Hurricanes 2026
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Hurricanes to play their first home game of the season in round 2 against Moana Pasifika at Sky Stadium and will take the bye in round 1.
The Chiefs have also announced that they will be hosting the Canes in round 10.
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What does everyone think of the Canes fixture list to begin the 2026 campaign? I think we've definitely got the short end of the stick to start the campaign, with a bye in the first round and a stinking hot trip to Fiji in round 3, which as we all know will be tough challenge in the back end of summer.
If we can pick up 5 wins before our second bye, I would be pretty stoked with that.
Round 1: Bye
Round 2: v Moana Pasifika at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 7:05pm Friday, 20 February
Round 3: v Fijian Drua at Churchill Park, Lautoka – 4:35pm Saturday, 28 February
Round 4: v Waratahs at Allianz Stadium, Sydney – 9:35pm Friday, 6 March
Round 5: v Force at TBC Venue (home match) – 7:05pm Friday, 13 March
Round 6: v Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin – 7:05pm Friday, 20 March
Round 7: v Reds at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 4:35pm Saturday, 28 March
Round 8: Bye
Round 9: v Blues at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 7:05pm Saturday, 11 April
Round 10: v Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton – 7:05pm Saturday, 18 April
Round 11: v Brumbies at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch – Saturday, 25 April (TBC kick-off time)
Round 12: v Crusaders at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 7:05pm Friday, 1 May
Round 13: v Moana Pasifika at North Harbour Stadium, Albany – 7:05pm Saturday, 9 May
Round 14: v Blues at TBC Venue (Auckland) – 7:05pm Saturday, 16 May
Round 15: v Highlanders at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 7:05pm Saturday, 23 May
Round 16: v Crusaders at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch – 7:05pm Friday, 29 May -
@Canes4life I think avoiding the Chiefs, Crusaders and Chiefs in the first half of the season instantly means you can’t call it a tough start.
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What a soft draw! Someone is a fan of the Canes at Super HQ. Not a game against teams that made the 2025 top six until round seven!
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I reckon it could be a stitch up having a bye the first week, especially if injuries start to hit again. The mid round Byes really buy more time for injury recoveries/allowing guys to shake a niggle off. We have to capitalise off the first round big time for a bit of padding heading into the second round
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I'd prefer to have a few of the top teams in the earlier rounds, get them early when they aren't fully firing yet. Playing them later in the comp and right before the playoffs can be a negative.
A bye in the first round is annoying, means everyone else will have a game under their belt before we even hit the pitch. Those first 6 games between bye 1 and bye 2 are all winnable so we need to win at least 5 of those before we get into the harder second half of the season.
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@Canes4life not much chance to give players a break in 2nd part of season is there. Would rather see a few of those higher teams early too.
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Kini Naholo has signed a two-year extension:
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@sparky said in Hurricanes 2026:
Kini Naholo has signed a two-year extension:
Hopefully he can get back to form after a pretty horrible knee injury. I don’t think we’ll see much of him until middle of the season.
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@Landers92 said in Hurricanes 2026:
Kini Naholo has chosen to extend with the Hurricanes. I’m being told a 2 year deal through 2027.
You’re all welcome. Long may the oil continue
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An update on Higgins: Laidlaw confirmed midfielder Riley Higgins underwent a shoulder reconstruction as he recovered from the leg fracture which ruled him out of the end of the Hurricanes’ season. Higgins will be available for the opening of the 2026 season.
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The below side is Stuff's expected Hurricanes best starting XV for 2026. I'm hoping this isn't the case and Ruben Love plays 10 from the get go.
Brett Cameron hasn't delivered in the big moments at 10 for me, I'd also prefer Godfrey. My ideal side would be to shift Love to 10, Higgins to 12 and move Jordie back to 15. I'd also start Tevita Mafileo with his superior frame and use Numia as an impact prop when the game opens up. I'm really liking the look of our pack for 2026, the tight five is big and abrasive and there is a good mix in the loosies when you factor in Iose off the bench.
Stuff's side:
- Xavier Numia
- Asafo Aumua
- Tyrel Lomax
- Isaia Walker-Leawere
- Warner Dearns
- Devan Flanders
- Du Plessis Kirifi
- Peter Lakai
- Cam Roigard
- Brett Cameron
- Kini Naholo
- Jordie Barrett
- Billy Proctor
- Josh Moorby
- Ruben Love
My preferred XV:
- Tevita Mafileo
- Asafo Aumua
- Tyrel Lomax
- Isaia Walker-Leawere
- Warner Dearns
- Devan Flanders
- Du Plessis Kirifi
- Peter Lakai
- Cam Roigard
- Ruben Love
- Kini Naholo
- Riley Higgins
- Billy Proctor
- Josh Moorby
- Jordie Barrett
Preffered bench: 16. Devery 17. Numia 18. Tosi 19. Plummer 20. Iose 21. Vijoen 22. Godfrey 23. Fineanganofo
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C Canes4life referenced this topic
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@DurryMexted we will need another 10 option. With Banks, Clarke and Sinkinson moving on, we will need two more outside backs, one additional 10 after the Godfrey injury, and one player that can cover multiple positions preferably. Essentially, we need to sign four more backs in the main squad if we are going to select the same amount as last year.
I've put a ? on where I think we need to fill gaps.
Halfbacks:
C Roigard
J Vijoen
E EnariFirst fives:
B Cameron
?Utility:
R Love
C Harkin
J Barrett
?Centres:
B Sullivan
B Proctor
R Higgins
J RovaOutside backs:
F Fineanganofo
N Punivai
K Naholo
J Moorby
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@Canes4life yeah I guess, though I would have thought harkin would be the 3rd 10 - mcclutchie is surely a contender if they are looking at a 10 (likely for 1 season only) or they look for an older battler to add some depth and a safe pair of hands - a couple of those floating around in the Waikato!
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@Canes4life also you are missing moorby in that squad, so one more outside
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@DurryMexted said in Hurricanes 2026:
@Canes4life yeah I guess, though I would have thought harkin would be the 3rd 10 - mcclutchie is surely a contender if they are looking at a 10 (likely for 1 season only) or they look for an older battler to add some depth and a safe pair of hands - a couple of those floating around in the Waikato!
Yeah I wouldn’t mind securing McClutchie as well. We saw last year how fast our 10s can drop so best have depth in the most key position.
I’d go Love, Cameron, Harkin and then McClutchie in terms of pecking order at 10.
Good spot re Moorby.
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@Canes4life really should have picked him up around 20/21 when you look at the 10s that have come and gone from the canes since. Been a solid operator for years but never really cracked super other than MP. Not so bad now days but always felt there historically has been a clear bias for Wellington based players over turbos or magpies
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@DurryMexted Well luckily we don’t have much in terms of players for the Canes to pick from. Wouldn’t be entirely surprised if they picked up Tom Maivava. Definitely think there are better outside back options in the catchment area though.
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@Canes4life I rate Mcclutchie, in everything except kicking distance. The bay backline works really well pairing him with Sullivan's massive boot from fullback. Canes could do that with Jordie.
Kini Naholo extends contract with Hurricanes
