Callum Harkin: kicked the extra-time winner in an NPC final, then scored in a Super Rugby final

At the start of 2025 Callum Harkin did not have a Super Rugby contract. Four months earlier, on 26 October 2024, he had come off the bench in extra time of the NPC final at Sky Stadium in Wellington and, about 30 seconds later, kicked the penalty that beat Bay of Plenty 23-20. On 20 June 2026 he was back at the same ground, renamed Hnry Stadium, wearing No 15 for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby Pacific final, and he scored a try in their 60-5 win over the Chiefs. This is the story of the Eastbourne playmaker who took the long way round.

Eastbourne and Silverstream

Harkin was born on 8 April 1999. His rugby started at Eastbourne, across the harbour from Wellington, where he played his junior football for seven or eight years. "That place raised me," he told ClubRugby.nz in April 2022, adding that his junior side went seven years unbeaten.

He went to St Patrick's College, Silverstream, in Upper Hutt, where he played halfback. Wikipedia notes that he did not get regular game time in the school's top sides.

Ulster

As a teenager he went to Northern Ireland and spent a season in the Ulster Academy, playing his club rugby for Malone RFC, Wikipedia records. He was 17 or 18, and he told ClubRugby.nz it "was an amazing experience". The academy trained alongside the senior squad most days, so he came to know former Springbok Ruan Pienaar as well as Charles Piutau, Christian Leali'ifano and Sean Reidy. He found the game there more structured, with a heavy emphasis on attacking from set piece.

Setbacks and club rugby

Back in Wellington, the time in Ireland helped him into the Wellington squad in 2018 and 2019, and he had a taste of the Hurricanes in pre-season in 2019. Then a broken leg set him back. He said later that the injury tested him mentally as much as physically.

Club rugby kept him going. He joined Old Boys University, the Billy Goats, and won the Jubilee Cup in his first full season there, in 2020, in a side that included Caleb Delany, later a Hurricanes team-mate. OBU won the Swindale Shield in 2021, the year he also played for the Wellington development side. Around then he had brief talks with the new Dallas Jackals club about the 2021 Major League Rugby season, but the Jackals did not compete that year. "Professional rugby is not off the cards," he said in April 2022. By then he was playing fullback and first five-eighth for OBU.

The kick

Wellington named him in their squad for the 2024 NPC, and he took on the goal-kicking when he played. On 1 September 2024 against Canterbury at Rangiora Showground Oval in Rangiora he kicked four conversions and two penalties in a 46-21 win, and on 11 September 2024 against Otago at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin he added 12 points in a 32-28 win. In the semi-final against Waikato at Sky Stadium on 19 October 2024 he kicked three conversions and a penalty in a 29-24 win.

The final against Bay of Plenty a week later went 100 minutes, in wet, windy conditions. The sides were level at 20-20 after 80 minutes, and in the first period of extra time Wellington took off Jackson Garden-Bachop, who was playing his 100th game for the province, and sent on Harkin. Wellington won a scrum penalty 40 to 45 metres out, and Harkin landed it in the 93rd minute, around 30 seconds after he had come on, ClubRugby.nz reported. Bay of Plenty needed a try because Wellington had scored more tries, and the Lions held out. It was Harkin who kicked the ball out to end the game. 1News wrote that he had "emerged as the unlikely hero" of Wellington's sixth NPC title.

A Hurricane at 25

The Hurricanes did not sign him for 2025, but they brought him in as injury cover, and with injuries in the squad he was named at fullback for the opening round. On 14 February 2025 he made his Super Rugby debut at fullback against the Crusaders at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch. The club's team release noted that he "was not contracted at the start of the season". He kicked a penalty that night, though the Crusaders came back to win 33-25.

He started seven of his first nine Super Rugby games. His first Super Rugby try came on 19 April 2025 against the Force at HBF Park in Perth, in a 17-17 draw, and that June the Hurricanes re-signed him until the end of 2027. He was on the bench for the qualifying final against the Brumbies at GIO Stadium in Canberra on 7 June 2025, which the Brumbies won 35-28.

In the 2025 NPC he added tries to his kicking. He scored a hat-trick against Southland at Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua on 20 September 2025, a 75-19 win, and another try a week later against Taranaki at Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth on 27 September 2025.

Champions

When Cameron was hurt again early in 2026, Harkin moved to first five-eighth. ClubRugby.nz reported that he had run the game from No 10 for much of the 52-10 win over Moana Pasifika at Sky Stadium in Wellington on 20 February 2026, and on 28 February 2026 he made his first start there for the Hurricanes, against the Fijian Drua at Churchill Park in Lautoka, a 25-20 loss.

He played 15 Super Rugby games in 2026 and scored four tries. He crossed against the Force at McLean Park in Napier on 13 March 2026, a 31-23 win, and twice against the Blues at Hnry Stadium on 11 April 2026, a 42-19 win. On 9 May 2026 he kicked five conversions in a 50-17 win over Moana Pasifika at North Harbour Stadium in Albany.

The Hurricanes topped the table and won their qualifying final and semi-final at home. In the final against the Chiefs on 20 June 2026 he started at fullback, and in the 38th minute he scored the Hurricanes' fourth try of the night. It was his fifth Super Rugby try, in his 25th game, and his first against the Chiefs, ClubRugby.nz noted. He came off after 58 minutes.

Back with Wellington for the 2026 NPC, he scored against North Harbour at Hnry Stadium on 13 August 2026 and twice against Taranaki at Stadium Taranaki on 4 October 2026.

Style and standing

Harkin has played halfback, first five-eighth and fullback, and the Hurricanes use him in the last two. RugbyPass reported in June 2025 that Clark Laidlaw rated him as coachable, fast, a long kicker and a goal-kicker. By RUGBE's count he has 50 points in Super Rugby and 111 for Wellington.

Where he is now

The Hurricanes named Harkin in their 2027 squad on 28 October 2026, one of six outside backs with Josh Gray, Fehi Fineanganofo, Josh Moorby, Kini Naholo and Ngane Punivai, who is expected to miss the season with an Achilles injury. His contract runs to the end of 2027. He has not played a Test.

Career at a glance

Super Rugby games are ClubRugby.nz's count, which agrees with Wikipedia. Tries and points are RUGBE's tally from Wikipedia's match records and agree with ClubRugby.nz's figures (five tries and 50 points after the 2026 final) and its Wellington count to August 2026.