The Hurricanes are set to return to Napier to host the Western Force during round five of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.
A key venue within the Hurricanes region, McLean Park will host a Super Rugby Pacific fixture for the second successive season, following on from the Hurricanes’ 38-34 win over the Fijian Drua in February.
In total, next year’s match will be the 15th Hurricanes game played in Napier since 1996. It will also be the second time the Hurricanes have faced the Force in Hawke’s Bay, five years after the home side won 43-6 during Super Rugby Trans-Tasman.
Confirmation that Napier will host the match against the Force rounds out the Hurricanes’ 2026 season schedule, with the venue of the fixture listed as TBC when the full draw was announced in August.
“We love going up to Hawke’s Bay to play. The Drua game there last year, with the atmosphere and the sellout crowd, was amazing,” Hurricanes head coach Clark Laidlaw said.
“We’ve obviously got a huge amount of Hawke’s Bay players within the squad, so this match against the Force is another opportunity for us to go to the region and unite and excite our fans in Napier.
“We’ve got a massive history of playing up there – I think of the win over the Highlanders in 2015 or when we played the Bulls up there the previous year, as well as last season against the Drua.
“We’re really looking forward to reconnecting with Hawke’s Bay and the region and playing up there.”
Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union chief executive Jay Campbell is equally excited to have the Hurricanes back at McLean Park next year.
“It will be a privilege to host the Hurricanes once again in Napier and another fantastic opportunity for the Hawke’s Bay public to see the Hurricanes playing in their own backyard,” Campbell said.
“The whole of Hawke’s Bay, including the business community, will benefit from having the Canes in our province, and I am sure our fans will pack out McLean Park again in March.”
Born in Havelock North and schooled at Hastings Boys’ High School, Hurricanes loose forward Devan Flanders is thrilled about the opportunity to return to his home region in a Super Rugby Pacific capacity.
“It means a lot to the Hawke’s Bay community, especially because they are such loyal rugby supporters,” Flanders, a 75-cap veteran for Hawke’s Bay in the NPC, said.
“Our Hawke’s Bay fans always show up with a smile on their faces, and bring plenty of energy and passion to our matches at McLean Park.”
Kick-off for next year’s match against the Force in Napier is scheduled for 7:05pm on Friday, 13 March.
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Hurricanes matches in Napier
1996 – Hurricanes 32-16 Transvaal
1997 – Hurricanes 19-3 Waratahs
1998 – Hurricanes 17-39 Crusaders
1999 – Hurricanes 13-7 Waratahs
2001 – Hurricanes 35-33 Highlanders
2003 – Hurricanes 34-46 Bulls
2011 – Hurricanes 14-26 Bulls
2014 – Hurricanes 25-20 Bulls
2015 – Hurricanes 56-20 Highlanders
2017 – Hurricanes 56-21 Brumbies
2018 – Hurricanes 38-37 Sharks
2020 – Hurricanes 62-15 Sunwolves
2021 – Hurricanes 43-6 Force
2025 – Hurricanes 38-34 Fijian Drua
