November 6, 2025 • 8 mins
It was a big day in the world of Super Rugby Pacific today, with all 11 franchises confirming their 38-man squads for the 2026 edition of the competition.
Jack Mesley is the CEO of Super Rugby Pacific and he caught up with D'Arcy to discuss the team selections.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News talks'd be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
But now we're going to talk about of Super Rugby Pacific.
Today the thirty eight man squads for each of the
eleven Super Pacific franchises were announced. Jack Messley's the boss
Man La grand Fromage, the Big Cheese of Super Rugby Pacific,
joins us now to talk about that day, this day,
and maybe I could suggest some things that need to
(00:38):
be changed for squad announcements going forward to create even
more interest. Let's see how this goes. Jack Messi joins
us now, Hey Jack, how are you?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I'm good? Thanks Darcy, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Not so bad? Very much looking forward to next season.
But it's a while and the teams all came out today.
You've changed the way over the last couple of years
that these squads have been announced. It's been a rolling
feast as opposed to everything dropping at the same time.
All well and good, but surely with what Super Rugby
Pacific I've been looking to do and what they've achieved
so far, don't you want to bring something else to
(01:13):
squad naming? Is there something else you can do? Is
this something in the future that you want to look at,
make more of a song and dance, or do something
special to keep the movement and the interest going in
the off season.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean we can continue to look two
ways to improve. I think bringing this all together and
doing it all as one competition certainly is a relatively
new thing, and the clubs are getting better at it,
so yeah, we continue to do it. It's great to
be great to be talking about Superague Pacific in November
and getting people excited about February thirteen when we kick off.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
We don't want to be the beer or bad news.
I was talking to a colleague, not a sports colleague
today about the super teams going that and even though
they were coming out today when aha, well, I mean
he's not a sport fan, right, is it another broadcast?
But I thought, okay, is there an issue here? Do
you feel like you actually have got some cut through
this time by announcing this team and what these teams
(02:10):
in early November?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, I mean absolutely. You know, all social media channels
are all lit up today with the squads all across
the specific and yeah, the interest has been been really good,
so yeah, it's a really positive thing. And yeah, I'm
happy to be here talking about the season ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
As far as people knowing who's in the team, we
can't know. A lot of these teams have been leaked through.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
We get the.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Information so it doesn't come as a surprise. Is there
maybe a thought toward holding things closer to your chest?
What really is an announcement day? Is that even possible? Jack?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah? I mean it's a difficult one right. This sort
of lines up with windows where squads need to need
to be confirmed. A lot of teams are having their
first training day, so bringing it together just enables everyone
to confirm what they're final squads are. There's certainly been
a rush over the last couple of couple of days
to finalize squads. And then yeah, as people are starting
(03:16):
to get into Broncos and whatever else with pre season,
it's important that all of this is out there.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Have it done a Bronco? Jack?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I think that's called beep test back in my day, mate,
and not one of my strengths. I'm going to tell
you something.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
You look forward to. They will raise this again and
you're probably tired of it. But there's often been calls
for consideration around a draft like situation. For super Rabi
to just add something more to that. Is that still
viable or being discussed?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah, I mean it's I know that there used to
be one in New Zealand around Super and it's certainly
created a bit of interest. And you know, I think
the most important thing was about distribution of talent. So
you know, we know jeopardy and is a key driver
of engagement and interest in the comp and we're certainly
(04:09):
looking at ways in which we can make sure we
have a competition that has high degrees of unexpected results
and different winners. So certainly certainly on the discussion table
for long term and certainly something that I would be
interested in investigating for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
What's getting in the way? Where do you think that
the jata bars or the roadblocks are for something like
a draft?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Well, I mean depending on you who you ask. I mean,
there's so many different different views, right, whether that be
at a club level. If you're a club that has
a strong pathway and a really strong region, you probably
don't want artificial mechanisms that take your talent away from
(04:55):
from your region and put them into others. And on
the flip side, obviously, if you're a smaller region that
doesn't that doesn't have a strong pathway, then then you
want mechanisms to to make things all over so it's
not an easy one. And then you know, obviously with
how that ladders up across two different unions with two
sort of high performance pathways and then three if you
(05:17):
add FIGI in there, it's it all starts to get
pretty complex. But you know, I don't think I don't
think it's unforeseeable that sometimes in the future some kind
of draft might might come into play.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
That's why we pay you the big bucks check for
the difficulty, mate. If you've got again.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
With it, that's right trying to sort through all of
those and you know, I think, as like all these things,
as long as the end result is a lined to
where we want to go, then I think what we've
seen over the last eighteen months is that there's been
some really good openness to explore things that will improve
the competition.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It's probably out of your wheelhouse, but the concept around Australia,
New Zealand pacifica players all being available, all without being
punished rerepresentation is I think a lot of people quite
like to see some New Zealanders running around on Aussie
teams and vice versa. Is that something that may also
(06:17):
gain traction at some stage like an open slava situation.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, there are certainly mechanisms for
that to happen now, but obviously it a limited way.
I mean, yeah, I think we've seen that over the
last well even just today in the announcement of the
announcement of the teams. We've got x Wallaby's getting signed
by the Chiefs, and you know, George Bridge playing over
in the Force. But you know, and James O'Connor last
(06:44):
year playing for the Crusaders created a great amount of interest, right,
So yeah, I really I really enjoy those movements. There
are there are mechanisms for that to happen right now,
a carte blanche approach to to that. Again, like our
previous discussion about drafts, it requires it requires quite a
(07:08):
quite a big shift from the current system and structure,
but something again into the future that shouldn't be discounted.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Well, this is the beauty of it. Surely we've seen this.
It's gotten tracks and used that word again. People are
enthused about this. So the fact you've moved to change
has worked for you. So I would say there's not
a desperation, but there is a want for you to
carry on improving and look better. Never stops, right Jack.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Yeah, that's that's right. I mean, we're we've also just
got to balance that with you know, with with eleven
teams for Australian you know, and five five New Zealand teams,
there are there are already quite limited spots for potential wallabies,
potential all blacks to play within Super and so yeah,
(07:55):
I guess the flip side to that is that you know,
we are we are managing a pipeline and a bit
of a bottleneck in terms of in terms of producing
international players. But again, you know, these things need to
be explored. We're open to exploring them and continuing to
see how we take this competition forward.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
They'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News talks'd be.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
But now we're going to talk about of Super Rugby Pacific.
Today the thirty eight man squads for each of the
eleven Super Pacific franchises were announced. Jack Messley's the boss
Man La grand Fromage, the Big Cheese of Super Rugby Pacific,
joins us now to talk about that day, this day,
and maybe I could suggest some things that need to
(00:38):
be changed for squad announcements going forward to create even
more interest. Let's see how this goes. Jack Messi joins
us now, Hey Jack, how are you?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I'm good? Thanks Darcy, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Not so bad? Very much looking forward to next season.
But it's a while and the teams all came out today.
You've changed the way over the last couple of years
that these squads have been announced. It's been a rolling
feast as opposed to everything dropping at the same time.
All well and good, but surely with what Super Rugby
Pacific I've been looking to do and what they've achieved
so far, don't you want to bring something else to
(01:13):
squad naming? Is there something else you can do? Is
this something in the future that you want to look at,
make more of a song and dance, or do something
special to keep the movement and the interest going in
the off season.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean we can continue to look two
ways to improve. I think bringing this all together and
doing it all as one competition certainly is a relatively
new thing, and the clubs are getting better at it,
so yeah, we continue to do it. It's great to
be great to be talking about Superague Pacific in November
and getting people excited about February thirteen when we kick off.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
We don't want to be the beer or bad news.
I was talking to a colleague, not a sports colleague
today about the super teams going that and even though
they were coming out today when aha, well, I mean
he's not a sport fan, right, is it another broadcast?
But I thought, okay, is there an issue here? Do
you feel like you actually have got some cut through
this time by announcing this team and what these teams
(02:10):
in early November?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, I mean absolutely. You know, all social media channels
are all lit up today with the squads all across
the specific and yeah, the interest has been been really good,
so yeah, it's a really positive thing. And yeah, I'm
happy to be here talking about the season ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
As far as people knowing who's in the team, we
can't know. A lot of these teams have been leaked through.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
We get the.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Information so it doesn't come as a surprise. Is there
maybe a thought toward holding things closer to your chest?
What really is an announcement day? Is that even possible? Jack?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah? I mean it's a difficult one right. This sort
of lines up with windows where squads need to need
to be confirmed. A lot of teams are having their
first training day, so bringing it together just enables everyone
to confirm what they're final squads are. There's certainly been
a rush over the last couple of couple of days
to finalize squads. And then yeah, as people are starting
(03:16):
to get into Broncos and whatever else with pre season,
it's important that all of this is out there.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Have it done a Bronco? Jack?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I think that's called beep test back in my day, mate,
and not one of my strengths. I'm going to tell
you something.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
You look forward to. They will raise this again and
you're probably tired of it. But there's often been calls
for consideration around a draft like situation. For super Rabi
to just add something more to that. Is that still
viable or being discussed?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah, I mean it's I know that there used to
be one in New Zealand around Super and it's certainly
created a bit of interest. And you know, I think
the most important thing was about distribution of talent. So
you know, we know jeopardy and is a key driver
of engagement and interest in the comp and we're certainly
(04:09):
looking at ways in which we can make sure we
have a competition that has high degrees of unexpected results
and different winners. So certainly certainly on the discussion table
for long term and certainly something that I would be
interested in investigating for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
What's getting in the way? Where do you think that
the jata bars or the roadblocks are for something like
a draft?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Well, I mean depending on you who you ask. I mean,
there's so many different different views, right, whether that be
at a club level. If you're a club that has
a strong pathway and a really strong region, you probably
don't want artificial mechanisms that take your talent away from
(04:55):
from your region and put them into others. And on
the flip side, obviously, if you're a smaller region that
doesn't that doesn't have a strong pathway, then then you
want mechanisms to to make things all over so it's
not an easy one. And then you know, obviously with
how that ladders up across two different unions with two
sort of high performance pathways and then three if you
(05:17):
add FIGI in there, it's it all starts to get
pretty complex. But you know, I don't think I don't
think it's unforeseeable that sometimes in the future some kind
of draft might might come into play.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
That's why we pay you the big bucks check for
the difficulty, mate. If you've got again.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
With it, that's right trying to sort through all of
those and you know, I think, as like all these things,
as long as the end result is a lined to
where we want to go, then I think what we've
seen over the last eighteen months is that there's been
some really good openness to explore things that will improve
the competition.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It's probably out of your wheelhouse, but the concept around Australia,
New Zealand pacifica players all being available, all without being
punished rerepresentation is I think a lot of people quite
like to see some New Zealanders running around on Aussie
teams and vice versa. Is that something that may also
(06:17):
gain traction at some stage like an open slava situation.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, there are certainly mechanisms for
that to happen now, but obviously it a limited way.
I mean, yeah, I think we've seen that over the
last well even just today in the announcement of the
announcement of the teams. We've got x Wallaby's getting signed
by the Chiefs, and you know, George Bridge playing over
in the Force. But you know, and James O'Connor last
(06:44):
year playing for the Crusaders created a great amount of interest, right,
So yeah, I really I really enjoy those movements. There
are there are mechanisms for that to happen right now,
a carte blanche approach to to that. Again, like our
previous discussion about drafts, it requires it requires quite a
(07:08):
quite a big shift from the current system and structure,
but something again into the future that shouldn't be discounted.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Well, this is the beauty of it. Surely we've seen this.
It's gotten tracks and used that word again. People are
enthused about this. So the fact you've moved to change
has worked for you. So I would say there's not
a desperation, but there is a want for you to
carry on improving and look better. Never stops, right Jack.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Yeah, that's that's right. I mean, we're we've also just
got to balance that with you know, with with eleven
teams for Australian you know, and five five New Zealand teams,
there are there are already quite limited spots for potential wallabies,
potential all blacks to play within Super and so yeah,
(07:55):
I guess the flip side to that is that you know,
we are we are managing a pipeline and a bit
of a bottleneck in terms of in terms of producing
international players. But again, you know, these things need to
be explored. We're open to exploring them and continuing to
see how we take this competition forward.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
They'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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