Isi Tuʻungafasi is back playing for Grammar TEC
@Tim said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
Apparently 2024 hooker Millennium Sanerivi played number 8 for College Rifles this weekend.
Was his position at high school funnily enough.
@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
@Tim said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
Apparently 2024 hooker Millennium Sanerivi played number 8 for College Rifles this weekend.
Was his position at high school funnily enough.
He often played openside for Taranaki.
Some of the ABs were water-boys for the Marist-Varsity game.
@Bovidae said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
@Tim said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
Apparently 2024 hooker Millennium Sanerivi played number 8 for College Rifles this weekend.
Was his position at high school funnily enough.
He often played openside for Taranaki.
Some of the ABs were water-boys for the Marist-Varsity game.
Had a good laugh at Rieko being at the Marist game when he and his family are staunch Ponsonby people lol.
@African-Monkey said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
Had a good laugh at Rieko being at the Marist game when he and his family are staunch Ponsonby people lol.
Yeah that was funny. Beauden was with Uni and not Marist IIRC.
7 days later
Could it be that young HB Lock Tom Allen is training with Auckland for this season? He was tagged by someone in this post on Auckland's IG -
Could this be him?
@Daffy-Jaffy said in NPC 2025:
Could it be that young HB Lock Tom Allen is training with Auckland for this season? He was tagged by someone in this post on Auckland's IG -
Could this be him?
That could be his twin brother.
Auckland have signed NZ Under 20 lock Tom Allen from Hawkes Bay
Possibly a trade situation with Zarn Sullivan heading back to the bay
Ponsonby lock Junior Ahokovi i believe is also signed
Varsity lock Tyson Lowry has been signed by Auckland on a PUD contract very much about size although there are question marks about his physicality
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
Adrian Choat also still part of the Auckland squad
Visa issue i am hearing
@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2025:
NZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
That suggests he might be coming back to the Blues too after his Highlanders contract expires?
@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2025:
Auckland have signed NZ Under 20 lock Tom Allen from Hawkes Bay
Possibly a trade situation with Zarn Sullivan heading back to the bay
Ponsonby lock Junior Ahokovi i believe is also signed
Varsity lock Tyson Lowry has been signed by Auckland on a PUD contract very much about size although there are question marks about his physicalityNZ U20 lock Josh Tengbald has also signed with Auckland but for the 2027 season , will be linking up with the Highlanders for 2026
Adrian Choat also still part of the Auckland squad
Visa issue i am hearing ( something to do with a scrape with the law a couple of years ago )
You've also got Tai Cribb coming your way as well.
Interesting Tongblad has made such a long-term decision around his provincial future. Just hope that it is dividing his time between Auckland for NPC and the Landers for Super. A locking combo of him and Holland has a lot of potential. Would be disappointing if he is lost after one year. I've got no issue with players spending their development years in Dunedin, locking them in for Super and going back to their provincial unions for NPC. It is a development comp. If he is good enough, he will be a potential AB anyway. I'd much rather see the Landers win than the focus primarily being on Otago. Both winning would be great. With the mix of players from around the country and coaching talent, we have a better chance of being a successful Super side than an NPC team. The region needs to prioritise.
@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2025:
@Duluth be interesting to track his progress at the Highlanders could do with another 10 to 15kgs on his frame
would make a good combo with Behree at Npc level
..and if he does go to the Blues he'd be ready to step up about the time Tuipulotu finishes up
The length of his Highlanders contract will be a pointer. I doubt we'd want to sign a development player to a one year deal, to have him leave the year later. The people I have spoken to seemed to have indicated he was part of the long-term future for the Landers.
With the squad due out soon i made a list of players that will be certainties or contenders for the npc squad, from monitoring training footage on the gram (plus oil, rumors and guesses) -
H:
Soane vikena
Mills Sanerivi
Nathaniel Pole
LP:
Joshua Fusitu’a
Ben Ake
Tito Tuipulotu
Sika Pole
Oscar Cowley-Andrea
TP:
Angus Ta’avao
Sione Ahio
Hamdahn Tuipulotu
Maliu Niuafe
Robson Faleafa
L:
Josh Beehre
Tom Allen
Tai Cribb
Junior Ahokovi
LF:
Adrian Choat
Anton Segner
Che Clark
Kitiona Vai
Sam Hainsworth-Fa'aofo
Ola Tauelangi
Caleb Woodley
Aio Keith
Gage Jackson
Randell Baker
HB:
Taufa Funaki
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
James Arscott
Luke Aiken
Chris Vunipola
FH:
Stephen Perofeta
Rico Simpson
Alex Harford
MF:
Xavi Taele
AJ Lam
Tanielu Tele'a
Leo Gordan
Jarrel Tuaimalo-Vaega
W:
Caleb Tangitau
Codi Vai
Xavier Tito-Harris
King Maxwell
Haryln Saunoa
FB:
Payton Spencer
Cohan Norris
Adam Morrison
Any I missed?
@brodean said in Auckland Rugby 2025:
Stephen Perofeta has left Taranaki?
Yeah it was announced midway through SR. Wanted to be in Auckland for family reasons
We might see a Caleb on both wings at some stage. Depending on how long Clarke is injured and if he needs game time
@Daffy-Jaffy King Maxwell was offered to Harbour as a loan player but Habour declined the player they wanted was Haryln Saunoa I have heard he’s got a contract in from of him from Auckland