Love leads the way as Hurricanes take charge

Super Rugby Team of the Season

Ben Jaycock reveals The Rugby Paper’s Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Season

Hurricanes set the standard in 2026, losing just three games all season and storming to the title but there was plenty of quality running throughout the entire competition.

Hurricanes put together one of the most prolific attacking seasons in Super Rugby history, scoring 113 tries and averaging 41.9 points per game. Central to that was talismanic fly-half Ruben Love, who is now knocking on the door of the All Blacks No.10 jersey after getting the better of Damian McKenzie last Saturday. The 25-year-old is one of four selections for the champions.

Despite being thrashed 60-5 in the final, Chiefs added huge star quality to the knockout rounds and possess two selections, while Reds thrilled fans with their fearless and physical brand of rugby.

Elsewhere, Western Force, Brumbies, Highlanders, and Blues all contributed standout individual performers during another hugely entertaining campaign across both sides of the Tasman.

Quinn Tupaea’s brilliance at inside centre for the Chiefs made him one of the easiest picks in the XV after he finished on top in the Player of the Year voting. Meanwhile, Reds’ high-tempo style is well represented through full-back Jock Campbell and breakdown master Fraser McReight.

15. Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds)

Campbell’s consistency at the back was vital to the Reds, finishing with 812 running metres while excelling under the high ball. His flawless aerial display against Hurricanes nullified one of the competition’s most dangerous kicking games.

14. Caleb Tangitau (Highlanders)

Before an Achilles injury cut his campaign short, Tangitau had established himself among the league’s most exciting finishers. He scored seven tries and his devastating double against Waratahs demonstrated his pace and finishing instinct.

13. Billy Proctor (Hurricanes)

Proctor was the creative heartbeat of the Hurricanes midfield, producing 12 try assists while defending at 90 per cent efficiency. His sublime no-look pass under heavy pressure to create a semi-final try typified his vision and composure.

12. Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs)

Crowned Player of the Year, Tupaea rediscovered his best form with 54 line breaks. His brilliant solo try against the Brumbies highlighted the power and footwork that made him the competition’s outstanding inside centre.

11. Fehi Fineanganofo (Hurricanes)

Fineanganofo announced himself as one of Super Rugby’s brightest young stars, scoring 17 tries in 13 matches and beating 42 defenders. His spectacular airborne finishes in the corner were standout moments of the season.

10. Ruben Love (Hurricanes)

The competition’s leading points scorer with 138, Love orchestrated Hurricanes brilliantly throughout their title-winning campaign. His two-try masterclass in the final confirmed his status as the outstanding fly-half of 2026.

9. Ryan Lonergan (Brumbies)

Lonergan controlled matches superbly for the Brumbies, finishing with 107 points to rank among the competition’s leading scorers. He pulled the strings masterfully for the Brumbies attack, controlling the tempo and marshaling his forward pack beautifully.

1. Ethan de Groot (Highlanders)

The cornerstone of the Highlanders scrum, de Groot enjoyed another outstanding campaign, making 14 appearances while helping secure an 89 per cent scrum success rate on their own feed. His 114 tackles underlined his work around the park. He put on an absolute front-row masterclass against Moana Pasifika, weaponising the scrum to win successive penalties that set up two first-half tries

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs)

A dominant force at the heart of the Chiefs pack, Taukei’aho combined pinpoint set-piece accuracy with devastating carrying. He crossed for five tries, threw at 92 per cent in the lineout and forced 14 breakdown turnovers. His second-half rolling maul double against Crusaders highlighted his relentless close-range power.

3. Xavier Numia (Hurricanes)

Numia produced his finest Super Rugby campaign, starting 15 matches and providing a strong presence in both attack and defence. He made 94 tackles and 11 dominant carries, while his stunning 20-metre offload against Moana Pasifika created one of the tries of the season.

4. Jeremy Williams (Western Force)

The Force captain was the standout lock of the competition, leading Super Rugby with 16 lineout steals while making 134 tackles. His towering influence was summed up by a match-winning line-out steal in the dying moments to secure a famous win over Crusaders.

5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Queensland Reds)

Salakaia-Loto combined physicality with relentless work-rate, carrying 82 times for 342 metres and establishing himself as one of the competition’s premier enforcers. His commanding performances were highlighted by a 30-metre break that created a decisive score in a victory over Brumbies.

6. Anton Segner (Blues)

Segner enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, making 156 tackles. The Blues flanker was consistently influential across the park, with his superb try-saving tap tackle in the play-offs epitomising his quality.

7. Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds)

McReight again proved one of Super Rugby’s finest opensides, winning 18 breakdown steals and scoring four tries as Reds captain. His brilliant turnovers on his own line that sparked length-of-the-field counter-attacks sum up his game-changing ability.

8. Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders)

Reimagined as a dynamic No.8, Fainga’anuku was a destructive ball carrier, beating 38 defenders and constantly getting the Crusaders over the gainline. His devastating hat-trick against the Waratahs showcased the power that made him unique.