Five Super Rugby Pacific clubs have selected 57 players for the DHL Super Rugby Pacific Wider Training Groups, drawn from all 14 New Zealand provincial unions.
Each club can contract up to 12 players. They will join the core 38-player squad on a full-time basis throughout the DHL Super Rugby Pacific season. The Chiefs, Blues and Crusaders have each named 12 players, the Hurricanes have named 11, and the Highlanders have named 10.
Position and provincial spread
The selections cover nine position groups, from loosehead prop through to outside backs. Waikato lead the provincial unions with nine players. Canterbury and Manawatū have six each, while Auckland, North Harbour, Otago and Tasman have five apiece. Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki and Wellington have three each, Bay of Plenty, Northland and Southland have two each, and Counties Manukau has one.
Wider Training Group players will train with their Super Rugby club and play either for the club’s development team or in local club rugby competitions. This keeps them eligible and match-ready should their Super Rugby club need them.
How the players were chosen
The 57 players came from a pool of players who had made themselves available to be drafted to a DHL Super Rugby Pacific club in 2027. Some have been contracted to their Wider Training Group for 2027 and have also signed full contracts for 2028 and beyond.