2026 Northland Taniwha Npc squad
32 x players confirmed
Just one to be confirmed
Preseason game 24/07/2026
v North Harbour
Wellsford 2pm
Jordon Trainor
Brady Rush
James Raam (unavailable until R4)
Nathan Salmon
Hudson Creighton
Heremaia Murray
Ruben Stewart
GIOVANNI LEITUALA ? ??????
(Awaiting confirmation)
Corey Evans ( possibly R2 or R3 return from injury )
Resaan Pasitoa
(possibly R2 or R3 return from injury )
Rivez Reihana
Jade Stewart
Sam Nock
Josh Renton
Zion Going
Forwards
Simon Parker
Grady Forbes
(Still unconfirmed if he’s on a full contract ,if Parker goes to South Africa Forbes becomes fully contracted I have been lead to believe )
Rob Rush
Lachlan Hooper
Terrell Peita
Zak Shanks
Sam Caird
Allen Craig
Josh Goodhue
Marcel Renata (TH)
Junior Fifita (TH)
Dan Botha ((TH)
Eslie Fono (LH)
Ollie Ryan (LH)
Riki Heremaia (LH)
James Mullan
Jordon Hutchings
Heath McEwan
@Steven-Harris given only 3 locks, have to think Forbes should absolutely be on a full contract, given only 6 loosies to start with, 1 likely to go to SA and Hooper spent time at lock last year as well, where id wager he will get chances again this year.
Where has Giovanni been playing? NRU seriously have issues with selections and no trust with local players
Looks like hes a fullback, a single cap with Otago in 2020...
@Steven-Harris geez Giovanni Lietuia that’s a blast from the past: I remember he was tipped for big things many years back, and then vanished from my radar.
What’s the scoop on his journey since then?
@Canes4life Solomona has been a star for Wainui in club rugby this season.
Waikato will have a Japanese player too - a halfback from Kobe.
Waikato Rugby is delighted to announce the signing of Japanese international scrum-half Daiki Nakajima, who will join the province for the 2026 Hilux NPC season.
Assuming Roe will play a final season of NPC before leaving for Sale, Nakajima will be the third halfback in the squad (excluding Ratima) along with Rui Farrant.
Waikato will have a Japanese player too - a halfback from Kobe.
Waikato Rugby is delighted to announce the signing of Japanese international scrum-half Daiki Nakajima, who will join the province for the 2026 Hilux NPC season.
Assuming Roe will play a final season of NPC before leaving for Sale, Nakajima will be the third halfback in the squad (excluding Ratima) along with Rui Farrant.
I find it odd that Japanese players get a gig here during the NPC but Japanese based former Wellington players like Perenara, Ieremia, TJay Clarke etc for example can't come back?
Has a deal been done between NZ Rugby and Japan Rugby, why are there so many Japanese players taking up spots in our provincial teams, it seems wrong?
@Yeetyaah I've been thinking about a possible Waikato squad. Leuila could also play 2nd 5, as he has before. Otherwise it would be a Anderson/Tuivailala midfield. With Moorby in the ABs and no LCF I would now expect that Cook-Savage starts at fullback. There could be a few from club rugby that are promoted.
@Canes4life said in NPC 2026:
Waikato will have a Japanese player too - a halfback from Kobe.
Waikato Rugby is delighted to announce the signing of Japanese international scrum-half Daiki Nakajima, who will join the province for the 2026 Hilux NPC season.
Assuming Roe will play a final season of NPC before leaving for Sale, Nakajima will be the third halfback in the squad (excluding Ratima) along with Rui Farrant.
I find it odd that Japanese players get a gig here during the NPC but Japanese based former Wellington players like Perenara, Ieremia, TJay Clarke etc for example can't come back?
Has a deal been done between NZ Rugby and Japan Rugby, why are there so many Japanese players taking up spots in our provincial teams, it seems wrong?
Without doing any research whatsoever - arent the guys we recieve typically younger development players? The Japanese clubs may be happy for these guys to go away and get some experience, while preferring to keep their expensive stars on ice. Wonder if they contribute to salarys for these guys
@DurryMexted said in NPC 2026:
@Canes4life said in NPC 2026:
Waikato will have a Japanese player too - a halfback from Kobe.
Waikato Rugby is delighted to announce the signing of Japanese international scrum-half Daiki Nakajima, who will join the province for the 2026 Hilux NPC season.
Assuming Roe will play a final season of NPC before leaving for Sale, Nakajima will be the third halfback in the squad (excluding Ratima) along with Rui Farrant.
I find it odd that Japanese players get a gig here during the NPC but Japanese based former Wellington players like Perenara, Ieremia, TJay Clarke etc for example can't come back?
Has a deal been done between NZ Rugby and Japan Rugby, why are there so many Japanese players taking up spots in our provincial teams, it seems wrong?
Without doing any research whatsoever - arent the guys we recieve typically younger development players? The Japanese clubs may be happy for these guys to go away and get some experience, while preferring to keep their expensive stars on ice. Wonder if they contribute to salarys for these guys
Exactly this. There's no benefit to the Japanese clubs for their top players that will play week in and week out also getting development minutes in the NPC.
@DurryMexted said in NPC 2026:
@Canes4life said in NPC 2026:
Waikato will have a Japanese player too - a halfback from Kobe.
Waikato Rugby is delighted to announce the signing of Japanese international scrum-half Daiki Nakajima, who will join the province for the 2026 Hilux NPC season.
Assuming Roe will play a final season of NPC before leaving for Sale, Nakajima will be the third halfback in the squad (excluding Ratima) along with Rui Farrant.
I find it odd that Japanese players get a gig here during the NPC but Japanese based former Wellington players like Perenara, Ieremia, TJay Clarke etc for example can't come back?
Has a deal been done between NZ Rugby and Japan Rugby, why are there so many Japanese players taking up spots in our provincial teams, it seems wrong?
Without doing any research whatsoever - arent the guys we recieve typically younger development players? The Japanese clubs may be happy for these guys to go away and get some experience, while preferring to keep their expensive stars on ice. Wonder if they contribute to salarys for these guys
Exactly this. There's no benefit to the Japanese clubs for their top players that will play week in and week out also getting development minutes in the NPC.
There must be a reason we take them on though, because i dont recall many of these guys playing many games. Think Wellington had a halfway decent prop one year but otherwise they tend to be squaddies at best. You'd think they would be preferring to develop NZ based players, so there might be a financial relief function where the Japanese club is still paying them?
Some PUs have relationships with Japanese clubs where they have player exchanges and coaching clinics in Japan. Kobe is obviously Rennie's now-former club, and the new Waikato coach was a coach in Japan himself.
Daiki Nakajima isn't young (30) and was the reserve halfback for Kobe. I can understand this decision if Roe won't be around for the full NPC, and the other more experienced halfback (Marsh) from last year isn't there either. In fact, two other recent Waikato squad halfbacks are now in the NH and Taranaki squads. Farrant is a good young halfback.
Voting is open for this:
@UpTheHarbs Obviously the social media person is too young to remember that, because I do.
Good to see the NZ U20 players in there. Naitokani is one of the club players I thought would be a chance given he played for the Waikato XV against HKC. Will need another hooker in the squad.
No Tepaea Cook-Savage though?
Not many outside backs there.
Yeah, especially with no TCS, LCF, and with Moorby in the ABs. Sinkinson probably plays at fullback now with Tuivailala on the wing. They might need to add a couple of extra players (e.g., Zac Carr, Kurtis Hana).
Is Mathis considered a flanker or a winger ....or both still ?
Good question. As M Jacobson is the captain Mathis won't be starting at 7, and Brown would play ahead of him too. Loose forward is a position of strength as there are a couple of other quality loosies who can't even make the squad. More likely on the wing then.
Not many outside backs there.
Yeah, especially with no TCS, LCF, and with Moorby in the ABs. Sinkinson probably plays at fullback now with Tuivailala on the wing. They might need to add a couple of extra players (e.g., Zac Carr, Kurtis Hana).
Is Mathis considered a flanker or a winger ....or both still ?
Good question. As M Jacobson is the captain Mathis won't be starting at 7, and Brown would play ahead of him too. Loose forward is a position of strength as there are a couple of other quality loosies who can't even make the squad. More likely on the wing then.
Mathis has spoken about putting his wing days behind him, spent this year adding weight for the loose forwards.
@WoodysRFC said in NPC 2026:
Mathis has spoken about putting his wing days behind him, spent this year adding weight for the loose forwards.
I'll be intrigued to see what he looks like now. He looked good when playing 7 previously, but as I say, the captain will be playing in the same position. Maybe a super-sub.
Edit: he does definitely look bigger.
Salabiau and Lewai are both options on the wing.
They could also call up Ollie Guerin from the nz u20s. Fullback Dallas Rata Makene looked good at the under 20s trials also
Guerin will be in the Waikato U20s, or perhaps the Waikato Development team (Harlequins), but a possibility. Unfortunately when I saw Dallas Rata-Makene at his club game a month or so ago he had a knee brace on. So that suggests a serious injury and would explain why his name disappeared from the NZ U20 standby player list for the JWC.
Razors son Macklan Robertson is on the bench for Canterburys pre season v Ta$man tomorrow,He has had a very good Club season.
