: Meredith’s second penalty kick for the corner also goes dead, summing up the Brumbies’ first half.

Half-time: Hurricanes 19–0 Brumbies. A forgettable first half dominated by errors from both sides, but the Hurricanes had three moments of quality through Fineanganofo. The Brumbies were dire — Meredith kicked it dead twice from penalties, Muirhead and Lonergan did the same from open play, and Billy Pollard’s lineout throwing was wayward. Allan Alaalatoa’s late scratching with concussion was a significant blow up front.

46 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Tom Wright wraps around to the left and Tane Edmed fires wide to Corey Toole, who is given far too much room. Toole breaks the line and throws a superb offload back inside to David Feliuai, who flops over in the left corner. Edmed’s conversion misses. (Hurricanes 19–5 Brumbies)

49 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Warner Dearns steals at the ruck and Roigard fires it right. Du’Plessis Kirifi runs a line before freeing it up, Brayden Iose lobs wide, and Josh Moorby steps inside and drives his way over in the right corner. Love converts from the sideline. (Hurricanes 26–5 Brumbies)

58 mins – TRY HURRICANES: A loose Brumbies pass falls for Fineanganofo, who toes the ball through and wins the foot race, scooping it up and somersaulting over the line for his fourth try. Love converts. (Hurricanes 33–5 Brumbies)

62 mins – TRY DISALLOWED BRUMBIES: Toby MacPherson powers through several tackles and reaches for the line, but the TMO rules he lost control of the ball while attempting to ground it. Goal-line dropout.

68 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Billy Proctor’s attempted long pass is intercepted by Corey Toole, who sprints 70 metres untouched to score under the posts. Tane Edmed converts. (Hurricanes 33–12 Brumbies)

76 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Ereatara Enari chips in behind and gets a kind bounce inside the 22. Josh Moorby races through and scores in the corner for his second. Love’s conversion hits the upright. (Hurricanes 38–12 Brumbies)

80 mins – TRY HURRICANES: From the counter ruck, Josh Gray chips in behind and Moorby goes on a searching run before ripping it out to Jone Rova, who powers over in the right corner. Love converts to round things out. (Hurricanes 45–12 Brumbies)

Full-time: Hurricanes 45–12 Brumbies

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Full match report to follow.

Match details

Hurricanes 45 (Tries: Fehi Fineanganofo 7′, 20′, 38′, 58′, Josh Moorby 49′, 76′, Jone Rova 80′; Conversions: Ruben Love 5/7)
Brumbies 12 (Tries: David Feliuai 46′, Corey Toole 68′; Conversions: Tane Edmed 1/2)
Half-time: 19–0

Venue: One NZ Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner, Angus Mabey
TMO: Brett Cronan

Teams

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett (co-c), 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Caleb Delany, 3 Tevita Mafileo, 2 Raymond Tuputupu, 1 Siale Lauaki.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Jone Rova, 23 Josh Gray.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Toby MacPherson, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

The Crusaders christened One NZ Stadium with a 35–20 victory over the NSW Waratahs in front of a sold-out crowd of 25,237, with late call-up Dallas McLeod scoring twice and Leicester Fainga’anuku delivering a compelling audition at openside flanker on a milestone night for the Garden City.

Key moments

4 mins – PENALTY WARATAHS: Sid Harvey opens the scoring at the new stadium, slotting from 38 metres after Leicester Fainga’anuku is penalised at the breakdown. (Crusaders 0–3 Waratahs)

10 mins – PENALTY WARATAHS: Harvey makes it two from two, sneaking a kick inside the left upright from 30 metres after Braydon Ennor is caught offside. (Crusaders 0–6 Waratahs)

12 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: A lineout drive brings a penalty advantage and Noah Hotham snipes to within five metres. The ball is shifted quickly right, with Johnny McNicholl finding space and sending Dallas McLeod over in the corner. Taha Kemara converts from the sideline. (Crusaders 7–6 Waratahs)

30 mins – YELLOW CARD WARATAHS: Miles Amatosero is shown yellow for preventing Noah Hotham from taking a quick tap penalty, sparking a mass scuffle between both sets of forwards.

33 mins – TRY DISALLOWED CRUSADERS: Dallas McLeod appears to waltz through a huge hole from the back of a scrum, but replays show David Havili obstructed Jack Debreczeni to create the gap. Penalty reversed.

35 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Against the run of play and down to 14, the Waratahs strike through the backline. Max Jorgensen throws a miraculous offload as he goes over the touchline to send Joey Walton bursting into the 22. Jack Debreczeni then delivers an inch-perfect cross-kick for Sid Harvey to claim and score on the left wing. Harvey converts his own try. (Crusaders 7–13 Waratahs)

40 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Dom Gardiner wins the lineout and the Crusaders maul rumbles forward. Codie Taylor controls the ball at the back and is driven over the line on the stroke of half-time. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 14–13 Waratahs)

Half-time: Crusaders 14–13 Waratahs. An entertaining opening in front of a sold-out crowd at Te Kaha. The Waratahs led through Harvey’s boot and his superb try against the grain, but the Crusaders’ set piece — particularly their dominant scrum — kept them in it, with Taylor’s maul try handing them the lead at the break. Jake Gordon and Debreczeni controlled territory well for the visitors, while Fainga’anuku showed early promise at flanker with his carrying.

49 mins – YELLOW CARD WARATAHS: Ioane Moananu is sent to the bin within a minute of coming on as a replacement, penalised for illegally hunting a turnover after repeated team infringements on the Crusaders’ line.

50 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: The Crusaders’ forwards hammer away from the lineout drive. Leicester Fainga’anuku picks from the base of the ruck and powers over from close range, carrying capped Wallabies Matt Philip and Pete Samu with him. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 21–13 Waratahs)

56 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: Brilliant counter-attack from deep. Taha Kemara spots a chance and fires a cross-kick from inside his own half to Dom Gardiner, who gallops forward with the ball in two hands before throwing a perfectly weighted pass to send Dallas McLeod racing away for his second try. Kemara converts. (Crusaders 28–13 Waratahs)

59 mins – YELLOW CARD CRUSADERS: David Havili is shown yellow for shoulder-to-head contact on Max Jorgensen, who leaves the field for a head injury assessment. Jorgensen later passes his HIA and returns.

65 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Teddy Wilson spots George Bell retreating in an offside position and uses him as a shield, bursting through the gap and beating the last defender to score left of the posts. Harvey converts. (Crusaders 28–20 Waratahs)

68 mins – TRY CRUSADERS: An immediate response. Leicester Fainga’anuku and Johnny McNicholl combine to put Macca Springer into space, and the winger runs a superb line to slice through from 25 metres and dive over untouched. Rivez Reihana converts. (Crusaders 35–20 Waratahs)

75 mins – TRY DISALLOWED CRUSADERS: David Havili appears to burst through for a try from the back of a Leicester Fainga’anuku carry, but the TMO rules Johnny Lee grabbed a defender to prevent him making the tackle. Penalty reversed.

Full-time: Crusaders 35–20 Waratahs

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Match report

A new era — and a much-needed Crusaders victory. Fifteen years after the Canterbury earthquakes left Lancaster Park in rubble, Christchurch finally has a permanent home for professional rugby again, and the defending Super Rugby Pacific champions gave their sold-out crowd of 25,237 every reason to celebrate on the opening night of Super Round. It was far from flawless, but five tries to two was emphatic enough to matter, and a bonus-point win moved the Crusaders to 5–5 and level on points with the fourth-placed Brumbies heading into a pivotal ANZAC Day.

The result also carried historical weight. The Crusaders had lost to the Brumbies, Force and Reds already this season, meaning a defeat to the Waratahs would have completed an unwanted clean sweep of losses to Australian opposition for the first time in the franchise’s history. That did not happen, although it took longer than the locals would have liked to put the visitors away.

The Waratahs took some of the air out of the occasion early. Jake Gordon’s quick tap from a free kick caught the hosts off guard and led to a Fainga’anuku breakdown penalty, which Harvey slotted from distance. He added another soon after when Ennor crept offside, and at 6–0 inside ten minutes the sold-out crowd was noticeably restless. The Crusaders were generating width and tempo in attack — McLeod, Hotham and Springer all made ground through the opening exchanges — but handling errors and a combative Waratahs defence denied them until McLeod crossed in the 12th minute, taking a pass from McNicholl after Hotham’s snipe had brought the advantage.

The middle third of the first half descended into an arm-wrestle, with both sides struggling to complete their passages. Gordon and Debreczeni controlled territory with their kicking game, and twice the Waratahs scrambled to deny the Crusaders inside the 22. The frustration boiled over on the half-hour mark when Amatosero prevented Hotham from taking a quick tap, triggering a mass scuffle that drew players from everywhere. Amatosero was the only man carded, but it set the tone for what became an increasingly niggly affair — three yellow cards were shown across the 80 minutes.

McLeod thought he had a second try soon after, cutting through a gaping hole off the back of a scrum, but the TMO correctly identified Havili running an obstructive line on Debreczeni. Instead it was the Waratahs who struck next — and it was magnificent. Gordon sent two box kicks high from the base of the ruck, both of which were regathered by his side, before Debreczeni delivered the telling blow with an inch-perfect cross-kick to the left wing. Harvey climbed, claimed and scored, and suddenly the visitors led 13–7 with a man down.

The Crusaders needed something before the break and their forwards delivered. After winning a penalty for hands in the ruck, Kemara found touch six metres from the corner flag. Gardiner took the lineout, the maul built irresistible momentum, and Taylor was driven over the whitewash right on the stroke of half-time. Kemara’s conversion gave the hosts a 14–13 lead at the interval.

The second half belonged almost entirely to the Crusaders. Former Crusader Moananu lasted barely a minute after coming on as a replacement hooker before being sent to the bin for illegally competing at the ruck, and the hosts made the numerical advantage count immediately. From the ensuing lineout, Taylor drove towards the line before Fainga’anuku picked from the base of the ruck and powered through the tackles of Philip and Samu to crash over. It was the moment that validated Rob Penney’s boldest selection call of the season — the All Blacks utility had carried with venom all night, posted team-high running metres in the first half, and now had the try to show for it.

The best was still to come. With the Waratahs throwing numbers into the lineout, Kemara spotted a chance and fired a flat cross-kick from inside his own half. Gardiner gathered on the chest, galloped forward with the ball in two hands, and threw a sublime outside pass to send McLeod sprinting away untouched for his second. It was try of the night, and it pushed the lead to 28–13.

Havili’s yellow card for a high shot on Jorgensen — shoulder meeting the fullback’s forehead as he came to ground — gave the Waratahs a lifeline, and Wilson took it smartly. The replacement halfback spotted Bell retreating in an offside position, used him as a shield, and wriggled through the gap to make it 28–20 with 15 minutes remaining. But any notion of a repeat of the Force’s comeback in Perth the previous weekend was extinguished within three minutes. Fainga’anuku and McNicholl combined to put Springer into space, and the returning winger ran a beautiful line to slice through from 25 metres. Reihana’s conversion made it 35–20 and the stadium could breathe easy.

Dom Gardiner was arguably the best player on the park, his lineout work, carrying and that extraordinary pass for McLeod’s second try the hallmarks of a complete loose-forward performance. Fainga’anuku’s debut at openside was the talking point, but Gardiner was the engine. In the backs, McLeod seized his opportunity after Reece’s late withdrawal, while Hotham’s tempo from the base kept the Waratahs defence under constant pressure.

For the Waratahs, Angus Scott-Young and Pete Samu battled mightily in the pack, and the back three of Harvey, Kellaway and Jorgensen posed a constant counter-attacking threat. But two yellow cards — Amatosero’s for the quick-tap incident and Moananu’s within seconds of entering the field — proved decisive. Discipline and a lack of time in good field position ultimately cost them.

The Crusaders still have work to do. They remain in the top six but have the Hurricanes (twice), Blues and Chiefs still to come in the run home. Rob Penney will know his side need to be sharper than they were at times tonight, but this was a night about more than just the rugby. Christchurch has waited 15 years for this stadium. The Crusaders gave the city a result to match the occasion.

Match details

Crusaders 35 (Tries: Dallas McLeod 12′, 56′, Codie Taylor 40′, Leicester Fainga’anuku 50′, Macca Springer 68′; Conversions: Taha Kemara 4/4, Rivez Reihana 1/1)
Waratahs 20 (Tries: Sid Harvey 35′, Teddy Wilson 65′; Conversions: Sid Harvey 2/2; Penalties: Sid Harvey 2/2)
Half-time: 14–13
Yellow cards: Miles Amatosero 30′ (preventing quick tap), Ioane Moananu 49′ (repeated team infringements), David Havili 59′ (shoulder to head)

Attendance: 25,237
Venue: One NZ Stadium, Christchurch
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe, Damon Murphy
TMO: Brett Cronan

Teams

Crusaders: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Dallas McLeod, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (c), 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Tahlor Cahill, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Finlay Brewis.
Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 George Bower, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Johnny Lee, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Maloni Kunawave.

Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Lawson Creighton, 11 Sid Harvey, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (c), 3 Siosifa Amone, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Isaac Kailea.
Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 Tom Lambert, 18 Dan Botha, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Clem Halaholo, 21 Jamie Adamson, 22 Teddy Wilson, 23 Triston Reilly.

What’s next

The Crusaders remain in Christchurch for the remainder of Super Round, with the Blues their next opponents in Round 13 back at One NZ Stadium. The Waratahs have the bye in Round 12 before hosting the Reds at Allianz Stadium.

Published on Friday 24 April 2026

Super Round has arrived. For the first time in the competition’s history, all ten active franchises have decamped to a single city for one of the most ambitious weekends Super Rugby Pacific has ever attempted — and the stakes could not be higher. Christchurch’s brand-new One NZ Stadium, a 30,000-seat covered arena a decade in the making, is officially christened on ANZAC weekend with five matches across three days, the defending champions already staring down the barrel of a sixth defeat, and the Fijian Drua still glowing after a historic first win over the Brumbies in Canberra.

The table tells its own story heading in. The Chiefs and Hurricanes are locked together on 31 points at the summit, the Blues one back, and only six points separate fourth from eighth. The Crusaders are sixth with a losing record and have lost all three of their matches against Australian opposition. The Waratahs have won three of their last five against them. And the Force — the only team not playing this weekend — are within two points of the Crusaders despite having claimed one of the upsets of the season in Perth last Saturday.

Friday belongs to the hosts, who open the new stadium against the Waratahs with a front-page selection — Leicester Fainga’anuku at openside flanker, his first start in the No. 7 jersey in Super Rugby. ANZAC Day brings two trans-Tasman blockbusters, with the Hurricanes facing the Brumbies in a meeting of the competition’s form scrumhalves before the Blues take on a rested Reds outfit. Sunday celebrates the Pacific, with the Highlanders’ playoff ambitions on the line against a Moana Pasifika side fighting for their competitive existence, before ladder leaders the Chiefs close the weekend against a Drua team riding the highest of highs.

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Friday 24 April

Crusaders v NSW Waratahs

One NZ Stadium, Christchurch — 19:35 NZST / 17:35 AEST

No team has more on the line this weekend than the Crusaders. A 4-5 record, three defeats to Australian opposition, and last Saturday’s stunning capitulation to the Force in Perth has left Rob Penney’s side in a place the franchise has not occupied in a generation. They now open their new home against a Waratahs outfit that has beaten them in three of their last five meetings — and they do it with the boldest selection call of the season.

Leicester Fainga’anuku will start at openside flanker. Penney has spoken about Fainga’anuku’s desire to explore the role, developed during his stint at Toulon, and framed the new stadium and the pressure of the occasion as the right setting to let him run with it. David Havili returns from injury to resume the captaincy at inside centre, pushing Fainga’anuku out of the midfield, and All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor is back alongside prop Fletcher Newell in a bolstered front row. Noah Hotham returns at halfback, Taha Kemara at flyhalf, and Sevu Reece and Johnny McNicholl return to the back three.

The Waratahs arrive with their own reshuffle. Isaac Kailea, Folau Fainga’a and Siosifa Amone form a brand-new starting front row. Max Jorgensen shifts to fullback, pushing Sid Harvey to the wing, and former Crusaders prop Ioane Moananu comes off the bench against his old side. Dan McKellar has been clear about the magnitude of the task, describing it as the closest thing to a Test match Super Rugby can offer with 30,000 Cantabrians expected in full voice.

Charlie Gamble, who came through Canterbury’s system, will relish the chance to target Fainga’anuku at the breakdown. If the gamble works, the Crusaders add a new dimension in wide channels. If it misfires, the Waratahs can spoil the party. The Crusaders have won 15 of their last 16 home meetings against NSW — the only loss coming in 2004 — and they have never lost to every Australian team in a season.

Crusaders: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (c), 11 Macca Springer, 10 Taha Kemara, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 6 Dom Gardiner, 5 Tahlor Cahill, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Finlay Brewis. Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 George Bower, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Jamie Hannah, 20 Johnny Lee, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rivez Reihana, 23 Dallas McLeod.

Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Triston Reilly, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Lawson Creighton, 11 Andrew Kellaway, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (c), 3 Siosifa Amone, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Isaac Kailea. Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 Tom Lambert, 18 Dan Botha, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Clem Halaholo, 21 Jamie Adamson, 22 Teddy Wilson, 23 Sid Harvey.

Referee: Nic Berry. Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe, Damon Murphy. TMO: Brett Cronan.

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Saturday 25 April (ANZAC Day)

Hurricanes v ACT Brumbies

One NZ Stadium, Christchurch — 17:05 NZST / 15:05 AEST

The first of two ANZAC Day crackers is also the most personal for one man. Du’Plessis Kirifi leads the Hurricanes out for his 100th Super Rugby appearance, a milestone the openside will mark while trying to arrest a side stinging from a Super Point defeat to the Chiefs. The Brumbies, for their part, were rolled by the Fijian Drua in Canberra last weekend, meaning both teams arrive with their identities freshly tested.

Coach Clark Laidlaw has reshaped the Hurricanes’ tight five, with Siale Lauaki, Raymond Tuputupu and Tevita Mafileo forming a new-look starting front row and Caleb Delany partnering Warner Dearns in the second row. Brayden Iose gets the nod at blindside, with Jordie Barrett returning to co-captain from outside centre. The bench is heavily stacked with finishers — Brad Shields, Peter Lakai and Pasilio Tosi among them — a clear signal the Hurricanes are preparing for this to go long.

Stephen Larkham’s Brumbies recall winger Andy Muirhead to the starting XV, shifting Ollie Sapsford to the bench, and restore Rory Scott to openside ahead of Luke Reimer. James Slipper, Billy Pollard and Allan Alaalatoa front up in the scrum, and Rob Valetini continues at blindside. Ryan Lonergan keeps the captaincy at halfback alongside Declan Meredith, who has been the steadying hand at 10 all season.

This is the scrumhalf duel that matters — Cam Roigard against Lonergan, two of the form No. 9s in the competition. Roigard’s breakdown activity and snipe are central to the Hurricanes’ attacking shape; Lonergan’s tempo and service are the engine of a Brumbies pack that thrives when the ball is quick. The Brumbies have won six of their last eight meetings between these sides, but the Hurricanes have taken their last four at home, averaging 40 points across those wins. A Brumbies victory would make it just the second time in their history they have swept the New Zealand franchises in a season.

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett (co-c), 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Caleb Delany, 3 Tevita Mafileo, 2 Raymond Tuputupu, 1 Siale Lauaki. Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Peter Lakai, 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Jove Rova, 23 Josh Gray.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper. Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Toby MacPherson, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Ollie Sapsford.

Referee: Paul Williams. Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner, Angus Mabey. TMO: Brett Cronan.

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Blues v Queensland Reds

One NZ Stadium, Christchurch — 19:35 NZST / 17:35 AEST

Vern Cotter was not a happy man last weekend. The Blues conceded 40 points to the Highlanders and almost blew a match they controlled for long stretches, and while they ultimately escaped with the win, the defensive lapses were exactly the kind their coach has drilled out of them all season. Now they face a well-rested Reds side who had the Round 10 bye and know a victory is close to essential if they still fancy a home quarterfinal.

Ben Ake makes his first start at loosehead prop after a debut off the bench against the Highlanders, and Kade Banks comes into the starting side on the wing opposite Cole Forbes. Pita Ahki returns to the midfield and Stephen Perofeta, recovered from a calf injury, is a notable presence on the bench alongside Taufa Funaki. Dalton Papali’i was the difference last week after returning from a back complaint, and his combination with Anton Segner and Hoskins Sotutu in the back row remains the spine of this Blues side.

The Reds are without both Carter Gordon (knee) and Tom Lynagh (calf) in the short term, which hands the No. 10 jersey to Harry McLaughlin-Phillips with Ben Volavola covering on the bench. Zane Nonggorr returns to the front row and Joe Brial comes into the starting blindside. The milestone man is Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, the former Hurricanes title-winner, who will play his 150th Super Rugby match off the bench. Josh Nasser and Treyvon Pritchard are both back in the 23 after clearing concussion protocols.

This is one of the most evenly poised fixtures of the weekend. The Reds are chasing back-to-back wins over the Blues for the first time since 2013, and Les Kiss has steered his side to famous New Zealand victories over the Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders in recent seasons — the neutral venue will hold no fears. But the Blues have won their last three against Queensland in New Zealand by an average of 27 points, and if Papali’i and Fraser McReight fight their breakdown duel to a stalemate, that raw power game should tip it. Opposing views: rugby.com.au fancy the Reds by three; ESPN and Rugby365 the Blues.

Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Kade Banks, 13 AJ Lam, 12 Pita Ahki, 11 Cole Forbes, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Anton Segner, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Bradley Slater, 1 Ben Ake. Replacements: 16 James Mullan, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Sam Matenga, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Torian Barnes, 21 Taufa Funaki, 22 Stephen Perofeta, 23 Xavi Taele.

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (c), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Aidan Ross. Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Nick Bloomfield, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Treyvon Pritchard.

Referee: James Doleman. Assistant Referees: Marcus Playle, Damon Murphy. TMO: Richard Kelly.

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Sunday 26 April

Highlanders v Moana Pasifika

One NZ Stadium, Christchurch — 14:00 NZST / 12:00 AEST

Two teams in very different kinds of crisis. The Highlanders are three wins from nine and slipping steadily out of the playoff picture — ninth on the table, tied with the Drua on points, and winners of only one of their last nine away from Forsyth Barr. Moana Pasifika are in a bleaker place still: one win all season, bottom of the table on four points, and playing against the backdrop of news that their current ownership group will not continue beyond this year. Their existence as a competition entity may well be at stake.

Clark Laidlaw and Jamie Joseph, respectively, have both shuffled their packs. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens returns from injury at fullback, allowing Jonah Lowe to shift to the right wing. Soane Vikena and Saula Ma’u come into the front row, and Tomás Lavanini returns to partner Mitch Dunshea in the second row. Xavier Tito-Harris earns his first Super Rugby start at inside centre, with co-captains Ethan de Groot and Timoci Tavatavanawai holding the spine of the side together. The Highlanders’ scrum has been one of the best weapons in the competition all year, and that is a meaningful edge.

For Moana Pasifika, Jonathan Tamateine replaces the concussed Melani Matavao at scrumhalf, and young gun Israel Leota returns on the bench for the first time since Round 2 after an ankle injury. Miracle Faiilagi captains the side from blindside, with Glen Vaihu and Tevita Latu forming a mobile midfield. The challenge is a familiar one: Moana have been kept scoreless in the first half of each of their last two matches against New Zealand opposition.

Ethan de Groot versus Abraham Pole at scrum time will shape this. If Moana can hold parity there and keep the Highlanders honest early, they have an upset in them — ESPN’s Paul Cully described them as “brave in defeat” against the Waratahs last week and that feeling lingers. But the Highlanders cannot afford to lose this match if they want to play finals rugby, and their pack is the stronger. Highlanders have won six of the seven previous meetings.

Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Jonah Lowe, 13 Tanielu Tele’a, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-c), 11 Xavier Tito-Harris, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Adam Lennox, 8 Nikora Broughton, 7 Veveni Lasaqa, 6 Oliver Haig, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Mitch Dunshea, 3 Saula Ma’u, 2 Soane Vikena, 1 Ethan de Groot (co-c). Replacements: 16 Jack Taylor, 17 Josh Bartlett, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Te Kamaka Howden, 20 Hugh Renton, 21 Lucas Casey, 22 Folau Fakatava, 23 Taine Robinson.

Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Tuna Tuitama, 13 Solomon Alaimalo, 12 Tevita Latu, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Jonathan Tamateine, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Semisi Paea, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (c), 5 Jimmy Tupou, 4 Allan Craig, 3 Chris Apoua, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 Abraham Pole. Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Malakai Hala-Ngatai, 18 Paula Latu, 19 Tom Savage, 20 Ola Tauelangi, 21 Augustine Palu, 22 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 23 Israel Leota.

Referee: Todd Petrie. Assistant Referees: Angus Mabey, Marcus Playle. TMO: Richard Kelly.

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Chiefs v Fijian Drua

One NZ Stadium, Christchurch — 16:30 NZST / 14:30 AEST

The round closes with the ladder leaders taking on the feel-good story of the season so far. The Chiefs are on four straight, sit top on points differential, and are chasing five consecutive wins for the first time since 2023. The Fijian Drua arrive still buzzing from their first-ever win over the Brumbies in Canberra last weekend — a historic result that Mick Byrne has described as the best performance of the season bar their Round 3 win over the Hurricanes. Can they back it up?

Clayton McMillan’s changes are forced but notable. Wallace Sititi, whose match-winning try sank the Hurricanes last weekend, shifts to number eight. Tupou Vaa’i returns from a week out with concussion to captain the side in the engine room alongside Josh Lord. Damian McKenzie continues to pull the strings from flyhalf, with Cortez Ratima inside him and Quinn Tupaea — short odds for Player of the Year — outside. The biggest news is at fullback, where Isaac Hutchinson makes his first appearance of the year after a long lay-off with a knee injury.

Byrne names a side with new faces in key positions. Co-captain Frank Lomani returns from injury at scrumhalf, restoring the partnership with Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula at 10. Maika Tuitubou earns his Super Rugby debut at outside centre, in what might be the toughest first-up assignment imaginable — lining up directly against Tupaea. Taniela Rakuro is on the right wing, with Ilaisa Droasese at fullback. The pack that dominated the breakdown in Canberra is largely intact, Temo Mayanavanua again co-captain in the second row.

The Drua’s maiden win over the Chiefs came earlier this season after three straight defeats, but the history in New Zealand is emphatic — the Chiefs have scored 40+ in each of the teams’ last two meetings on this side of the Tasman. The key match-up is Tupaea v Tuitubou, with the debutant facing the form player in the competition on his first outing. If Fiji can turn this into a broken, offloading game the way they did against the Brumbies, anything is possible. If the Chiefs lock it down early, their set-piece and McKenzie’s kicking game should turn this into a statement.

Chiefs: 15 Isaac Hutchinson, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Kyle Brown, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Daniel Sinkinson, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Wallace Sititi, 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Tupou Vaa’i (c), 4 Josh Lord, 3 George Dyer, 2 Brodie McAlister, 1 Jared Proffit. Replacements: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Benét Kumeroa, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Michael Loft, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Lalakai Foketi.

Fijian Drua: 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Taniela Rakuro, 13 Maika Tuitubou, 12 Virimi Vakatawa, 11 Manasa Mataele, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Frank Lomani (co-c), 8 Isoa Tuwai, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Temo Mayanavanua (co-c), 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet. Replacements: 16 Kavaia Tagivetaua, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Isoa Nasilasila, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Simione Kuruvoli, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Inia Tabuavou.

Referee: Jordan Way. Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner, Ben O’Keeffe. TMO: Brett Cronan.

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BYE: Western Force

The Force have the weekend off to savour what was arguably the result of the season — a shock upset of the Crusaders in Perth last Saturday that lifted them to within two points of Rob Penney’s side. They return in Round 12 to host the Blues at HBF Park.

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Milestones

• Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) — 100th Super Rugby match
• Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Reds) — 150th Super Rugby match

Notable first starts and returns

• Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders) — first Super Rugby start at openside flanker
• Ben Ake (Blues) — first starting appearance at loosehead prop
• Xavier Tito-Harris (Highlanders) — first Super Rugby start
• Maika Tuitubou (Fijian Drua) — Super Rugby debut at outside centre
• Isaac Hutchinson (Chiefs) — first appearance of 2026 after knee injury
• David Havili (Crusaders), Codie Taylor (Crusaders), Tomás Lavanini (Highlanders), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders), Stephen Perofeta (Blues bench), Frank Lomani (Fijian Drua) — all return from injury

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Where to watch

Australia: Stan Sport (all matches, ad-free, live and on demand); Nine Network (Saturday 7:35pm AEST match, live)
New Zealand: Sky Sport
Fiji: Sky Pacific (pay TV); Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (free-to-air)
United Kingdom & Ireland: Sky UK
United States & Canada: ESPN; FloSports (USA territories); TSN (Canada)
Pacific Islands: Digicel
Japan: Wowow
South Africa & Africa: SuperSport
France: Canal+
Rest of World: NZR+ (streaming)