@steven-harris on Rory Woods, I’m surprised he’s picked Manawatu as they’ve already got Howden, Iose and Bason. Better bet would have been to sign with Welly as they’ve lost their loosies to the ABs.
@Canes4life maybe Manawatu were the only ones to offer a full contract?
Jono Phillips lands head coach’s job at Ta$man -
@MacDazzler said in NPC 2026:
Anyone heard that Rory Scott and Taha Kemara might be going to Ta$man?
I think @chris mentioned Kemara going to Ta$man?
I went to watch another club rugby game today and Josh Taula was playing for Hamilton OB. I'm wondering if he has moved to the province to play for Waikato. We struggled with depth at lock with injuries last season.
Forgot to mention I spoke with Josh Moorby at Super Round and he said he's playing for Waikato again this year.
I cheekily asked him if he heard anything about Taha moving and he seemed surprised at the suggestion.
@Bovidae any young 10s around worth watching? Don't get any time to watch club or schoolboy in Waikato due to my own school commitments.
The two young 1st 5s would be Rangiwai Lunjevich (Hautapu) and Daniel Tickelpenny (Marist), although he seems to be playing more at fullback.
11 days later
Taranaki is very proactive with their squad announcements. All SR players are signed and they have named a wider training group, of which up to 11 players will be contracted.
It will be interesting to see what team is selected, and an indication of who might be in the frame for the NPC squad.
@OleOleOle said in NPC 2026:
@Bovidae
That’s if Waikato release the team details…they typically don’t like keeping the public informed of things like this…
Yeah. I might go along and watch.
Ran into Levi Amua at a cafe over the weekend hes back from Japan plays for Cannon is loving playing in Japan
Sam Caird ,Billy Harmon ,Liaki Moli and Liam Coltman play in the same team
He was telling me the Springbok players that are all playing in Japan have very little time off 3 x weeks at the most before they either back to SA for training camps and testing
Levi reckons there a few lads up Japan that will be returning for Npc He mentioned Sam Caird and Josh Goodhue were returning for Northland which I had heard about myself but 3 or 4 lads which off the top of the head he couldn’t quite remember.
Possibly Jackson Hemopo who may have played his last game for Mitsubishi Dynaboars in their promotion/relegation game against Division 2 team Shuttles Aichi ,
Richie Mounga the most obvious one
Brodie Retallick still the best player running in Japanese rugby according to Levi and Billy Harmon was the outstanding player for his own team Cannon
Be interesting to see and if other lads from Japan settle back in the Npc