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
@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$man.
Article from the Southland Tribune about the Vaihu signing.
Reads like he was an easy pick up, wanting to play with his MP mates.
@SouthernMann Southland are on a spree this week. They’ve just announced the signings of Josh Augustine and Charlie Marsh. Nice to see Augustine bounce back from a nasty run of injuries.
Great to see a few a few Moana Boys picking up Npc gigs
Joel Lam Otago
Glenn Vaihu Southland
Millennium Saniveri i would imagine would be back at Auckland ?
Miracle Fai’ilagi
Patrick Pelligrini
Israel Leota
Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa back to Southland
Ale Aho back to Southland
Allan Craig back to Northland
Chris Apoua back to Northland although that may change
Solomon Alaimalo back to Northland
Faletoi Peni heading to France
Not to sure about these players if the are returning to their respective unions
Counties Manukau
JImmy Tupou
Tevita Ofa
Jonathan Taumateine
Wellington Lions
Dominic Ropeti
JGB
Ta$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 ?
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 TuipulotuAny 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 LeotaSemisi 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 NorthlandFaletoi 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 TaumateineWellington Lions
Dominic Ropeti
JGBTa$man Mako
WIlliam HavilliCanterbury
Tevita LatuBop
Lalamilo LalamiloUnsure about these players
Nngani Laumape
Julian Savea
Tito TuipulotuAny 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.
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
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.
@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.
@WoodysRFC Harbour. I still think he might be one of the Blues halfbacks if they all leave.
@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.
@SouthernMann it does seems like a colossal fuck up by the Highlanders not to have the bloke playing somewhere in the region. Especially with Southland bringing in a journeyman from the Reds to fill the exact gap Ainsley would have plugged.
@handa457 Ainsley came back to NZ unexpectedly.
He had signed with Saracens after his stint in France but came back to NZ for personal reasons and had an ongoing back issue which helped him get out of the contract.
In Otago and Southlands defense, they likely had their props sorted long before Ainsley was available. It’s just unfortunate and Canterburys gain.
@Landers92 No it is legit. Why play Npc if you are going back to the Nrl?
@SouthernMann it does seems like a colossal fuck up by the Highlanders not to have the bloke playing somewhere in the region. Especially with Southland bringing in a journeyman from the Reds to fill the exact gap Ainsley would have plugged.
I disagree. It is not the Highlanders job to recruit players for Otago and Southland. It is the Highlanders job to get the best players for the Highlanders.
As @landers92 mentions the teams would have had their squads pretty well confirmed.
In an ideal world he would have stayed within region. The Highlanders just need to have him playing.
I'm just a bit sour on it, as the Canterbury team will be stacked for the Shield Challenge.
