Hurricanes lose playmaker Harry Godfrey for 2026 Super Rugby season

Wednesday, 8 October 2025

The Hurricanes have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Playmaker Harry Godfrey will miss the entire campaign with a knee injury, sustained while training with Hawke’s Bay, the Wellington-based franchise confirmed on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old ruptured his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and will require surgery.

“It’s hugely disappointing for us and Harry to get a serious injury in the NPC and take him out of contention for the Super Rugby Pacific season ahead,” Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw said in a statement.

Godfrey missed a chunk of this year’s Super Rugby season with a leg injury, but flashed his potential while fit.

A utility back who can play both first five-eighth and fullback, Godfrey is a former New Zealand under-20s player who debuted for the Hurricanes in 2023.

“It was pretty obvious last year that Harry was stepping up to become a real valued member of the squad. The way he was playing in the NPC this year, I think you could see that maturity was starting to come,” Laidlaw said.

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“We will support him post-operation at the end of the month. I’m sure he’ll be back bigger and better and stronger.

“We have a good track record here of players returning well from injury, so our medical crew and strength and conditioning team will get to work through November and help with Harry’s recovery.”

The Hurricanes will announce an injury replacement for Godfrey when they, along with the other franchises, confirm their 2026 squads next month.