Hastie heading to Force

Departing Highlanders halfback Nathan Hastie passes the ball against the Brumbies this season. Photo: Getty Images

The talented halfback is heading home — he was born in Perth — and will join the Western Force for the 2026 Super Rugby season after he has completed an NPC campaign with Otago.

It could be a case of perfect timing for Hastie.

While the Force have Nic White as their regular No 9, the former Wallaby has just turned 35.

It might not be in the realms of fantasy to picture 24-year-old Hastie shining with a chance to play regularly in Super Rugby and knocking on the door of Australian selection at some stage.

He will join Tom Donnelly, the former Otago coach and Highlanders assistant, at the Force.

Hastie fans will be disappointed to see the combative halfback depart.

The King’s High School old boy and Harbour club representative had to be patient to really get his chance for the Highlanders thanks to a combination of niggling injuries and the presence of Aaron Smith and Folau Fakatava.

That chance came this year, when he earned seven starts and was in outstanding form, playing with real spark and showing a willingness to trust his instinct and run with the ball.

It came as something of a surprise when he then missed several match-day squads.

The Highlanders, to be fair, appear loaded at halfback.

Former All Black Fakatava recently signed a new deal, and pretty much everyone expects rising New Zealand under-20 star Dylan Pledger to graduate to a full contract.

That presumably means Taranaki’s Adam Lennox, who was in the wider squad this year and played several games, will be contracted as the third Highlanders halfback.

Hastie, an Otago Daily Times Class Act recipient in 2019, finished with just 12 caps (one try) for the Highlanders, and he will add to his 16 caps for Otago when the NPC starts this weekend.