The OG League Super Rugby Pacific 26 Round 5
Drua Denies Brumbies, Hurricanes Hold On, and the Blues Reign Supreme
Super Rugby Pacific Round 5 was a weekend of high drama, massive upsets, and “wet weather” rugby that separated the clinical from the chaotic. The Fijian Drua turned Ba into a fortress, taking down the Brumbies in a 10-try shootout, while the Hurricanes survived a massive scare from the Force. Meanwhile, at Eden Park, the Blues put on a clinic against a 14-man Moana Pasifika to cap off a round that saw the top of the real-life table—and the OG League—get very crowded.
In the OG League, we saw a weekend where depth was truly tested. With some big names either taking a seat or seeing red (looking at you, Augustine Pulu), managers were forced to rely on their bench and recent trade-floor acquisitions.
What is the OG League? For those newcomers joining us, The OG League is the founding Draft Rugby fantasy league and is in its 14th year of playing Draft Rugby. The OG League is a public and featured league on the draft rugby platform that you can follow along for the season if you have signed up to the platform. You can find it on the public leagues page featured at the top at draftrugby.com/leagues/join
Super Rugby Pacific Round 5 Top Performers
You can read about the full round 5 team of the week here.
Trades
The Round 5 trade session was a frenzy as managers looked to fix holes and jump on rising stars.
Midfield Shuffles: Harrison Dale swapped out club favorite Pita Ahki for Xavi Taele (58)—a move that paid off handsomely as Taele looks like the Blues’ new go-to man.
He loves the Trade Rotisserie: Alexander Nabung is not shy to rotate players in and out of his side, even multiple times in a week. In rd 5, he picked up Ilaisa Droasese (63) from arch nemesis Cargie for a huge upside tick.
You can check out the casualty ward updates for rounds 5-6, chronicling all Super Rugby Pacific 2026 injuries and returns here.
Round 5 Fixtures:
Leicester We Forget vs. Expecto-Pa-TRY-trum
Result: 548 - 455
Harry’s Leicester We Forget keeps the momentum rolling, securing back-to-back wins. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa (71) continues to be a fantasy cheat code, backed up by a stellar performance from Rivez Reihana (64) and the defensive grit of Xavi Taele (58). Harry’s faith in his starters is paying dividends.
Andrew’s Expecto-Pa-TRY-trum hit a speed bump this week. Despite Max Jorgensen (53) and Fletcher Newell (48) putting in shifts, the lack of a “big” triple-digit or high-80s score left him chasing the game. Andrew’s men have been “rocks or diamonds,” and this week, the diamonds stayed in the vault.
Ofa Tu’ungaFAST & The Furious vs. Lam & Order
Result: 571 - 476
Blake’s Ofa Tu’ungaFAST is officially the team to beat. A monster 85 from Sam Darry and a vintage 64 from Jock Campbell anchored this victory. Blake’s squad depth is terrifying; he’s getting production from every corner of the park, even if he did leave a bit of meat on the bone with his bench.
Sean’s Lam & Order felt the sting of a literal “red card” weekend. Starting Augustine Pulu (-16) proved disastrous after his early shower at Eden Park. Even a massive 98 from Mills Sanerivi, the round’s top performer, couldn’t bridge the gap created by Pulu’s negative tally and a couple of missing starters.
Situti Down vs. SAMISONIC THE HEDGEHOG
Result: 585 - 452
Cargie has finally Situti Down and got to work! Breaking his “building for the future” mantra, he put up the highest score of the round. Timoci Tavatavanawai (84) was electric, and Carter Gordon (66) proved why he’s a premium asset. Even better for Cargie, his trade for Joji Nasova (44) looks like a masterstroke.
Nelson’s SAMISONIC had a tough day in the office. While Filipo Daugunu (54) and Ethan Blackadder (44) fought hard, he was undone by a couple of “zero” scores in the midfield. It was a classic case of the bench having the answers (Beauden Barrett’s 68 from Round 4 comes to mind) but the starters not being able to ask the questions.
The Toole Shed vs. Roigardians of the Galaxy
Result: 327 - 481
Nabung’s Roigardians of the Galaxy are back in the winner’s circle! After taking a “snooze” last week, Nabung woke up and let Cam Roigard (73) and Will Jordan (76) do the talking. Despite having four “empty” slots in his starting XV, his big guns scored so heavily that it didn’t even matter.
Wylie’s The Toole Shed had a shocker. When your top scorer is a prop (Daniel Botha, 45), you know it’s been a tough weekend for the backs. With Corey Toole a late scratch and Folau Fakatava (4) struggling in the mud, the “Shed” was left looking quite empty.
Round 5 OG League Fantasy Facts
Best Player: Mills Sanerivi (98 points) – Lam & Order
The “Pulu Award” for Discipline: Augustine Pulu (-16 points) – A week to forget.
Best Trade: Harrison Dale bringing in Xavi Taele (58 points).
Best Free Agent: Taufa Funaki (78 points) - Blues
Biggest Coaching Mistake: Sean starting Augustine Pulu over... well, anyone else!
The OG League Table After Round 5
Blake (Ofa Tu’ungaFAST & The Furious) extends his lead at the top, looking every bit the champion-elect. However, Nabung is right on his heels after a bounce-back win. At the bottom, Cargie has finally vacated the basement, handing the wooden spoon (for now) over to Wylie.
Logged-in users can view the full OG League results and detailed breakdowns here.
Written by Harrison Dale