The Crusaders celebrate after winning the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific final. Photo / Photosport
All you need to know ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific and Super Rugby Aupiki seasons which kick off this week.
Ranked: NZ’s top 100 Super Rugby players
In an exercise that involved many late nights, we rank the top 100 NZ men’s rugby players.
Titles - 3
Last year - Lost final
Captain - Dalton Papalii
Opening game - v Highlanders, 7.05pm tomorrow
Preview - A title is the only result for the Blues
Additions - All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu returns after a stint in Japan, a major boost for the side. In terms of new faces, Northland blind-side flanker Rob Rush, son of former All Blacks and sevens legend Eric Rush, has joined the squad for the first time. Rush along with prop Josh Fusitu’a and outside back Caleb Tangitau are the only new names to the Blues squad for 2023.
Prediction - Losing finalists
Titles - 0
Last year - 12th
Captain - Sekope Kepu
Opening game - v Fijian Drua, 4.35pm tomorrow
Preview - Moana Pasifika bring high ambitions into second season
Additions - Samoa-based loose forward Miracle Fai’ilagi headlines the five new players to the squad. The 23-year-old was identified by head coach Aaron Mauger and forwards coach Leota Filo Tiatia at the World Rugby Pacific Combine held in Suva, Fiji. Four further players have earned themselves their first Super Rugby contracts after impressing as replacement players for Moana Pasifika in 2022 - Otago’s Abraham Pole, Manu Samoa first five eighth D’Angelo Leuila, Tasman Mako lock Mahonri Ngakuru and North Harbour loose forward Michael Curry.
Prediction - Bottom half
Titles - 2
Last year - Lost semifinal
Captains - Sam Cane and Brad Weber
Opening game - v Crusaders, 7.05pm tonight
Preview - Chiefs looking to turn a corner in 2023 as end of era looms
Additions - The Chiefs welcome back Damian McKenzie following his stint in Japan. New additions include Ngantungane Punivai and Manaaki Selby-Rickit, both transfers from the Highlanders, and Counties Manukau rookie Peniasi Malimali. Jared Proffit, who was named Taranaki forward of the year after this year’s NPC campaign, also secures his first full-time Super Rugby contract off the back of his debut for the Hurricanes during the 2022 season.
Prediction - Semifinalists
Titles - 1
Last year - Lost quarter-final
Captain - Ardie Savea
Opening game - v Reds, 9.35pm tomorrow
Preview - Moving season? How Hurricanes plan to shed fringe contender status
Additions - Waikato’s Dan Sinkinson, Taranaki’s Kini Naholo and Manawatū's Brett Cameron join the club for the first time, while Wellington up and comers, Riley Higgins and Peter Lakai, sign their first professional Super Rugby contracts with the Hurricanes. Graduating from the club’s development ranks, St Pats Silverstream alumni Higgins and Lakai join the full squad for the first time, having spent the 2022 season with the side on national development contracts.
Prediction - Quarter-finals
Titles - 15
Last year - Champions
Captain - Scott Barrett
Opening game - v Chiefs, 7.05pm tonight
Preview - Scott Robertson’s last dance: The shadow looming over Super Rugby
Additions - The defending champions beat the Chiefs to the signature of talented first five Taha Kemara. The 19-year-old Chiefs under-20s representative, who played for Waikato in the NPC this year, turned down an offer from the Chiefs to join the Christchurch side. Kemara is one of seven new additions to the squad, including Canterbury hooker George Bell, former Blues winger Melani Nanai, Wellington wing Pepesana Patafilo, Tasman outside back Macca Springer, Otago loose forward Christian Lio-Willie and halfback and former England international Willi Heinz, who returns to the Crusaders after playing with the side from 2010 to 2015.
Prediction - Champions (again)
Titles - 1
Last year - 8th
Captain - Billy Harmon
Opening game - v Blues, 7.05pm tomorrow
Preview - The Highlanders’ under-the-radar overhaul for 2023
Changes - Loose forward Harmon, fresh from skippering Canterbury to the NPC final, will take over the armband from Aaron Smith. The Highlanders backs have been bolstered by the arrival of former Chiefs winger Jonah Lowe, along with Otago flyer Jona Nareki, who is returning after injury ruled out his 2022 Super Rugby Pacific aspirations.
Prediction - Fifth of the New Zealand teams
Outright winner
Crusaders $2.75
Blues $3.75
Chiefs $4.50
Hurricanes $7
Brumbies $15
Reds $15
Highlanders $17
Fijian Drua $61
Waratahs $61
Force $151
Rebels $151
Moana Pasifika $251
Chiefs Manawa prepare to go back-to-back
Demant hopeful proposed competition expansion happens sooner rather than later
Super Rugby Aupiki returns to build on Black Ferns’ World Cup success
The end of 2022 saw New Zealand drawn to women’s rugby as the Black Ferns clinched a World Cup title on home soil. Now, Super Rugby Aupiki has the opportunity to continue to build on that platform.
The Blues, Chiefs Manawa, Hurricanes Poua and Matatū (a combined South Island team governed by the Crusaders and Highlanders) will play across five weekends in 2023. The name Super Rugby Aupiki reflects on the competition being a crucial stepping stone between Farah Palmer Cup and the Black Ferns, with Aupiki translating to mean “the ascent to the uppermost realm”.
There will be 26 members of the World Cup-winning Black Ferns squad across the four Aupiki teams, as well as several other players who have pulled on the black jersey in the past.
The Waitomo Chiefs Manawa will look to go back-to-back as they kick off their 2023 season on Saturday against the Hurricanes Poua at Levin Domain. Winners of the inaugural competition last year, the Chiefs Manawa have a new-look coaching crew after the departure of head coach Allan Bunting to the Black Ferns.
Outright winner
Chiefs Manawa $1.85
Blues Women $3.75
Matatu $4.50
Hurricanes Poua $6
The Herald will provide live updates of matches. You can catch live commentary of New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific home games on Gold AM and iHeartRadio.
Super Rugby Pacific and Super Rugby Aupiki matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sport 1 and Sky Sport 2. If you want to watch the matches online, you can stream the games live via Sky Sport Now.
The Alternative Commentary Collective have live commentary of every Super Rugby Pacific home match on iHeartRadio and Sky Sport 9.