Super Rugby Pacific: Blues welcome back big guns for pursuit of Hurricanes, Chiefs

Tuesday, 14 April 2026

Dalton Papali’i, Hoskins Sotutu and Patrick Tuipulotu are all on the cusp of a welcome return for the Blues.

As Vern Cotter’s Blues look to a cache of returning veterans to revive their Super Rugby Pacific hopes, it’s worth posing the question: is it now a two-horse race for the 2026 championship?

The red-hot Hurricanes, three points clear at the top, and with a game in hand, certainly look a formidable and capable leader who will take some topping from here; and nearest challengers the Chiefs, beaten in the last three grand finals, and fresh off a 62-17 rout of Moana Pasifika, appear the most equipped to push the men from the capital in their pursuit of just a second Super Rugby crown.

They’ve both worked their way into the pointy end of the standings, and will understand the importance of staying there over the run home. You probably do not want to make a run at a title from outside those leading couple of spots.

We should know a little more about the balance of power among those top two sides after their meeting on Saturday night in Hamilton in a tantalising top-table matchup that might just be a preview of the June grand final.

But, truth is, with still six matches remaining for most, and seven for the Canes, it’s probably still too early to be tipping likely finalists. Remember, also, the last three years the title has been won by the side that finished second on the regular season standings, with the minor premiers failing to make home advantage count in all three cases.

So, though the 6-1 Canes (30pts), with a cast of game-changers and difference-makers, will be hard to catch from here – especially if they get up for a sixth victory on the bounce in the Tron on Saturday night – and the Chiefs, with their unerring quality, look the obvious challengers, it’s too soon to count out the third-placed Blues (25), the Brumbies (24), and even the Reds (22) and sixth-ranked Crusaders (20) just yet.

Jordie Barrett and the Hurricanes taught the Blues a lesson in precision rugby in Wellington on Saturday night.

That said, the pressure goes on those sides in pursuit of the top two if they have any ambition of working their way into a finish that will serve up home advantage at finals time. They need wins, and plenty of them, from here on in.

The Blues are not without hope of at least hauling in the Chiefs, and potentially challenging the Canes for top spot. They have three highly winnable games looming – the Highlanders at home on Friday night, followed by the Reds (in Christchurch) and Moana Pasifika (across the bridge) – before a potentially calamitous finish of the Crusaders (away), Hurricanes (home) and Chiefs (away).

For the ‘24 champs it’s about accumulating over the next three weeks, and that prospect could be assisted by the return of a cadre of experienced international campaigners, with All Blacks past or present Patrick Tuipulotu, Dalton Papali’i, Hoskins Sotutu and Stephen Perofeta all close to presenting for selection after spells out.

The Blues, a distant second against a very good Canes outfit on Saturday night, certainly look like they could do with some nous and firepower. “Experience will help us,” noted Cotter of his fit-again heavy-hitters. “Nothing replaces the likes of Paddy or Hoskins or Dalton coming back into the team. It steadies you, with the leadership and decision-making, and those guys know how to play these big games.”

The Blues reckoned they saw close-up the level they will need to get to as Cam Roigard, Callum Harkin, Asafo Aumua, Warner Dearns and company tore them apart at the Cake Tin.

“We got a lesson in rugby,” observed a rueful Cotter, “We’ve got to go back and have a good look at ourselves.”

Added stand-in skipper Sam Darry: “We got taught a bit of a lesson. It’s never nice getting 40 points put on you. It hurts. The crucial part of it is we learn from it, and get better from it. There are still six regular season games to go to get our game sorted. We’ve still got a long way to go as a team. We know if we can be more accurate, if we can fix a few things up, we trust our game, and we trust our group.”

The Crusaders, who sorely missed Will Jordan and Codie Taylor in their defeat to the Reds in Brisbane, will not have given up hope either. If they, too, can get their big guns back sooner rather than later they’ll fancy their chances of a late run into at least a home playoff.

For the Brumbies and Reds the task is even more stark. History says Aussie sides do not win finals games in New Zealand. Right now they’re in the race, but to have any chance they have to start making their surge.

Super Rugby Pacific, round 10: Friday: Blues v Highlanders, Eden Park, 7.05pm; Waratahs v Moana Pasifika, Allianz Stadium, 9.35pm. Saturday: Chiefs v Hurricanes, FMG Stadoium Waikato, 7.05pm; ACT Brumbies v Fijian Drua, GIO Stadium, 9.35pm; Western Fporce v Crusaders, HBF Park, 11.55pm.