The first-ever SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Year has been unveiled with inaugural Player of the Year winner Ardie Savea headlining a diverse all-star lineup.
The Player of the Year saw the Kiwis claim the top three positions, with Savea joined by the Chiefs' Damian McKenzie and the Highlanders' Timoci Tavatavanawai, with Brumby Tom Hooper finishing as the highest-ranked Australian player in fourth.
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While the Team of the Year will become an official post-season recognition in Super Rugby Pacific alongside Player of the Year from next season, an honorary team has been named for 2025.
The team is formed from the top-ranked players in each respective position based on Player of the Year votes from across the season.
While voting numbers may vary position to position, the team has been decided by the player who has topped the count, regardless of the number of votes.
“The naming of a Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Year is another opportunity to recognise the most outstanding performers in our competition,” Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley said.
“Importantly it ensures that as a competition we celebrate players across every position on the field.
"Selection in this team is a reflection of the respect and admiration these players have earned from their opponents, week in and week out, throughout the 2025 season.
"Congratulations to all those who earned selection and the best of luck to those who are set to compete in the Finals Series."
Where players played or are capable of playing multiple positions, for Team of the Year purposes they were assigned only the position that they most played during the 2025 season - such as Damian McKenzie playing most the year at flyhalf.
Carlo Tizzano, Fraser McReight and Langi Gleeson could not initially be separated for the third back row position, having received the same amount of Player of the Year votes (29).
In this instance the Player of the Year tie-breaker is to compare the number of 'three votes' received, which saw Gleeson (4) surpassed by Tizzano and McReight (both 5).
Remarkably, both flankers received the same number of 'three votes', 'two votes' and 'one vote' during the season, which means they share the final back row selection.
Here is how they voted:
Allan Alaalatoa (ACT Brumbies, 20 points), Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs, 14 points)
Tevita Ikanivere (Fijian Drua, 19 points)
Jeremy Williams (Western Force, 21 points), Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues, 20 points)
Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika, 46 points), Tom Hooper (ACT Brumbies, 31 points), Carlo Tizzano (Western Force, 29 points) / Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds, 29 points)
Cam Roigard (Hurricanes, 28 points)
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs, 36 points)
Timoci Tavatavanawai (Highlanders, 32 points), AJ Lam (Blues, 14 points)
Harry Potter (Western Force, 18 points), Kini Naholo (Hurricanes, 18 points)
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (NSW Waratahs, 20 points)
