Super Rugby's top 10 most improved: Big leaps for Junkyard Dog and Rebel, All Blacks next-gen's ominous warning

06/20/2024 03:00 PM

Where did that season go? As we gear up for the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season, it's important to see how many quality players have shone in the 29th iteration of the competition.

Back in February, our list of the Top 50 Super Rugby players saw predictions thrown down as to who would dominate the competition, with plenty of discussion – and disagreements, of course – around who we thought would stand out. 

Now, with a near-full season of rugby behind us, it's time to revisit that list and recognise many of the players who (with the benefit of hindsight) we think would crack that Top 50 – or if they originally placed, we think we undersold significantly. 

Before we dive in, we'd like to quickly highlight some honourable mentions:

• Filipo Daugunu (Melbourne Rebels) – who made a stunning transition from back three to one of Australia's most exciting centre options.
• Miles Amatosero (NSW Waratahs) – for a standout inaugural season, being one of the Waratahs’ bright sparks in a dour year.
• Meli Derenalagi (Fijian Drua) – originally coming in at No. 45, his leadership stood out in the Drua's ever-improving set piece. 
• Brad Shields (Hurricanes) – he may be a capped England player, but his dream to play for the All Blacks is a lot closer to reality following a strong return to Wellington.
• Folau Fakatava (Highlanders) – originally coming in at No. 31, Fakatava's influence and combination with Wales recruit Rhys Patchell played a major part in the Dunedin-based side's significantly better season. 

So, with that out of the way, here are our picks for the big ten improvers from Super Rugby Pacific 2024, in no particular order:

Hoskins Sotutu (Blues)

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

One of the biggest enforcers for a physically intimidating Blues side, Hoskins Sotutu would easily crack our top ten after his performance in 2024, and should find his way back to an All Black jersey this year after missing out on the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

A key reason for the Blues’ strong attack has been his ability to crack defences in general play and the set-piece, with an offload game that is second to none. That, even before we get to his leadership growth on the field.

It is no surprise it has seen him finish the regular season as the joint-highest try scorer in the entire competition, with a whopping 12 tries. Unsurprisingly, he was the highest-scoring forward – four tries ahead of the next best, the Reds' Matt Faessler.

With the grand final still to be played out, expect him to be a major factor if the Blues find their way to a fourth title. 

Tim Ryan (Queensland Reds)

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

If you make a list of this nature, how can you NOT include the Junkyard Dog? Finishing with nine tries to his name, the Australian U20 graduate took his time to get into the 2024 season, making his debut off the bench in Round Four against the Rebels.

However, once he made his first start in Round 10 against the Blues, he took the opportunity with both hands, scoring a hat-trick of tries and gassing the likes of Mark Tele'a in a thrilling clash at Suncorp.

While the Reds went down in the quarter-finals, Ryan finished the season becoming the first Reds player to score two hat-tricks (the second being against the Western Force), and he was one of only two players to finish the season averaging a try a game – the other being the Chiefs' Emoni Narawa. 

Josh Canham (Melbourne Rebels)

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

Another member of Australia's U20 graduates, one of the Rebels' quiet achievers was local talent Josh Canham, who enjoyed a breakout year after slowly working his way into the starting side over the past three seasons. 

Building on his selections in the Australia A program in 2023, Canham flourished alongside veteran Lukhan Salakai-Loto, proving a critical part of the Rebels’ engine room and their forward dominance early in the season. 

While the forward pack would struggle later in the year, Canham continued to excel – especially in the lineout – where he won a whopping 57 lineouts across the season, fifth overall across the competition, and in general play, coming in seventh across the whole competition for offloads. 

Tupou Vaa'i (Chiefs)

Original Top 50 Ranking: 40

Speaking of quiet achievers, while he may not come up in many of the end-of-season stats, Tupou Vai'i has also enjoyed a stellar year in the Chiefs engine room – and his focus on doing the small things right plays a major part in why the Chiefs find themselves in the final this weekend. 

His sheer physicality made him stand out in the All Blacks' World Cup campaign last year, but 2024 has seen Vaa'i pick up a heightened sense of maturity to his gameplay, picking up a lot of the leadership roles in the forward pack – especially needed given captain Luke Jacobson has been out on a few occasions this season.

Picking up the Chiefs' Coaches Player of the Year, expect his name to be thrown around in the coming weeks as the All Blacks prepare for their July series against England. 

Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes)

Original Top 50 Ranking: 38

When it comes to being a 'scary' bloke, no one has come close to Asafo Aumua in 2024. Probably the player we underrated the most in our top 50, if given our time again, he'd be landing in the top five. 

Long sitting in the shadow of veteran Dane Coles, 2024 marked Aumua's arrival into the regular starting side, and boy, did he make the most of it. Quickly developing a reputation for knocking off tackles at will and barnstorming runs, Aumua became the stuff of nightmares for many sides in 2024, bluntly absorbing pressure and opening up space for the likes of Salesi Rayasi and Jordie Barrett to cut the opposition to shreds.

The All Blacks have options galore at hooker, with Codie Taylor and Samisoni Taukei’aho likely at the top of the pile – but Aumua has put forward a compelling case to return to the national side that will be hard for Razor to ignore. 

Charlie Cale (ACT Brumbies) 

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

Dubbo's own Charlie Cale has taken a massive step up since making his debut last year against Moana Pasifika. While Rob Valetini tops many of the Brumbies’ lists for carries and metres gained, his support from a talented loose forward pack in Jahrome Brown, Luke Reimer and Tom Hooper (to name a few) has been a major factor in the Brumbies’ go-forward.

Even then, Cale still stands out, with Valetini having to shift on several occasions to get him in the starting side. Playing with a Pete Samu-like physicality and skillset, his ability to be a menace at the breakdown and on defence seems ideal for Joe Schmidt's Wallabies – while it may be early to consider him for national honours, 2024 proved that with time, he has the skills to cover many gaps exposed at the international level over the last few years.

You know you've made an impression when Allan Alaalatoa picks you as his breakout player for the season.

Cortez Ratima (Chiefs) 

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

The Chiefs’ halves pairing is something that most international sides would dream of having. Damian McKenzie has truly lived up to the title as the most important player of the season, finishing as the leading point scorer of the competition, with plenty of ink spilled about his importance to the next era in black.

However, his less-celebrated half-back also deserves some credit for an outstanding season. Cortez Ratima had a stellar year alongside DMac, finishing with nine tries for his efforts – and besting the likes of Folau Fakatava, Cam Roigard and TJ Perenara. 

It is incredible to think that he is still to make his debut for the All Blacks, but his function as a rock-solid connection between the Chiefs’ firing backline and humming forward pack certainly will give Razor food for thought, as many will likely feature in the run-on side come July. 

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Wallace Sititi (Chiefs)

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

Staying in Hamilton, the Chiefs' Rookie of the Year may have played out of his skin to upset the Hurricanes last week, but that win was the icing on the cake for a perfect start to a career for Wallace Sititi.

The Junior All Black has slotted right into the Chiefs’ starting lineup, complementing the likes of sledgehammer Samipeni Finau and disciplined captain Luke Jacobson in the loose forwards. With the speed of a back and the skillset to ask questions of many defences, Sititi has done everything he needed to do to get the Chiefs to where they are, and then some.

While he may be off an All Black debut, make no mistake, we may have to get used to talking about this dangerous loose forward a lot more.

Corey Toole (ACT Brumbies)

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

The other big finisher to graduate from Australia's Sevens program, Corey Toole has been nothing short of phenomenal, being one of the best talents to come out of the Brumbies Academy in years. 

Amassing eight tries over the season, Toole has made a habit of not only finding the line of set moves, but an uncanny knack for making something from nothing with a quality kick game and an ability to pick holes in many defences. 

A key reason why the Brumbies have expanded their game plan in 2024 has been because of the capabilities a player like Corey Toole opens them up to, and alongside many Wallabies is likely one of the most valuable players in Canberra. 

While his decision to return to the Sevens for Paris may delay his transition to Wallaby gold, let's not kid ourselves: it's a matter of when, not if he gets picked for the Wallabies. 

Peter Lakai (Hurricanes)

Original Top 50 Ranking: Did not appear

Finishing off with another quiet achiever, the depth of the Hurricanes was one of the most exciting aspects of the 2024 season, with the competition for positions taking them to the top of the ladder, and to a home semi-final. 

Within that, Peter Lakai looms as one of the big achievers in a stacked lineup. An exciting Junior All Black graduate, like Sititi over at the Chiefs, Lakai transformed himself into a reliable workhorse for the Wellington franchise, finishing the season with a monster 156 carries, the third-highest in the competition. 

Widely regarded as the long-term successor to Ardie Savea at the Canes, in 2024 Peter Lakai showed why that is the case – and why, despite the challenges exposed during Ian Foster's era, you'd be a fool to not think the All Blacks don't have plenty of quality talent still to prove themselves in their ranks.

Who do you were the best improvers in Super Rugby Pacific this season? Did we miss anyone? Comment below and let us know!