Chiefs star Quinn Tupaea won the Super Rugby player of the year, 2026, after a season to remember. With such an extraordinary season, we have looked deeply into the stats that made him New Zealand’s best rugby player of the year.
QUINN TUPAEA’S 2026 STATS
Before the stats, the 27-year-old produced one of the most consistent seasons of any player in the Super Rugby. In doing so, he drove the Chiefs to the Grand final, as their best player from the centre.
Tupaea’s powerful ball-carrying, defensive intensity, and connecting play in the midfield proved too much for opponents to match.
In doing so, he had 8 tries, which earned him a place in the top 10 for the year, ranking 10th. He also made it into the top 10 at 5th for the most carries in the competition. Those carries made are the most of any back, along with the 6th most overall run metres.
Tupaea won 15 turnovers in 14 games, making him the 4th in the competition. He also led all backline players by a wide margin for completed tackles.
A TIGHT WIN
However, as Quinn Tupaea won the Super Rugby player of the year award, the race was not obvious. He faced stiff competition from Highlanders star Timoci Tavatavanawa, who also got 43 votes before Tupaea won.
Blues star Anton Segner was the third, with 41 votes. NSW Waratahs’ Max Jorgensen and Western Force’s Ben Donaldson tied at 4th with both getting 39 votes.