NPC 2026

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:

Hearing last years Liston College college midfielder Jonathon Simote could be signed to a full contract to Harbour
Simote was selected for the Blues U18 team last year but did his ACL against in R7 against Kings
Doing his rehab through Harbour atm
This kid is special ,110kgs 5’10 has pace power in spades completely destroyed every backline in the A1 comp before his injury
If this lad gets on the field Super franchies will falling over themselves to sign him
Every rugby pundit to whom i have spoken to that are very good judges of the game that has seen him play just shakes their head in disbelief
Hope the Blues are all over this kid

So almost certain not to play for the Blues then…

Hearing NZ U20 tight prop Riley Tofilau has been signed by North Harbour
Awesome young man who worked part time for our company 2 years ago
Scrums well ,carries and ball skills are superb fitness will be his main work on

Nui Muriwai gets around (Waikato->Wellington->NH). I wonder if this points to being part of the Blues?

Bailyn Sullivan confirmed as coming home this year (which obviously explains him being on the outer at the Canes the last 2 weeks ).

Hope the Magpies name some other players soon as the team has been depleted this year.

@Steven-Harris He was in Harbour's squad last year, but he didn't play a game.

So Waikato won't have either of their main midfield backs from last season (G Wrampling, B Sullivan). We might get the use of ALB but otherwise it will be the young guns (Aki Tuivailala and Austin Anderson). Tuivailala being listed as out with concussion for most of the SR season is a concern. Depending on who is at 1st 5, D'Angelo Leuila might spend more time at 2nd 5. Sam Vaka is playing Waikato club rugby so there might be more to that. We'll see who plays HKC next week.

@UpTheHarbs up until 2 weeks ago he was on PUD but thankfully Harbour have come round , only know this because I tried to get him to the Taniwha

Darby Lancaster has been picked up by Hawkes Bay for the 2026 Npc season is what got passed on to me
No teams in the Blues franchise could fit him in

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:

Darby Lancaster has been picked up by Hawkes Bay for the 2026 Npc season is what got passed on to me
No teams in the Blues franchise could fit him in

Bah, we don't have a great history with Aussie imports, they're generally shit, or really shit.

I watched a Waikato club game on the weekend and noted that Dan Hollinshead is playing for Morrinsville Sports. I had seen his name on their team list, so he could be another option at 1st 5 if he is now based in the Waikato. Some players looked to have been pulled from club duty for the Waikato XV game midweek.

Waikato RU is acknowledging Taha Kemara's selection for the Māori so that suggests he isn't joining Ta$man.

Saw on the Drua social media that Isaac Fines-Leleiwasa has signed for Auckland?

Moana Pacifica Winger/Fullback Glen Vaihu is a superb pick up for the Southland Stags , they guy has sic footwork and his acceleration over the first 15 metres is out the gate
May also be another option for the Highlanders if he has great season

Article from the Southland Tribune about the Vaihu signing.

Reads like he was an easy pick up, wanting to play with his MP mates.

@SouthernMann Southland are on a spree this week. They’ve just announced the signings of Josh Augustine and Charlie Marsh. Nice to see Augustine bounce back from a nasty run of injuries.

Great to see a few a few Moana Boys picking up Npc gigs
Joel Lam Otago
Glenn Vaihu Southland
Millennium Saniveri i would imagine would be back at Auckland ?
Miracle Fai’ilagi
Patrick Pelligrini
Israel Leota

Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa back to Southland
Ale Aho back to Southland
Allan Craig back to Northland
Chris Apoua back to Northland although that may change
Solomon Alaimalo back to Northland

Faletoi Peni heading to France

Not to sure about these players if the are returning to their respective unions

Counties Manukau
JImmy Tupou
Tevita Ofa
Jonathan Taumateine

Wellington Lions
Dominic Ropeti
JGB

Ta$man Mako
WIlliam Havilli

Canterbury
Tevita Latu

Bop
Lalamilo Lalamilo

Unsure about these players
Nngani Laumape
Julian Savea
Tito Tuipulotu

Any word on any of these players ?

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:

Millennium Saniveri i would imagine would be back at Auckland ?

Jimmy Tupou, Tevita Ofa, Augy Pulu, have had a few club games in Counties. A couple of the Moli brothers have had games for Karaka during the season. Atu Moli would be a good get for Counties. Some of these players will be busy with Tonga.

Former Taranaki player AJ Lemalu is playing for East Coast Bays in North Harbour club rugby.

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:

Miracle Fai’ilagi

IIRC he signed until the end of 2026 with the Magpies.

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:

Unsure about these players
Nngani Laumape
Julian Savea
Tito Tuipulotu

Any word on any of these players ?

Funnily enough I was having a discussion about Laumape today. He is returning for Manawatu this season. He had operations on both of his knees but sounds like he will be ok for NPC. He is hoping to pick up a gig in France.

Some new faces, and a few backing up from Sat club rugby in the squad to play Hong Kong China. Liam Anderson is the captain of Fraser Tech, only 21.

Only selected from club rugby which explains why some current non-SR Waikato reps aren't included.

@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:

Great to see a few a few Moana Boys picking up Npc gigs
Joel Lam Otago
Glenn Vaihu Southland
Millennium Saniveri i would imagine would be back at Auckland ?
Miracle Fai’ilagi
Patrick Pelligrini
Israel Leota

Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa back to Southland
Ale Aho back to Southland
Allan Craig back to Northland
Chris Apoua back to Northland although that may change
Solomon Alaimalo back to Northland

Faletoi Peni heading to France

Not to sure about these players if the are returning to their respective unions

Counties Manukau
JImmy Tupou
Tevita Ofa
Jonathan Taumateine

Wellington Lions
Dominic Ropeti
JGB

Ta$man Mako
WIlliam Havilli

Canterbury
Tevita Latu

Bop
Lalamilo Lalamilo

Unsure about these players
Nngani Laumape
Julian Savea
Tito Tuipulotu

Any word on any of these players ?

I think Lalomilo Lalomilo has gone to France. @bones can you confirm?

@African-Monkey all I'll say is I'm moving tomorrow.

Jai Tamati is gone for the season after a knee cartilage injury in Manawatū club game requiring surgery.

@Bovidae said in NPC 2026:

Jai Tamati is gone for the season after a knee cartilage injury in Manawatū club game requiring surgery.

Yeah, he was on crutches at the final on Saturday night.

Sounds like the Canes have signed him for 2027 though. Would have been nice to see him in action more but that's rugby.

I went along to watch the Waikato XV-Hong Kong China game. Thankfully the rain stopped for most of the game. A decent enough spectacle although the floodlights aren't great so catching the ball was often a lottery when kicked high. Waikato scored 4 tries to 3 but HKC got a 79th min penalty to win 24-22. Given very few of the Waikato XV team will be anywhere near the NPC squad I think coach Leon Holden will be happy enough. Wearing the New Balance kit too, which doesn't look much different to previous years in style.

Israel Leota signing for Harbour:

@UpTheHarbs Leota is an awesome pick up

@Bovidae said in NPC 2026:

Jai Tamati is gone for the season after a knee cartilage injury in Manawatū club game requiring surgery.

Bugger, I really liked the look of this boy. Reckon he got higher ceiling than Viljoen.

@Dan54 said in NPC 2026:

@Bovidae said in NPC 2026:

Jai Tamati is gone for the season after a knee cartilage injury in Manawatū club game requiring surgery.

Bugger, I really liked the look of this boy. Reckon he got higher ceiling than Viljoen.

There's word he's signed for the Canes and Viljoen could be on the way out. But will find out eventually.

Miracle is heading to Division 2 Japan

@Dancefloor said in NPC 2026:

Miracle is heading to Division 2 Japan

That's annoying from a Magpies point of view as he was listed as signed until the end of 2026 when he joined last year. Confirmed by him not being included in the returning Magpies on their instagram today.

It was posted a while ago but sad Muriwai is leaving Wellington was really good when he was here with Preston in the Abs squad going to test our depth or lack of it

@mikey07 said in NPC 2026:

It was posted a while ago but sad Muriwai is leaving Wellington was really good when he was here with Preston in the Abs squad going to test our depth or lack of it

Where is he off to?

@WoodysRFC Harbour. I still think he might be one of the Blues halfbacks if they all leave.

@Bovidae said in NPC 2026:

@WoodysRFC Harbour. I still think he might be one of the Blues halfbacks if they all leave.

Seems like that's the case too, what a turnover of players.