The Reds put up a good fight against the Chiefs last week, and although they ended up well on the wrong side of the scoreboard, it wasn’t for a lack of trying, especially from Fraser McReight. Queensland were able to make it an interesting game for the first 45 minutes of play and it was all thanks to their loose forwards, as McReight again showed his class in a losing effort. It was another big 80-minute shift from the Wallaby openside, and he left his mark on attack and defence, racking up nine carries for one line break and two…

In his first start at blindside flanker for the season, Seru Uru was influential in the Reds’ 45-24 victory over the Fijian Drua. Taking on the men from his home nation, Uru got stuck into everything and spearheaded a dominant showing from the Reds’ pack, helping them rise to a fifth place finish on the ladder. Uru finished the game with a team-high 15 carries, with one try, one line break and three offloads in the mix, as well as 14 tackles in a very busy night. A reliable option at the lineout and in claiming restarts, there were also…

The Force failed to pick up the bonus point in their win over the Fijian Drua on Saturday, meaning their finals hopes are officially over, but Vaiolini Ekuasi can again hold his head high after his shift. One of the Force’s top players this season, Ekuasi gave another tireless 65-minute performance, and while he’s usally a standout on the attacking side of the ball, it was defensively where the former Blues and Rebels No.8 shone. Ekuasi completed a whopping 26 tackles, with the Drua enjoying 54% possession, and he was a big part of the hosts’ ability to hold the…

There were a number of Hurricanes players that deserved the honours after a 47-24 thrashing of the Blues in Auckland on Saturday, but Pasilio Tosi gets the nod from me. It’s been an impressive 2026 for the All Black tighthead, but Tosi made a real statement at Eden Park, helping the Hurricanes dominate the battle of the forwards while looking rock solid at scrum time. However, it wasn’t just his core duties that Tosi excelled in, as he barged over for his first try of the season and recorded eight carries, nine tackles, one turnover — all in just 52…

The Hurricanes juggernaut continued on Saturday, thumping Moana Pasifika by 33 points, and Josh Moorby was at the heart of a lot of their highlights on attack. The winger finished with four tries, and it was clear from the outset that he was in for a big night, dotting down inside the opening 15 minutes before recording his second, as he showed good pace to finish off a long-range try for the Canes. A few Hurricanes backs could have picked up points this week, but Moorby continued to provide impact throughout the 80 minutes and he saved his best play…

It was just his third game of the season, but Patrick Tuipulotu looked back to near his best on Saturday. The big lock produced an industrious effort at North Harbour Stadium, recording a team-high 18 carries and seven tackles and, crucially, got the Blues off to a strong start in the second half, scoring inside the opening minute. Up just 14-12 at halftime, the Aucklanders needed to produce a big second 40 to record a bonus point win, and Tuipulotu ensured they would do so by powering his way over the line to set up what became an onslaught of…