Ethan de Groot

Ethan de Groot is a New Zealand international loosehead prop who has become one of the cornerstones of the Highlanders' forward pack in Super Rugby Pacific. Born on 22 July 1998, he rose through New Zealand's domestic ranks before breaking into the Highlanders' starting XV and earning All Blacks selection. A powerful scrummager with a physical, aggressive ball-carrying style, de Groot is known for his appetite for collisions and his ability to set a platform at set-piece time. He represented New Zealand at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, further cementing his standing as a long-term option in the Test front row. For the Highlanders he remains a key leader among the forwards, combining scrummaging craft with the energy and work rate expected of a modern international prop.