Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27

Bit of time by myself this afternoon and a shit time on the punt gave me a bit of time to run through this.

Can update as more information is known.

Blues

Chiefs

Crusaders

Highlanders

Hurricanes

Charlie Sinton is rumoured to have a full Chiefs contract from 2027, replacing Xavier Roe.

Add Tamati Ellison as incoming defence coach for Blues and McGrath as departing defence coach

Wrong Sullivan in the Canes list

Also, didn't someone say Rueben O'Neill is off to the Force?

@Duluth said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wrong Sullivan in the Canes list

Let me update that when I fix the format

Corey Evans to the Crusaders

You can add Mathis to the confirmed arrivals and Grace to the (heavily) rumored departures for the Crusaders, too

@SouthernMann Nice work, thanks for putting it together.

You can copy and paste markdown formatted tables directly into a post on here.

You can ask your friendly local LLM to convert it for you.

Thought Flanders was a confirmed departure?

Have updated it with what has been provided. As well as butchering the list a couple of times.

Keeping it to NZ sides.

Samipeni Finau is a rumoured Chiefs departure, Che Clarke and Tevita Mafileo rumoured arrivals.

@Bovidae said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Also, didn't someone say Rueben O'Neill is off to the Force?

Yep

Saw a rumour on G&GR that Dre Pakeho had signed with Chiefs (although, may have been confused with Waikato in NPC)

Rowan Wingham, Oliver Haig, Bryn Hall and Corey Kellow apparently to the Canes next year.

@WoodysRFC said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Saw a rumour on G&GR that Dre Pakeho had signed with Chiefs (although, may have been confused with Waikato in NPC)

Just signed a new deal with the Reds for two years earlier this season so seems unlikely.

@SouthernMann Howden is off as well?

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Bryn Hall

As a player?

@jimmyb said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@SouthernMann Howden is off as well?

Have taken a 2 + 2 = 5 approach with Howden. Only signed on for a year at the end of 2025. Someone is being brought in to take his spot. When the PR machine has been
Confirming extonsions, it started with the award winners and Howden wasn't included.

@canes4life I had already included Rohan Wingham and Haig. Have updated the table to add in Kellow.

This is good thread Southern.

@Bones said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Bryn Hall

As a player?

Not confirmed yet, but someone mentioned it on the Fern that Viljoen was potentially off and we’ve signed Bryn Hall as a player.

@WoodysRFC said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Saw a rumour on G&GR that Dre Pakeho had signed with Chiefs (although, may have been confused with Waikato in NPC)

Pakeho does have Waikato connections but I'm not sure we need him. Sure, we could be losing three of last year's midfielders but I'd rather promote local players.

On Fehi going, is there any update?

@zedsdeadbaby said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

On Fehi going, is there any update?

I guess we’ll find out in the first AB squad naming of the year.

True

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

@Chris much as I dislike the Crusaders. I'm glad to hear that. Losing Reece, Ennor, Mcleod and Havilli would have been punishing for the Crusaders backline.

I can confirm that Hugh Renton won’t be returning to the Highlanders so you can lock that in as a confirmed departure.

@Landers92 bit of a shame. Any word what the future holds for him? Given what he came back from injury wise I'd wondered if retirement might be on the Horizon.

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

Lol how is that guy not leaving? Surely, he's getting some pay top up not to go and chase the money overseas. Either that or he's delusional and thinks he has a chance to claim that 12 jersey over Barrett or Tupaea.

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

Lol how is that guy not leaving? Surely, he's getting some pay top up not to go and chase the money overseas. Either that or he's delusional and thinks he has a chance to claim that 12 jersey over Barrett or Tupaea.

Maybe he just wants to see out his contract to the end of 2027 then move.His family is settled they dont want to go overseas it is not all about a Black jersey for everyone.

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

Lol how is that guy not leaving? Surely, he's getting some pay top up not to go and chase the money overseas. Either that or he's delusional and thinks he has a chance to claim that 12 jersey over Barrett or Tupaea.

Maybe he just wants to see out his contract to the end of 2027 then move.His family is settled they dont want to go overseas it is not all about a Black jersey for everyone.

Wouldn't you cash in now before the market heats up after the WC. He's had a great career for the Crusaders, became an All Black. I personally thought he was going to leave when he wasn't selected by Razor, so I'm surprised he's still here tbh.

@southernmann confirmed departures for the Canes are Fehi Fineanganofo, Rakete-Stones, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Bailyn Sullivan, Riley Higgins, Tevita Mafileo, Devan Flanders, Ere Enari and Warner Dearns.

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@southernmann confirmed departures for the Canes are Fehi Fineanganofo, Rakete-Stones, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Bailyn Sullivan, Riley Higgins, Tevita Mafileo, Devan Flanders, Ere Enari and Warner Dearns.

They were all farewelled on the stage?

The guidelines I am using are club announcement from the team the player is leaving, announcement from the team the player is going to, or posted on social media by the player.

Social media rumours by fans and indications in media articles aren't enough.

@SouthernMann said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@southernmann confirmed departures for the Canes are Fehi Fineanganofo, Rakete-Stones, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Bailyn Sullivan, Riley Higgins, Tevita Mafileo, Devan Flanders, Ere Enari and Warner Dearns.

They were all farewelled on the stage?

The guidelines I am using are club announcement from the team the player is leaving, announcement from the team the player is going to, or posted on social media by the player.

Social medi rumours by fans, indications in media articles aren't enough.

All of them were on the leavers stage so definitely off.

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

Lol how is that guy not leaving? Surely, he's getting some pay top up not to go and chase the money overseas. Either that or he's delusional and thinks he has a chance to claim that 12 jersey over Barrett or Tupaea.

Weird to criticise a player for staying.

He's settled in chch, his family are happy and he has business interests there.

@SammyC said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

Lol how is that guy not leaving? Surely, he's getting some pay top up not to go and chase the money overseas. Either that or he's delusional and thinks he has a chance to claim that 12 jersey over Barrett or Tupaea.

Weird to criticise a player for staying.

He's settled in chch, his family are happy and he has business interests there.

For a guy who might be on the fringes of selection, it's nice to have him stay in SR when so many others are leaving

@canefan said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@SammyC said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Canes4life said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@Chris said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

@handa457 said in Super Rugby confirmed and rumoured transfers 26 - 27:

Wasn’t David Havilli a rumoured Crusaders departure?

No he is staying.

Lol how is that guy not leaving? Surely, he's getting some pay top up not to go and chase the money overseas. Either that or he's delusional and thinks he has a chance to claim that 12 jersey over Barrett or Tupaea.

Weird to criticise a player for staying.

He's settled in chch, his family are happy and he has business interests there.

For a guy who might be on the fringes of selection, it's nice to have him stay in SR when so many others are leaving

I'm not begrudging the guy for staying, fair enough. I'm just surprised that in this day and age when players can get lucrative offers that he's happy to play out his footy in NZ.

is it really deluional?...as much as i wouldnt pick him hes been an all black with the last couple of years and playing well, id also say he's probably past his prime for getting lured overseas, at this point id probably make a push for a RWC squad spot