Three Hautapu Sports players have secured contracts for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Prop Ollie Norris and loose forward Luke Jacobson have been signed for the Gallagher Chiefs, while lock Laghlan McWhannell will play for the Blues, in Auckland.
Their signings are among the 428 contracts awarded to players who will represent the 11 Super Pacific Rugby franchises.
Pre-season training is underway with Round 1 of the competition due to start on February 14, 2025.
Ollie Norris
Norris was called into the Gallagher Chiefs squad as injury cover in 2020 and made his Investec Super Rugby debut against the Crusaders that same year.
Norris was a member of the wider New Zealand U-20 team in 2018 and was called up to travel to France for the closing match of the World Rugby Under 20 Championship.
Born in Sydney, Norris went to St Peter’s Cambridge and was a member of their 1st XV that won the National Co-Ed title. The strong scrummager previously represented New Zealand in the 2017 Barbarians Schools team.
In 2021, Norris was named in the Māori All Blacks squad and made his debut v Manu Samoa on July 3, 2021.
A string of consistent seasons with the Gallagher Chiefs secured Norris regular appearances in the match day 23. In 2023 Norris was called up into the All Blacks XV squad to tour Japan for the Lipovitan-D Championship Cup.
Luke Jacobson
Luke Jacobson made his mark in First XV rugby which in turn earned him selection in the 2014 New Zealand Schools team.
Jacobson represented New Zealand in the 2016 World Rugby U-20 Championship and captained the Waikato U-19s to victory in the Jock Hobbs Memorial National U-19s tournament.
Dominant performances saw him awarded the captaincy of the 2017 New ZealandU-20 who he guided to victory in the final.
Jacobson debuted for the Gallagher Chiefs in 2018, following a formidable year in the jersey in 2019 saw the loose forward debut for the All Blacks in Argentina in 2019. Later that season he was selected in the 2019 All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad but was withdrawn due to concussion.
Jacobson wore the captain’s armband for the first time in 2021 against the Melbourne Rebels and has multiple times since.
After an outstanding Super Rugby season, Jacobson was again named in the All Blacks Rugby World Cup Squad in 2023 to play in France.
Laghlan McWhannell
Laghlan McWhannell was a stand out performer for the New Zealand U-20s in 2018, backing up the same year for his home province of Waikato.
In 2019, McWhannell won a top award for personal development given by the New Zealand Rugby Players Association (NZRPA).
At the age of 25, McWhannell made his Chiefs debut in 2022 after an unlucky run of injuries in 2020 and 2021 kept him on the sidelines.
McWhannell moved to the Blues in 2024 as a widely touted player with massive potential. He fit in seamlessly with the locking group, forming strong combinations with Sam Darry and skipper Patrick Tuipulotu.
Despite having to sit on the sidelines for the back end of the Super campaign, McWhannell’s ability to win lineout ball and be a physical presence around the park earned him a spot in the Māori All Blacks touring party to Japan.
After a strong 2024 campaign, McWhannell returns to the Blues in 2025 and will look to build on his impressive first-season form and compete for a starting spot in the middle of the scrum.
He is contracted with the Blues till the end of the 2026 season.
New Zealand-based squads for 2025
The following squads have been announced by the New Zealand-based franchises:
Chiefs
Forwards: Aidan Ross, Ollie Norris, George Dyer, Reuben O’Neill, Samisoni Taukie’aho, Brodie McAlister, Bradley Slater, Tupou Vaa’i, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Josh Lord, Jimmy Tupou, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Jahrome Brown, Kaylum Boshier, Samipeni Finau, Simon Parker, Wallace Sititi, Luke Jacobson, Sione Ahio Jared Proffit, Fiti Sa
Backs: Xavier Roe, Cortez Ratima, Damian McKenzie, Daniel Rona, Kaleb Trask, Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, Rameka Poihipi, Gideon Wrampling, Leroy Carter, Liam Coombes-Fabling, Emoni Narawa, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Shaun Stevenson, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Malachi Wrampling, Josh Jacomb
Blues
Forwards: Angus Ta’avao, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Marcel Renata, Jordan Lay, Joshua Fusitu’a, PJ Sheck, Kurt Eklund, Ricky Riccitelli, James Mullan, Laghlan McWhannell, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Darry, Josh Beehre, Cameron Suafoa, Adrian Choat, Dalton Papali’i, Anton Segner, Hoskins Sotutu, Ben Ake, Che Clark, Cameron Christie
Backs: Finlay Christie, Sam Nock, Taufa Funaki, Stephen Perofeta, Harry Plummer, Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Xavi Taele, Corey Evans, Zarn Sullivan, Mark Tele’a, Caleb Clarke, AJ Lam, Cole Forbes, Bryce Heem, Reon Paul, Meihana Grindlay, Payton Spencer
Hurricanes
Forwards: Tevita Mafileo, Raymond Tuputupu, Xavier Numia, Tyrel Lomax, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Pasilio Tosi, Siale Lauaki, Josh Taula, Tom Allen, Jacob Devery, Asafo Aumua, Zach Gallagher, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Will Tucker, Caleb Delany, Arese Poliko, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Brayden Iose, Brad Shields, Peter Lakai, Devan Flanders
Backs: Cam Roigard, Ereatara Enari, Riley Hohepa, Harry Godfrey, Riley Higgins, Billy Proctor, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Bailyn Sullivan, Ngatungane Punivai, Kade Banks, Fehi Fineanganofo, Kini Naholo, Ruben Love, Lucas Cashmore, Jordi Viljoen, Tjay Clark
Crusaders
Forwards: Fletcher Newell, George Bower, Tamaiti Williams, Finlay Brewis, Seb Calder, Codie Taylor, Ioane Moananu, George Bell, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett, Jamie Hannah, Dom Gardiner, Tahlor Cahill, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Cory Kellow, Ethan Blackadder, Christian Lio-Willie, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Antonio Shalfoon, Fletcher Anderson, Xavier Saifoloi
Backs: Mitch Drummond, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Taha Kemara, James O’Connor, Dallas McLeod, Braydon Ennor, David Havili, Levi Aumua, Chay Fihaki, Sevu Reece, Macca Springer, Will Jordan, Johnny McNicoll, Kyle Preston, Aki Tuivailala
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