Following the announcement of the 38-strong DHL Super Rugby Pacific squads New Zealand Rugby’s (NZR) five Super Rugby clubs have announced their Wider Training Groups (WTG) for the 2026 season.
The WTG players provide Super Rugby clubs with a group of contracted back-up players to support the core 38-man squads and serve a dual purpose of developing players for future seasons.
In 2026 NZR has made some significant changes to the WTG model.
Each club can contract up to 12 players as part of their WTG, with these players assembling with the core squad on a full-time basis through the DHL Super Rugby Pacific season. The players will train with their Super Rugby clubs but play for the club’s development team or in local club rugby competitions. In the event of injury, they will be eligible, and match-ready, to play for their Super Rugby club.
A total of 57 WTG players were selected from a pool of players who had made themselves available to be drafted to a DHL Super Rugby Pacific club in 2026. Some players have been contracted to their WTG for 2026 but also signed full contracts for 2027 and beyond.
Twelve players contracted to the WTGs have represented the New Zealand Under 20 team in 2025. These players are Eli Oudenryn, Harlyn Saunoa, Dylan Eti, Logan Wallace, Will Cole, Jai Tamati, Mosese Bason, Oli Mathis, Xavier Treacy, Cooper Roberts, Tayne Harvey and Josh Tengblad.
Blues:
Esile Fono – Loosehead Prop (Northland)
Eli Oudenryn – Hooker (Tasman)
Mason Tupaea – Tighthead and Loosehead Prop (Waikato)
Sam Matenga – Tighthead Prop (Tasman)
Hemopo Cunningham – Lock (Taranaki)
Jack Lee – Lock (North Harbour)
Jed Melvin – Loose Forward (North Harbour)
Torian Barnes – Loose Forward (Canterbury)
Josh Renton – Halfback (Northland)
Leo Gordon – Midfield (Auckland)
Harlyn Saunoa – Outside Back (North Harbour)
Tima Fainga’anuku – Outside Back (North Harbour)
Chiefs:
Will Martin – Loosehead Prop (Waikato)
JJ Pokai – Hooker (Taranaki)
Keran Van Staden – Tighthead Prop (Counties Manukau)
Jai Knight – Lock (Bay of Plenty)
Cameron Church – Loose Forward (Counties Manukau)
Dylan Eti – Loose Forward (Waikato)
Michael Loft – Loose Forward (Taranaki)
Cohen Brady-Lethem – Halfback (Counties Manukau)
AJ Alatimu – First-five (Counties Manukau)
Tāmiro Armstrong – Midfield (Bay of Plenty)
Reon Paul – Midfield (Bay of Plenty)
Dan Sinkinson – Outside Back (Waikato)
Hurricanes:
Tony Tafa – Loosehead Prop (North Harbour)
Logan Wallace – Tighthead Prop (Manawatū)
Matolu Petaia – Lock (Wellington)
Taine Roiri – Lock (Manawatū)
Cooper Flanders – Loose Forward (Hawke’s Bay)
Mosese Bason – Loose Forward (Manawatū)
Jai Tamati – Halfback (Manawatū)
Will Cole – First-five (Hawke’s Bay)
Anaru Paenga-Morgan – Midfield (Hawke’s Bay)
Drew Wild – Outside Back (Manawatū)
Jack Gray – Outside Back (Tasman)
Taniela Filimone – Outside Back (Manawatū)
Crusaders:
Jack Sexton – Loosehead Prop (Southland)
Tomasi Maka – Hooker (Tasman)
Gus Brown – Tighthead Prop (Canterbury)
Xavier Treacy – Lock (Canterbury)
Johnny Lee – Loose Forward (Tasman)
Oli Mathis – Loose Forward (Waikato)
Sam Hainsworth-Fa’afo – Loose Forward (Auckland)
Mitchell Drummond – Halfback (Tasman)
Cooper Grant – First-five (Tasman)
Cooper Roberts – Midfield (Tasman)
Jae Broomfield – Outside Back (Otago)
Kurtis MacDonald – Outside Back (Canterbury)
Highlanders:
Ben Lopas – Loosehead Prop (Otago)
A-One Lolofie – Hooker (Otago)
Rohan Wingham – Tighthead Prop (Otago)
Josh Tengblad – Lock (Otago)
Lucas Casey – Loose Forward (Otago)
Senita Lauaki – Loose Forward (Waikato)
Nic Shearer – Halfback (Southland)
Meihana Grindlay – Midfield (Taranaki)
Tayne Harvey – Outside Back (Southland)
