Jack Taylor

Born in 2003, New Zealand flanker Jack Taylor has emerged as an abrasive presence in the Highlanders' loose forward stocks. A loose forward built for the contact area, he combines a heavy defensive hit with a genuine work rate over the ball, making him a constant nuisance at the breakdown. Taylor offers his coaches versatility across the back row, comfortable filling in on either flank and willing to do the unseen graft in tight exchanges as well as cover ground in the wider channels. His game is founded on physicality and persistence rather than flash, the kind of forward who tackles, jackals and carries without fuss. As one of the younger members of the Highlanders' forward group, he represents part of the franchise's ongoing investment in homegrown talent coming through New Zealand's provincial pathways, and is regarded as a developing player with room to grow into a more prominent role in Super Rugby Pacific.