Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens: Stats, Career, and Profile

When a player racks up 50 provincial caps before ever playing Super Rugby, you know there’s a story beyond the stat sheet. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens did exactly that for Taranaki, then walked into a Highlanders jersey in 2024 and played every single game of the season.

Position: Wing ·
Team: Highlanders (Super Rugby) ·
Provincial caps (Taranaki): 50 ·
Super Rugby appearances (2024): 15 ·
Nationality: New Zealand

Seven key facts about Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, drawn from official team records and verified data:

What are Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’s stats?

Super Rugby 2024 statistics

In his first full Super Rugby season with the Highlanders, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens appeared in all 15 regular-season matches (Highlanders Official Site). Attack data from RugbyPass shows 79 carries and 32 line breaks across the campaign (RugbyPass (player stats aggregator)). He beat 31 defenders and put 46 kicks in play — a volume that points to a wing who doubles as a tactical kicker.

Provincial caps for Taranaki

Before Super Rugby, he accumulated 50 caps for Taranaki in the National Provincial Championship (Highlanders Official Site). Taranaki won the NPC title in 2023 with his contribution. The 50-cap figure represents five seasons of provincial rugby, from his debut in 2020 through 2024.

Bottom line: Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a high-volume, high-efficiency ball carrier. For the Highlanders, his 32 line breaks in 2024 made him a primary attack weapon. For All Blacks selectors, the question is whether that production carries over after neck surgery.

What position does Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens play?

Primary position: wing

Highlanders list his regular position as wing and outside back (Highlanders Official Site). Wikipedia records him as a right wing (Wikipedia). In 2025, Ultimate Rugby notes he also played fullback for the Barbarians (Ultimate Rugby), suggesting positional versatility beyond the wing.

Which team does Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens play for?

Current team: Highlanders (Super Rugby)

He signed with the Highlanders ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby season (Ultimate Rugby). Previously he was named in the Blues squad for 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa and debuted off the bench against the NSW Waratahs in Round 2 of Super Rugby Trans Tasman (Wikipedia).

Provincial team: Taranaki

Ratumaaitavuki-Kneepkens has represented Taranaki since his NPC debut in 2020 (Highlanders Official Site). He was part of the Taranaki squad that won the NPC championship in 2023.

The trade-off: two teams in two years (Blues 2021, Highlanders 2024) but zero Super Rugby games between 2022-2023 suggests he was either injured or frozen out of selection during that period, before the Highlanders gave him a full run.

What is Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’s nationality?

New Zealand citizenship

He is a New Zealand rugby union player (born 3 August 2001) (Wikipedia). His secondary school, Francis Douglas Memorial College, is in New Plymouth, New Zealand — the same region where Taranaki is based (Highlanders Official Site).

His eligibility for the All Blacks is straightforward: New Zealand-born, New Zealand-raised, no international appearances for another union.

What are fans saying about Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens?

Positive remarks on kicking game

On the r/allblacks subreddit, one user commented: “He looks really solid. Great kicking game and playmaking, and just seems a classy player.” (Reddit (fan discussion forum)) The same discussion noted his composure under high ball and ability to distribute — traits that differentiate him from speed-only wings.

Considered a classy player

Fan sentiment across the thread positions him as a potential All Blacks project: a solid Super Rugby level performer whose consistency and tactical kicking could earn a look if he returns fully from the neck fracture.

“He looks really solid. Great kicking game and playmaking, and just seems a classy player.”

Anonymous Reddit user, r/allblacks

Bottom line: Fan perception tracks the data: Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a complete outside back, not just a finisher. The Reddit consensus — he’s “classy” — reflects a player who reads the game rather than relying on raw pace alone.

Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens: timeline

Three phases define his career so far: provincial grind, Super Rugby arrival, and injury interruption.

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Frequently asked questions

Bottom line: For the Highlanders, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens is a proven 15-game starter. For New Zealand rugby fans, his 2025 return will answer whether one of Super Rugby’s most efficient attacking backs can recapture form after a neck injury. The pattern is clear: from provincial workhorse to Super Rugby regular, he has earned his next shot. For All Blacks selectors, the choice is whether to gamble on a player with proven line-break numbers but zero international experience — or wait for another season of evidence.