@ Steven-Harris said in Auckland Rugby 2026 : Hawkes Bay and Southland going for local club which is great to see Both PUs have selected Aust SR players, which although might strengthen their squads, it will be at the expense of local club players.
In its current form NZR should stipulate that the competition is for NZ club players and NZ eligible SR players.
@SouthernMann said in NPC 2026:
It is all swings and roundabouts. If this Southland team wins. No one will care. Id rhey don't. Plenty will scream about bloody imports.
It’s very similar up North there will a lot angst among the locals about imports which is fair because some of the imports that we have bought in over the last decade have been awful, possibly the odd one has worked out but in the main it’s been a poke in the face to some locals have that have done everything asked of them in and around S and C and attending HP and have still missed out
On the other side of it we have missed some players because they wouldn’t commit to S & C and HP
Hence coaches starting looking elsewhere
Rough guess at the top Otago side for the comp. Just with @steven-harris saying that we will be stacked! I think Pledger wil twke some tiles out of the stack. Joel Lam will add some talent at nine though. Better than having to rely on someone like Kiern McLea (even with how well he is playing in club).
Lopas
Coltman/Bell
Ma'u
Timani
Stodart
Haig
Casey
Lio-Willie
Lam
Millar/Pellegrini
Nareki
Te Hiwi
Whaanga
Broomfield
Hurley
Coltman/Bell 17. Wingham 18. Takataka 19. Harry Irving 20. ??? 21. McLea 22. Millar/Pellegrini 23. Timu
A bit short in the lineout. Should hold its own again well.
@SouthernMann that’s a solid team I would imagine Holland will need a couple of games to get back to speed
Timani was a sensational pick up last year might have been a better option than the Argie for the landers
@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:
@SouthernMann said in NPC 2026:
It is all swings and roundabouts. If this Southland team wins. No one will care. Id rhey don't. Plenty will scream about bloody imports.
It’s very similar up North there will a lot angst among the locals about imports which is fair because some of the imports that we have bought in over the last decade have been awful, possibly the odd one has worked out but in the main it’s been a poke in the face to some locals have that have done everything asked of them in and around S and C and attending HP and have still missed out
On the other side of it we have missed some players because they wouldn’t commit to S & C and HP
Hence coaches starting looking elsewhere
I have been reasonably impressed with Southland's imports this year. Vaihu, Denzel Samoa, Haloholo and the Tahs loosehead prop are all very astute additions.
@SouthernMann Vaihu is a superb pick up , I tried to push him up north through a contact at Moana but that’s a chat for another day
@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:
@SouthernMann that’s a solid team I would imagine Holland will need a couple of games to get back to speed
Timani was a sensational pick up last year might have been a better option than the Argie for the landers
The big thing for mw with the NPC is I want to see guys get an opportunity. It is why I'd prefer Timu sits on the bench instead of having a mortgage on the 13 jersey.
It is the same with your Auckland/Northland guys. Take risks on guys and allow them to show what they have to offer.
@Steven-Harris Holland only available for the Shield game.
I’m guessing the SA Squad must leave at the end of July.
@Steven-Harris said in NPC 2026:
The likes of Ta$man, Taranaki ,Canterbury and Otago I would imagine are gonna be stacked unfortunately there’s lack of trust in and around local club players which is unfortunate but I very much understand from a coaches point of view
I think Taranaki have got the locals/imports (NZ and OS) thing just right
and have done so for a long time
they have a good local core, and dont really get any advantage from their chiefs/hurricanes tie-ins
then all the "foreigners" they bring in seem to be hits
great talent id by them
same with the coaching staff too
If previous seasons are any indication Waikato will name their squad at the very last opportunity. I expect the majority of the 2025 squad to be back (minus the known departed players), and my interest will be in which locks and midfield backs will be chosen. With B Sullivan going home, G Wrampling in Japan, and Tupaea and ALB in the ABs, there will have to be a couple of new faces.
I assume there will be some preseason games this Fri and Sat.
If previous seasons are any indication Waikato will name their squad at the very last opportunity. I expect the majority of the 2025 squad to be back (minus the known departed players), and my interest will be in which locks and midfield backs will be chosen. With B Sullivan going home, G Wrampling in Japan, and Tupaea and ALB in the ABs, there will have to be a couple of new faces.
I assume there will be some preseason games this Fri and Sat.
Might be off by a week but didn't Waikato officially name their full squad after their first match last year?
Southland Tribune has written player profiles for the full Stags playing group.
Yeah, I knew Balme was at Marist, I hadn't seen McQuoid in Pukekohe's team sheets. Both have family links to the region. It's good to see my prediction that Atu Moli being named came true. I don't know where Keran Van Staden is.
McQuoid is usually the Hautapu backup hooker so with Pita Anae-Ah Sue with Samoa both should feature in the final this Sat. McQuoid played a few games late in the season for Counties last year IIRC. Balme is a solid lock and I was surprised he wasn't used when Waikato lost most of their locks due to injury so early in the NPC..
Southland side for pre-season clash against Otago on Friday. I have a feeling the backline is a first five away from being the top line up
@BellsGeorg said in NPC 2026:
Canterbury squad has been sent out a day early, via email. No real surprises.
Did they send the email in 2006, because that's what the pic definition seems like. 
@BellsGeorg said in NPC 2026:
Canterbury squad has been sent out a day early, via email. No real surprises.
Did they send the email in 2006, because that's what the pic definition seems like.
They spent all that money on the rebrand, gotta save money on their internet. I tried to up the resolution but it made the file too big to post lol, my bad!
@BellsGeorg said in NPC 2026:
Considering the importance of some of the dudes that have left— this is still a bloody good squad. Embarrassment of riches at 10.
The issue is the Canes want us to play the two on the outside, but the best one is the guy in the middle. It took an injury for us to sort that out last year.
We're also lucky that we're getting a final comp out of some of our leavers too. Flanders the big loss but we still have some talent in the loosies.
2026 NPC Tips
QFs
Northland beat Canterbury
Hawkes Bay beat Auckland
Otago beat Taranaki
Bay of Plenty beat Ta$man
Hawkes Bay beat Northland
Bay of Plenty beat Otago
Hawkes Bay beat Bay of Plenty
Canterbury rightfully the clubhouse favourites, but can’t help but feel they are going to be built around Mo’unga so how they adjust to playing without him will be key.
Ta$man look good - wonder whether they might be left short in the pack by the time the ABs and injuries get involved
Hawkes Bay have a nice draw and should be settled
Otago might well have the best pack, which will take them reasonably far provided they are not ravaged by injuries
Don’t discount Taranaki… no Barnes may sting them though
Auckland will be much improved I think. They look more settled this year than last
BOP always there or thereabouts, and by the EOYT, they could be left with one of the stronger squads
Can’t really see any of the other sides doing anything other than playing spoiler.
Otago will hold the shield right through… (I have them losing to HB & Counties)
2026 NPC Tips
- Canterbury
- Hawke’s Bay
- Otago
- Ta$man
- Bay of Plenty
- Taranaki
- Auckland
- Northland
- Waikato
- Wellington
- Counties Manukau
- Southland
- Manawatu
- Harbour
QFs
Northland beat Canterbury
Hawkes Bay beat Auckland
Otago beat Taranaki
Bay of Plenty beat Ta$manHawkes Bay beat Northland
Bay of Plenty beat OtagoHawkes Bay beat Bay of Plenty
Canterbury rightfully the clubhouse favourites, but can’t help but feel they are going to be built around Mo’unga so how they adjust to playing without him will be key.
Ta$man look good - wonder whether they might be left short in the pack by the time the ABs and injuries get involved
Hawkes Bay have a nice draw and should be settled
Otago might well have the best pack, which will take them reasonably far provided they are not ravaged by injuries
Don’t discount Taranaki… no Barnes may sting them though
Auckland will be much improved I think. They look more settled this year than last
BOP always there or thereabouts, and by the EOYT, they could be left with one of the stronger squads
Can’t really see any of the other sides doing anything other than playing spoiler.
Otago will hold the shield right through… (I have them losing to HB & Counties)
Not bad tips as Wellington and Waikato will be severely hamstrung by having so many All Blacks unavailable.
I can’t really see Hawkes Bay going that well, they’ve just lost Walker-Leawere, Flanders, Rakete-Stones and a number of others I can’t think of right now. Those three in particular have been essential to the Bay setup for a long time.
I think Ta$man’s success will come down to how many players are picked for the South African tour. If not many are selected then they’ll be massive favourites.
Taranaki should also be higher in my view.
2026 NPC Tips
- Canterbury
- Hawke’s Bay
- Otago
- Ta$man
- Bay of Plenty
- Taranaki
- Auckland
- Northland
- Waikato
- Wellington
- Counties Manukau
- Southland
- Manawatu
- Harbour
QFs
Northland beat Canterbury
Hawkes Bay beat Auckland
Otago beat Taranaki
Bay of Plenty beat Ta$manHawkes Bay beat Northland
Bay of Plenty beat OtagoHawkes Bay beat Bay of Plenty
Canterbury rightfully the clubhouse favourites, but can’t help but feel they are going to be built around Mo’unga so how they adjust to playing without him will be key.
Ta$man look good - wonder whether they might be left short in the pack by the time the ABs and injuries get involved
Hawkes Bay have a nice draw and should be settled
Otago might well have the best pack, which will take them reasonably far provided they are not ravaged by injuries
Don’t discount Taranaki… no Barnes may sting them though
Auckland will be much improved I think. They look more settled this year than last
BOP always there or thereabouts, and by the EOYT, they could be left with one of the stronger squads
Can’t really see any of the other sides doing anything other than playing spoiler.
Otago will hold the shield right through… (I have them losing to HB & Counties)
One of the things I like about the NPC, especially these days, is that any team can have a good year. So while I 100% back your predictions 
I wouldn't be surprised if it was 4 completely different teams in the finals.
Looking at the squads announced so far, it seems that the players signed for Japan are less likely to play NPC than those going to Europe.
@bayimports I see that Palmer has come back to BOP from Otago.
Someone asked about the naming of the Waikato squad on the Mooloo FB page. Next Tuesday (July 21) after the club final this Saturday.
