Highlanders 2026
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@gt12 said in Highlanders 2026:
Personally speaking, I think this is one area where our rugby is really unprofessional. With central contracting, the NZRU should get involved and help distribute the talent so that teams don't get caught out.
Burnt by the Leon MacDonald to Chiefs debacle. Players also have to want to move. Maybe player exchanges will be the norm in the future.
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@gt12 said in Highlanders 2026:
@Kiwiwomble said in Highlanders 2026:
@Crazy-Horse said in Highlanders 2026:
@reprobate said in Highlanders 2026:
Maybe they should loan him to the landers for 2026
I like that idea, but is it a thing at Super level? I can't recall it happening before, but I could easily be wrong.
assuming this would be with a recall if the chiefs had injuries?.....if not they might as well just release him
If we were prepared to loan him, we’d let him go.
kind of what i was getting at
i think in the days of protected players there were loans...but more recently i think ive only heard of it when the receiving team had had loads of injuries and theyve already raided the local talent
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@Nogusta said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
@Landers92 said in Highlanders 2026:
Spoken to a mate about this Jacomb news and he’s said it’s likely Reesjan Pasitoa has signed the dotted line also but won’t be announced just yet
Having heard TUJ is going offshore, and Peni is off to MP, this would seem to line up.
The only remaining question is the makeup of the loose forwards, and props.
Think that is the backline all sorted.
TUJ heading to Japan.
Meihana Grindley heading to Dunedin. Dunno whether its a full or WTG.Seems the Clan is getting to be the to place for Naki players to go to, they are going to be my second super team I think!!!
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@reprobate said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae Look it's not simple, but it seems do-able doesn't it? At least 1, maybe 2 of those Canes sit in the stands - surely being McKenzie's backup and sitting on the bench is better for that player, and it's not a huge loss for the Canes?
Is Simpson contracted at all?You’re right, Godfrey will be in stands. He’s done his ACL.
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Fortunately we are now in a position similar to other NZ franchises where young guys can be eased in. There is not pressure to immediately perform.
We are building depth. We can see what our team will be looking like in two or three years time as well. I look back to the 2022/23 sides and they looked a mess compared to what we will be running.
If we hadn't landed Jacomb and Millar had another middling year. There would have been unnecessary pressure to put Mika Muliaina into the hot seat at 19. Which just wouldn't be fair. His signature should still be seen as a priority for the club's management. He should be the Landers U20s captain next year and will have a big involvement in the pre-season. He should not play Super next year though. He should take Robinson's full squad spot in 2027.
With a bit of knowledge around organisational communications. There appears to be a bit of a motive around the messaging and timing of this announcement. It is not complementary of the Chiefs. Does not state Jacomb is committed to them. Does state he sees the Highlanders as his future. To me if reads as if it has been developed to ask questions about Jacomb's dedication to the Chiefs. On the face it is an unnecessary announcement. We are 16 months away from his first game for the team. This timing is about putting pressure on thr Chiefs over the next month prior to the 2026 squad announcements. This is about saying. Hey Chiefs. We have your guy. He wants to play for us, not you.
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@Canes4life said in Highlanders 2026:
@reprobate said in Highlanders 2026:
@Bovidae Look it's not simple, but it seems do-able doesn't it? At least 1, maybe 2 of those Canes sit in the stands - surely being McKenzie's backup and sitting on the bench is better for that player, and it's not a huge loss for the Canes?
Is Simpson contracted at all?You’re right, Godfrey will be in stands. He’s done his ACL.
Pretty sure given the choice he'd take the Chiefs bench over that news mate, poor bugger.
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@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Fortunately we are now in a position similar to other NZ franchises where young guys can be eased in. There is not pressure to immediately perform.
We are building depth. We can see what our team will be looking like in two or three years time as well. I look back to the 2022/23 sides and they looked a mess compared to what we will be running.
If we hadn't landed Jacomb and Millar had another middling year. There would have been unnecessary pressure to put Mika Muliaina into the hot seat at 19. Which just wouldn't be fair. His signature should still be seen as a priority for the club's management. He should be the Landers U20s captain next year and will have a big involvement in the pre-season. He should not play Super next year though. He should take Robinson's full squad spot in 2027.
With a bit of knowledge around organisational communications. There appears to be a bit of a motive around the messaging and timing of this announcement. It is not complementary of the Chiefs. Does not state Jacomb is committed to them. Does state he sees the Highlanders as his future. To me if reads as if it has been developed to ask questions about Jacomb's dedication to the Chiefs. On the face it is an unnecessary announcement. We are 16 months away from his first game for the team. This timing is about putting pressure on over the next month prior to the 2026 squad announcements. This is about saying. Hey Chiefs. We have your guy. He wants to play for us, not you.
mate this is the professional not amateur and hopefully we are dealing with adults. the chiefs dont have to release him and if they dont he has to pull his knickers up and play to his best.If not he sits in the stands
the chiefs want to put out the best team they can if that means he stays so be it. if they can contract a team they are happy with they can let him go.
i get it highlanders need him but thats on them with there contracting system over last few years -
@ploughboy said in Highlanders 2026:
@SouthernMann said in Highlanders 2026:
Fortunately we are now in a position similar to other NZ franchises where young guys can be eased in. There is not pressure to immediately perform.
We are building depth. We can see what our team will be looking like in two or three years time as well. I look back to the 2022/23 sides and they looked a mess compared to what we will be running.
If we hadn't landed Jacomb and Millar had another middling year. There would have been unnecessary pressure to put Mika Muliaina into the hot seat at 19. Which just wouldn't be fair. His signature should still be seen as a priority for the club's management. He should be the Landers U20s captain next year and will have a big involvement in the pre-season. He should not play Super next year though. He should take Robinson's full squad spot in 2027.
With a bit of knowledge around organisational communications. There appears to be a bit of a motive around the messaging and timing of this announcement. It is not complementary of the Chiefs. Does not state Jacomb is committed to them. Does state he sees the Highlanders as his future. To me if reads as if it has been developed to ask questions about Jacomb's dedication to the Chiefs. On the face it is an unnecessary announcement. We are 16 months away from his first game for the team. This timing is about putting pressure on over the next month prior to the 2026 squad announcements. This is about saying. Hey Chiefs. We have your guy. He wants to play for us, not you.
mate this is the professional not amateur and hopefully we are dealing with adults. the chiefs dont have to release him and if they dont he has to pull his knickers up and play to his best.If not he sits in the stands
the chiefs want to put out the best team they can if that means he stays so be it. if they can contract a team they are happy with they can let him go.
i get it highlanders need him but thats on them with there contracting system over last few yearsI am perfectly aware we are talking about professional rugby, mate.
This is pure game play from the Highlanders. As I said, absolutely no reason to announce an acquisition for 2027 when the player has a job with someone else for 2026.
There are other guys they could have confirmed publicly. They chose the player who won't be suiting up for a long-long time. They chose to do this after failing behind closed doors to get the player released. The push to get him in 2026 is not over. The quotes attributed to Jacomb needed to be approved by him. They reflect his priority, publicly to be the Highlanders.
As I've said before, in any employment situation you don't want someone working for you who wants to work for someone else.
I agree. As a Chief he is responsible to play well for them. It is just this announcement is oddly timed and says everyone isn't playing nicely in the sandpit.
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There’s been mixed results from NRL players when there has been an early departure announcement. Some have hit the wall, some have been sidelined despite being a clear starter, some have gone on to win premierships.
Given how much movement there is these days, I don’t see it being an issue I don’t think it’s as black as white as not wanting to work somewhere because they have announced to go somewhere else. These players are on fixed term contracts and as such, it comes to an end and taking care of the future is not unusual.
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@ACT-Crusader gotta hand it to your Crusaders in recent times Oli Jager & Brodie McAlister examples of players asking to be released having their wish grant
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@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
This saga might just be getting started… has the potential to be the highest profile Super Rugby move in NZ history…
Not sure I can remember anything like this before?
Richie Mo to the Chiefs, DMac to the Hurricanes, Riley Higgins to the Wallabies.
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@Wurzel As you say though, there was no real saga with those moves, they just happened at the end of the contract with all parties on reasonable terms.
As I understand it, this is way closer to what we see in the NRL, and from an entertainment perspective that is awesome.
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@Mr-Fish said in Highlanders 2026:
@frugby said in Highlanders 2026:
This saga might just be getting started… has the potential to be the highest profile Super Rugby move in NZ history…
Not sure I can remember anything like this before?
Richie Mo to the Chiefs, DMac to the Hurricanes, Riley Higgins to the Wallabies.
I haven't heard of any of these sagas.
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@Yeetyaah said in Highlanders 2026:
I find the "limited opportunities" a bit interesting seeing as he had 18 appearances for the Chiefs in the 2025 season, 7 of those were starts. JJ quoted that he's had 9 starts, but he was also an injury replacement player in 2024 hard to really pick from that season.
Again I'm baffled as to why he signed with the Chiefs in the first place, did he really think he would usurp McKenzie long term? I guess he wasn't expecting a Dmac long term commitment.
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Article quoting Jacomb's agent. Saying they are seeking an immediate release
Quote from the story
*But Jacomb’s agent, Ben Boyle from Orbit Sports Management, told The Post that he remained hopeful of negotiating a release for the No 10 to join the Highlanders from 2026 onwards.
In response to a list of emailed questions from The Post, Boyle acknowledged the Chiefs have “invested significantly in Josh’s development, and it’s understandable that they would want to retain a player of his calibre”, but noted that Jacomb was keen to lead a Super Rugby backline in 2026 to boost his All Blacks aspirations.
“Josh has made it clear that he sees his long-term future with the Highlanders, and ideally, he would like to make that move in 2026 rather than wait until 2027,” Boyle said in a statement*
The Post
