Arese Poliko

Arese Poliko represents the multinational pathways that increasingly feed New Zealand's Super Rugby franchises. Born in Australia on 23 January 2001 and raised in Samoa before developing his rugby in New Zealand, the back-row forward earned a place in the Hurricanes squad and made his Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Wellington-based side in their 2025 season opener against Moana Pasifika. A genuine all-round loose forward comfortable across the back row, Poliko also turns out for Taranaki in the National Provincial Championship, the proving ground through which most New Zealand forwards earn their Super Rugby opportunities. The Hurricanes have long built their identity on high-tempo, ball-playing loose forwards, and breaking into that environment demands aerobic capacity, breakdown speed and reliable defensive output. For a player still early in his senior career, Poliko's challenge is the familiar one facing depth back-rowers in New Zealand: converting provincial form into consistent Super Rugby minutes in a position group that turns over regularly through injuries and All Blacks call-ups. His blend of physicality and mobility, shaped by an unusually broad rugby upbringing across three countries, gives him a platform to push for a more prominent role at the Hurricanes.