What another cracking round that was. Who could possibly say that Super Rugby Pacific is boring and predictable? Plenty of other rugby on with the Sevens and the Wallaroos playing, but I will leave that for RAWF, as I only had time to watch the 5 Super Rugby Games. So go and pour a huge cup of that wonderful stuff ☕, and get that into you whilst we dissect the SRP.
Super Rugby Pacific 2026 – Round 10
Auckland Blues 47 defeated Highlanders 40
Blues hang on in Auckland heart-stopper – If you like your rugby neat, clinical and wrapped up by the 60th minute… this wasn’t it. This was peak Brisneyland chaos (like me after 15 coffees) energy — a game the Blues had won, lost, and then just barely clung onto against a Highlanders side that refused to read the script. The Blues have walked away with the chocolates — 47–40 — and the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy, but no one in Auckland is pretending this was comfortable. They were cruising. Then they were panicking. Then they were praying. Classic.
The visitors landed the first punch, with halfback Adam Lennox slicing through broken lineout play inside three minutes. That early strike set the tone: the Highlanders weren’t here to make up numbers. But the Blues pack responded like a proper top-four outfit should. Hoskins Sotutu barged over, Anton Segner pilfered anything not nailed down, and suddenly momentum — and bodies — were piling in the right direction. Lock Sam Darry crashed over to stretch it to 19–7, with Beauden Barrett quietly ticking over the scoreboard and etching his name further into Super Rugby history, leapfrogging Morne Steyn on the all-time points list.
Then came the moment that sucked the air out of the ground. Caleb Tangitau was knocked out in a nasty collision after helping spark a sweeping movement finished by Taniela Tele’a. A 🧀 to Zarn Sullivan followed, and suddenly the Blues had both points and emotional momentum heading into the sheds at 19–14.
The arm-wrestle turns into a shootout – The second half started like a training run for the hosts.
Bradley Slater dotted down from the maul, Segner grabbed a second, and at 33–14, it looked like “job done, see you next week.” Except no one told the Highlanders scrum. They went to work — penalties, pressure, repeat sets — and Lennox popped up again to slice through for his double. Suddenly, the Blues’ comfy cushion was looking more like a wobbly camp chair.
Barrett tried to steady things, linking with Cole Forbes to restore order, but then came the moment that nearly cost them the lot: a loose, ambitious pass that turned into an 80-metre counter finished by debutant Xavier Tito-Harris. Game on. Even when Ben Ake crossed, and it should have been curtains, a 🧀 to AJ Lam reopened the door.
The Highlanders kicked it down – Tele’a struck again. Soane Vikena followed. Suddenly, it was a seven-point game, the Blues were out on their feet, and extra time was looming large.
Then — the killer blow. Knock-on. Game over. No Super Point, no fairy tale comeback — just the Blues collapsing over the line like a front-rower after a 10-phase defensive set.
The bigger picture – The win keeps the Blues firmly in the hunt near the top, but this felt like two competition points gained and a few question marks added. Meanwhile, the Highlanders walk away empty-handed but with a blueprint: pressure, set-piece dominance, and a willingness to play from anywhere can rattle even the big dogs.
Three things we learned
The Blues are lethal… but leaky – When they get rolling, they look like title contenders. But conceding 26 points in the final stretch is the kind of fade-out that gets punished in finals footy.
Scrum pressure still matters (a lot) – In what will be like porn to our resident Nutta, The Highlanders’ comeback was built almost entirely on set-piece dominance. In a comp obsessed with tempo, old-school grunt is still a game-breaker.
Game management separates contenders from champions – That loose pass from Barrett nearly flipped the result. The best sides know when to twist the knife — and when to just play territory and suffocate.
Ugly win? Maybe. Entertaining? Absolutely. Sustainable? That’s the question the Blues will be chewing on all week.
Waratahs 29 defeated Moana Pasifika 14
Tahs survive storm — on field and off it – Friday night in Sydney had a bit of everything — lightning delays, royal cameos, a whiff of chaos — and somewhere in the middle of it all, the Waratahs quietly, but very messily, got the job done. If you tuned in expecting a comfortable home win, you got something far uglier. The NSW Waratahs clawed their way to a 29–14 bonus-point victory over Moana Pasifika, but it was anything but straightforward.
At halftime, the Tahs were actually behind 14–12. Moana had come to play — and not just in the emotional sense either. With their long-term future clouded earlier in the week, there was a clear edge to their performance. They weren’t here to make up the numbers. And then, because rugby occasionally likes to lean into theatre, the game got hit by a lightning delay. Players off. The crowd shuffled. Even the Duke and Duchess — yes, that Duke and Duchess — were sent packing from their seats alongside Wallaby royalty.
Momentum? Gone. Reset button pressed. Moana fires early, but can’t land the knockout. Moana Pasifika’s first half was built on sharp thinking and opportunism, led by halfback Melani Matavao, who caused absolute headaches around the ruck. Two tries, both from quick taps, both exposing a sleepy and very average Tahs defence. One even came after a cheeky deliberate knock-on to milk a penalty — cynical, perhaps, clever, yep indeed, and perfectly executed. You might not like it, but you have to respect the hustle.
At 14–12 up and with field position early in the second half, Moana had its moment. This was the window. And they slammed it shut themselves. Twice, they butchered chances close to the line with handling errors. Then came scrum penalties and lineout misfires. Suddenly, instead of building pressure, they were marching the Waratahs upfield. That’s the difference at this level — not just creating chances, but cashing them in.
Waratahs grind, then strike – To their credit, the Waratahs didn’t panic (although they should have been 💩’ing themselves). They weren’t slick; in fact, it was very untidy, but they showed a degree of patience. Repeated carries close to the line finally cracked Moana, with Isaac Kailea barging over after a proper old-school forwards’ grind. No finesse, just body-on-body attrition.
Then came Sid Harvey again — his second try pushing the Tahs clear. He’d miss the conversion after the lightning break, but made up for it moments later with a clutch defensive play, stripping the ball from Solomon Alaimalo just as a Moana counterattack threatened to flip the script again. From there, it was about control. Territory. Possession. Squeezing the life out of the game.
Moana had one last crack, with Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa held up agonisingly close to the line, but it felt like the moment had passed. And just to hammer it home, Folau Fainga’a rumbled over from a rolling maul after the siren to seal the bonus point — a very Waratahs way to finish it.
Where this leaves both sides – For the Waratahs, it snaps a three-game losing streak to Moana and drags them back to 4–4 — right in the finals conversation, even if the performance raised as many questions as it answered. For Moana Pasifika, now 1–8, it’s another “what if” night. Effort? Plenty. Execution? Not enough.
Three things we learned
Game management still isn’t the Tahs’ strength – When things got messy — and they got very messy — the Waratahs didn’t exactly impose themselves. They capitalised eventually, but better teams will punish that kind of drift.
Moana Pasifika’s biggest opponent is themselves – The attacking shape, the intent, the physicality — it’s all there. But repeated errors at key moments are killing them. Fix that, and they’re not a 1–8 side.
Sid Harvey is becoming seriously important to the Tahs – Two tries, a crucial defensive intervention, and constant involvement. He’s not just finishing plays — he’s starting to influence them. The Tahs backline looks like a different beast when he’s firing.
Messy, dramatic, occasionally bizarre — but four points is four points. And right now, the Waratahs will take that every day of the week.
The Chiefs 22 defeated the Hurricanes 17
Sititi says, “I’ll have that” as Chiefs nick Super Point epic – If you like your rugby with a bit of chaos, a dash of madness and a finish that leaves both fanbases staring into the void, this one was right in the Brisneyland sweet spot. The Chiefs are back on top of the pile after pinching a 22–17 Super Point win over the Hurricanes — and fair warning, this one didn’t follow the script.
Enter Wallace Sititi, returning from the physio’s waiting room and deciding subtlety wasn’t required. Four minutes into Super Point, he scooped up the scraps from a charged-down drop goal and went full freight train over the line. Game. Gone. Chiefs top. But the road there? Proper arm wrestle stuff.
First half: Canes punch first, Chiefs waste territory – The Hurricanes came out like a side that had been blowing teams off the park for a month — crisp, direct, and ruthless when it counted. Josh Moorby finished in the corner early after sustained pressure, and suddenly the Chiefs were chasing.
To their credit, the Chiefs owned the ball and the map — territory tilted their way heavily — but they couldn’t land the killer blow. One Damian McKenzie penalty was all they had to show for long stretches camped in the Canes’ country. And then, right on halftime, came the gut punch.
Turnover machine Du’Plessis Kirifi did what he does best, flipping defence into attack, and Peter Lakai cashed in under the posts. 12–3 Hurricanes at the break, and the Chiefs were left wondering how they’d let that one slip.
Second half: momentum swings like a pub door – The Chiefs steadied after oranges, grinding their way back into it with a well-earned Simon Parker try — nothing flashy, just good honest work. But every time it looked like momentum might settle, the Hurricanes threw another punch. Asafo Aumua, built like a vending machine with legs, bulldozed over to keep the visitors in front. At that point, it had the feel of a classic Hurricanes close-out job. Control territory, strangle the life out of it, head home happy. Yeah… nah.
Chaos finish: enter Sinkinson, then total mayhem – The Chiefs needed something — anything —, and they got it off a broken play. One loose pass, a flash of counterattack, and suddenly Etene Nanai-Seturo (actually it was Leroy Carter in the original, but we stick to the narrative) sparked it before Daniel Sinkinson finished the job to level things up.
Cue the frantic final minutes. McKenzie had a crack from long range to win it. Missed. Of course, he did — this game wasn’t ending normally. Super Point: brains off, instincts on
Extra time in Super Rugby is less chess match, more backyard footy with stakes. The Chiefs struck first through a break sparked by Kyren Taumoefolau, putting them deep inside the Hurricanes’ 22. McKenzie lined up the droppie… Charged down by Warner Dearns. And that’s where the rugby gods intervened. Ball spills. Everyone scrambles. Sititi says thanks very much and crashes over. Cue scenes.
What it means – The Chiefs go top, snapping the Hurricanes’ five-game heater in the process. More importantly, they proved they can win ugly — not just rack up points when the sun’s shining. For the Hurricanes, it’s a reality check. Their attack’s been electric, but this was finals-style footy — tight, physical, and unforgiving.
Three things we learned
The Chiefs can win the grind, not just the highlights – This wasn’t a highlight reel performance. It was territory, defence, patience — and hanging in when things weren’t clicking. That’s the sort of win that travels in finals.
Hurricanes still lethal, but not invincible – They’ve feasted on space in recent weeks. Here, against a side that matched them physically and slowed the game down, they looked a touch more human.
Wallace Sititi is built for big moments – First game back, extra time, chaos everywhere — and he’s the one who finishes it. Some players find the moment. Others are in the moment. Sititi might be the latter.
Fiji Drua 33 defeated ACT Brumbies 28
Drua bring the storm to Canberra – If you were looking for a “typical” night in Canberra, this wasn’t it. This was peak Super Rugby chaos—equal parts heart, havoc and “how the fark did that just happen?”—as the Fijian Drua pinched one they had absolutely no right to win… except they did.
Coming into GIO Stadium with one win from their last 33 away games, the Drua weren’t just outsiders—they were practically written off before kickoff. The Brumbies, meanwhile, had the feel-good storyline locked and loaded with Tom Wright’s return from an ACL, and all the ingredients for a comfortable home win. Rugby, of course, laughed at that script.
Instead, the Drua played like a team carrying something bigger than the scoreboard. With Cyclone Vaianu still impacting families back home, this wasn’t just a road trip—it was a mission. And from the first whistle, they brought a level of intent the Brumbies simply didn’t match. By halftime, the visitors had punched out to a 22–7 lead. Not through trickery or fluke, but through good old-fashioned Drua footy: power, pace, offloads and a willingness to play what’s in front of them. Manasa Mataele was everywhere, bagging a double and causing headaches every time he touched the ball.
Brumbies wobble, then wake up… too late – To be fair, the Brumbies didn’t get much early flow. The TMO had a busier night than a Suncorp beer line—one try chalked off, another awarded, and even a Drua effort rubbed out. It was messy, stop-start stuff, and it suited the visitors just fine. When the Brumbies finally settled, they looked dangerous. Wright, in his return, was classy without overplaying his hand—two try assists and a reminder of what he brings to the back three. His cut-out ball to put Ollie Sapsford over early in the second half was pure silk.
At 22–14, momentum was shifting. Then came the moment. Sapsford breaks, pops inside to Declan Meredith… and it hits the deck with the try line begging. One of those ones you don’t just miss—you feel slipping away. Cue the Drua response. One minute later, they’re over at the other end through Simione Kuruvoli after a lovely cross-kick from Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula. That’s a 14-point swing in about 90 seconds. Game-changer.
Controversy, chaos… and composure – Down 30–14, the Brumbies needed something—and they got it via a controversial 🧀 to Drua fullback Isikeli Rabitu. A head clash with Sapsford (who was being pushed into contact) saw Rabitu knocked out cold and somehow still sent to the bin. It felt harsh, and the Drua had every right to feel aggrieved.
But here’s the thing: they didn’t fold. The Brumbies surged. Wright set up Tane Edmed. Corey Toole finished one in the corner. Suddenly, it was 30–28, and Canberra was expecting the inevitable home-team heist. Not tonight. The Drua dug in, repelled everything thrown at them, and when the siren went, they found another gear defensively to shut the door completely. Cue wild celebrations—and rightly so.
More than just a win – Post-match, skipper Temo Mayanavanua spoke about what this meant back home. Players training through a cyclone, families dealing with real-life chaos, and still finding a way to front up and deliver something special. You could see it in the way they celebrated. This wasn’t just four competition points—it was pride, resilience, and a reminder of what makes this competition great. For the Brumbies, it’s a reality check. They showed enough in patches, but Super Rugby doesn’t hand out wins for “nearly.”
Three things we learned
The Drua away hoodoo might finally be cracking – One win in 33 away games doesn’t scream “giant-killers,” but this felt different. Composed under pressure, clinical when it mattered, and emotionally invested—this wasn’t a fluke. If they can bottle even 70% of this, they’re no longer just dangerous in Fiji.
Momentum swings still define this comp – That dropped ball from Meredith wasn’t just an error—it was the moment. Instead of a one-score game, it turned into a two-score deficit almost instantly. At this level, those swings are brutal and often decisive.
The Brumbies’ margin for error is thinner than they think – When they’re on, they look like contenders. But when accuracy dips—even slightly—they’re vulnerable. Against a side willing to chance their arm and back their fitness, the Brumbies got exposed around the edges and couldn’t quite recover.
Super Rugby, eh? Just when you think you’ve got it figured out… along come the Drua to flip the table.
Western Force 31 defeated The Crusaders 26
Lomax lights it up as Force flip the script – If you’ve been waiting for a proper “where were you when…” night from the Western Force, crack a tin and settle in — this one had a bit of everything: chaos, comeback, and a former league winger turning into a full-blown aerial pest.
The Western Force pulled off one of their grittiest wins in recent memory, storming back from 19-0 down to roll the Crusaders 31-26 in Perth. And front and centre? None other than Zac Lomax, who went from curiosity pick to genuine difference-maker in the space of 60 minutes. After a quiet opening where space was at a premium, Lomax turned the contest on its head with his work in the air.
Three times he hunted down box kicks like a bloke chasing the last sausage roll at smoko — clean takes, forward momentum, instant pressure. It wasn’t flashy, but it was brutally effective. Then came the turning point. From 19-zip to game on.
At 19-0 after 22 minutes, the Force looked cooked. The Crusaders were humming, with Johnny McNicholl finishing off a slick dribble chase to pile on the pain. But the Force didn’t fold — and that’s where this one gets interesting. Just before the break, Lomax produced a bit of X-factor. He climbed above traffic, plucked a bomb, and somehow got a pass away mid-air. It didn’t lead to points, but it flipped momentum. Suddenly, Perth woke up. Moments later, a sharp break from Dylan Pietsch cracked things open. Lomax stayed composed, fed inside, and the ball eventually found Henry Robertson for the Force’s first. Game on.
The moment that changed everything – Fast forward to the 54th minute — enter the headline act.
A long, flat ball from Ben Donaldson gave Lomax just enough room, and he did the rest. Dive, finish, limbs everywhere — scores level, crowd losing its collective mind. It wasn’t just the try. It was the timing. The belief. The sense that the Crusaders, for once, were rattled. Even a bit of push-and-shove with McNicholl moments earlier seemed to spark him. Old-school winger mentality: if there’s niggle, you’re probably about to get burned.
Force find steel when it matters – When Lomax went off just before the hour, the job was far from done. But this is where the Force deserves serious wraps. They absorbed pressure, took their chances, and — crucially — won key moments: 1. Pietsch finished off a slick move to keep the scoreboard ticking! 2. Milestone man Harry Johnson-Holmes crashed over while the Crusaders were a man down! And in the dying minutes, 3. Carlo Tizzano iced it with a breakdown penalty that had more composure than most Wallabies cleanouts last year. The Crusaders thought they’d levelled things late through Macca Springer — but a knock-on earlier in the play saved the Force. Sometimes you need the bounce. This time, they earned it.
Three things we learned
Lomax isn’t a project — he’s becoming a weapon – Forget the “league convert finding his feet” narrative. Lomax’s aerial game alone makes him a tactical asset. Something that the Aussie teams really lack. Add composure and finishing, and suddenly he’s a genuine back-three option at this level.
The Force has found some fight – Down 19-0 to the Crusaders used to mean damage control. Not anymore. The defensive grit (three held-ups in the first half!) and ability to stay in the contest say this side’s got more backbone than previous seasons.
The Crusaders are vulnerable under pressure – When things stopped going their way, the Crusaders didn’t quite have the answers. Discipline slipped, execution wobbled, and they let a game they controlled drift away. That’s not the aura we’re used to.
Not saying finals footy is suddenly locked in for the Force… but at 3-6, the pulse is there. Probably more so than the tahs. And if Lomax keeps playing like that, Perth might just become a very annoying road trip for the rest of the comp.
The Super Rugby Pacific ladder
There was movement at the station for the word had got around that the Hurricanes were no longer invincible. The Chiefs have moved to the top of the Table ( but are on the score as the Canes), whilst MP remain glued to the bottom. The Rest of the top 6 remain relatively the same. The Waratahs had a bonus point win and are getting closer to the Crusaders, thanks to the Western Force. Fiji have also kept itself in the hunt (like who picked that one).
There are some great matchups next week at the Super Round at the new Christchurch stadium. I don’t know about you boys and girls, but tipping is getting bloody hard. Anyway, enough of this old man jibeering crap. Over to you GAGRs! Have at it!