The Silver Fern

@Bovidae Yes he is with Canterbury for 2026 but expect him to head to North Harbour eventually.

Isaac Murray-Macgregor is the next talent from the Crusaders region heading to Wales and Scarlets. No npc contracts available for outside backs so he's off to Wales with ancestry too

Otago are talking to a few club rugby players from Chch trying to get them to make the switch down and potentially earn a contract. Believe there is a few considering it but nothing cemented as of yet

Quite a few teams will be after Fita Sa's signature for next year

Fiti will be an All Black if he can get his body right. Has all the attributes to be a great lock/6

@jamsb said in Potential provincial player movements:

I have seen that Karl Ruzich from North Harbour was playing for Nelson Marist rugby club in the sevens tournament so he could be an option for the Mako?

Was just a one off for the sevens as an additional player. Hunter Rice also played for them so perhaps a mutual coaching connection from Harbour that has moved to Nelson Marist

Rivez is carrying a niggle and believe James White is to replace him on the bench.

What's Robbie Deans up to now he's no longer coaching Panasonic Wild Knights?

@Mauss said in Blues 2026:

I thought Marco Miln (Kings, halfback and first five) was one of the few players who came out of that U18 Trans- Ta$man demolition with his reputation relatively intact.

Needs to quicken his delivery and the execution wasn’t always there but he’s got vision and athletic ability. A good foundation to build on.

I’d think (and hope) the Blues will have identified him as potentially an important future piece.

@Mauss I believe he could have been snapped up by the Crusaders and their academy. He was definitely was looking at moving to Christchurch for university so makes sense from an academic standpoint.

@KiwiMurph said in Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw - LIVE:

@booboo said in Rugby World Cup 2027 Draw - LIVE:

Doubt they'll open with Aus v NZ in case we win.

Expect Aus v HK in Perth to open.

Didnt stop them doing France ABs as the last RWC opening game.....

Chile would be more competitive (and more likely) than HK

Yeah but having the HK game in Perth, both countries are in the same time zone and Rugby is growing rapidly in the country there. I'm anticipating that they bank on a lot of Expats taking the flight to Perth to watch especially with some HSBC funding

@BellsGeorg said in Crusaders 2026:

@Grooter Every midfielder in the Canterbury squad has a full-time super contract, and two of them are former All Blacks, so it's just really hard to get the younger guys any minutes.

He was also coming back from a long term injury that he sustained in the Crusaders pre season match earlier this year so they were managing him. Very decent prospect who IMO will quickly move up the ranks should he see decent minutes. Can also cover 10 as a point of difference.

Confirmation of Oli Mathis joining the Crusaders in a wider training group capacity for 2026 before a full-time contract for 27 and 28
https://crusaders.co.nz/latest/news/oli-mathis-signs-with-crusaders-for-2027-and-2028/

@Bones said in Highlanders 2026:

What's Blake Makiri up to?

Played in the ignite 7s on the weekend. Will chase if he still has a contract in the MLR but seemed to miss a significant part of MLR and NPC this year due to injuries

@handa457 said in Highlanders 2026:

. https://southlandtribune.substack.com/p/savs-sidelines-1984-southland-sportsperson?fbclid=IwdGRjcANsPLZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHtxvZD1rJgo_sUHfnnK_mtfbUCxSJjZfseHCoWGo70JjXWfa2mn-ew8D6aPD_aem_iG1tCm1NlUsDXdprCtNa5w

Few interesting things in here. Sexton is confirmed to have a wider training group Gig with a Super Rugby franchise. Assuming that’s the highlanders, and Hayden Michael’s is apparently returning to the landers.

Aho, Peni and Paula Latu likely off to MP.

Sextons wider training group I believe is with the Crusaders for next year

believe the Highlanders are still trying to shake the tree at the Crusaders and snag one of their young locks coming through. Doesn't seem like a go though.

For me the only one I can see moving would be Tahlor Cahill or Liam Jack. I believe both a long term prospects though and are both signed for next season

Letiu is starting for Canterbury B in the curtain raiser game so he is definitely not injured.

Thomas Polo spent a few years down In Christchurch playing for Canterbury Uni but never quite kicked on. looks as if he has relocated back to Auckland. Rico Mcquoid was also down in Christchurch at Lincoln University but was well down the order

Kyle Preston potentially injured too. what sort of halfback curse does NZ have at the moment

Shearer is also a class 10 and would defiantly be able to cover it at NPC level if required. Kids like a Swiss army knife

Fletcher Anderson is set to be released from his contract and I've heard he's got interest from the Western Force. unsure if he's signed with them yet but definitely something to keep an eye on over the next few weeks

I also was informed that there are a few back ended deals where younger players are signed for multiple years meaning that there are no new Crusaders contracts available until 2027? Unsure the accuracy around this, but would mean that the Saders have to pay players out to move them on