With the announcement of the 2021 Super Rugby squads set for December 1, opportunities for Kiwi rugby fans to catch a glimpse of their franchise's next wave of talent is slimming by the week.
Northland Taniwha's clash with reigning Premiership champions, the Tasman Mako, in Blenheim tonight will be the ideal springboard to test the true state of their readiness to go deep in this year's Mitre 10 Cup competition.
Northland will be bolstered by All Blacks midfielder Jack Goodhue in their Sunday afternoon encounter with Manawatu and the Crusader's combination with former All Black Rene Ranger will certainly keep the Turbos busy on defence.
Exclusive: Jack Goodhue has long been touted as the 'one that got away' from the Blues - but the Northland, Crusaders and All Blacks midfielder has revealed that the Super Rugby franchise has never been his destination of choice.
In 2018, former Blues and Hurricanes playmaker made the decision to leave NZ and link up with La Rochelle in France. It's a move that paid dividends for the 28-year-old's all-round game.
We're at the mid-way stage of Super Rugby for 2019, and a trio of RugbyPass writers give their opinions on the best and worst of the opening nine weeks of the competition.
The short of it is that the Sunwolves are an endangered species and unless they manage to turn things around this year, extinction could come sooner rather than later.
Former All Black Rene Ranger is set to make his Super Rugby return in 2019.
Alex McLeod returns to reflect on who improved and who regressed over the past fortnight of Mitre 10 Cup rugby.
There were some tightly-contested affairs, and some downright demolitions, so check out who ranks where in New Zealand’s premier domestic competition.