Super Rugby Pacific 2026: Early Season Form and Key Victories

The 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season has seen competitive performances across the opening rounds, with several teams securing notable victories. The ACT Brumbies began the campaign with consecutive wins, while the Queensland Reds and Western Force recorded their first victories in Round 3. The season has also featured the debut of high-profile recruit Zac Lomax for the Western Force.

Early Season Form: Rounds 1-3

The ACT Brumbies opened their season with a 56-24 bonus-point victory over the Western Force in Perth.

The match was played under heat stress protocols due to temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Following this, the Brumbies secured a 50-24 victory over the Crusaders in Christchurch. Sources report this was their first win against the Crusaders in Christchurch in 26 years. These results gave the Brumbies two wins from two matches to start the season.

In Round 3, the Queensland Reds defeated the Highlanders 31-14 at Lang Park for their first victory of the season. The Reds' lineup included five returning Wallabies players.

On the same day, the Western Force defeated Moana Pasifika 35-19 in Pukekohe. This was the Force's first win of the season, ending a nine-match winless streak and marking their first victory in New Zealand in four years.

Round 4 Team Announcements

Ahead of Round 4, team lineups were announced for key fixtures, including:

• ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds in Canberra.
• Highlanders v Western Force in Dunedin.
• Blues v Crusaders in Auckland.
• NSW Waratahs v Hurricanes in Sydney.
• Chiefs v Moana Pasifika in Hamilton.

The Fijian Drua had a bye for the round.

Western Force's Mid-Season Performances and Lomax Debut

Former NRL player Zac Lomax joined the Western Force ahead of their Round 7 match against the Queensland Reds. Club sources stated he was a candidate for his Super Rugby debut in that match, but his debut was postponed due to hamstring tightness experienced during the week.

The Western Force defeated the Queensland Reds 42-19.

This was reported as the Force's third win of the season and their first bonus-point victory against the Reds since 2012. Force flyhalf Ben Donaldson converted all six attempts at goal. Reds flyhalf Carter Gordon was reported to have faced challenges during the match. The Reds' Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson were among the players involved.

In a subsequent round, the Western Force defeated the Crusaders 31-26 at HBF Park in Perth. Match reports state the Crusaders led 19-0 by the 22nd minute before the Force scored 31 unanswered points to take the lead.

Zac Lomax, in his first start for the Force, scored a try in the 54th minute to tie the score at 19-19. A try by Harry Johnson-Holmes in the 71st minute and a defensive penalty won by Carlo Tizzano secured the win. This was reported as the Force's third win of the season.

Other Reported Results

Other match results reported from the season include:

• The NSW Waratahs began the season with consecutive victories, including a 36-12 win over the Queensland Reds in Round 1.
• The Brumbies were reported to have lost 33-28 to the Fijian Drua at home in a round following their strong start.
• The Chiefs were reported to have defeated the Hurricanes 22-17.