Northland (National Provincial Championship)

NZ rugby union club, based in Whangārei, New Zealand

For the Northland Rugby governing body and more information about rugby in the Northland region, see Northland Rugby Union.

Rugby team

Northland

NRU official logo

Union| Northland Rugby Union
Nickname(s)| Taniwha (men) and Kauri (women)
Founded| 1920; 105 years ago (1920)
Location| Whangārei, New Zealand
Ground(s)| Semenoff Stadium (Capacity: 18,500)
CEO| Cameron Bell[1]
Coach(es)| Ryan Martin
Captain(s)| Matt Moulds
Most appearances| Joe Morgan (165)
Top scorer| Warren Johnston (1,666)
Most tries| Norm Berryman (71)
League(s)| Bunnings NPC
2024| 13th

Team kit

Official website
www.northlandrugby.co.nz

Northland (often known as the Northland Taniwha) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Whangārei, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1920, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei in the Northland region. The team is affiliated with the Blues Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are a Sky blue (Pantone 284).

## Current squad

[edit]

The Northland Taniwha squad for the 2025 Bunnings NPC is:[2]

Northland Taniwha squad

Props

* Chris Apoua
* Esile Fono
* Ricki Heremaia REP
* Jordan Lay
* Marcel Renata
* Olly Ryan
* Coree Te Whata-Colley
* Ofa Tuʻungafasi

Hookers

* Jordan Hutchings
* Matt Moulds (c)
* James Mullan

Locks

* Sam Caird
* Allan Craig
* Liam Hallam-Eames
* Darcy Holwell DEV

Loose forwards

* Jake Heenan
* Lachlan Hooper
* Matt Letoga
* Simon Parker
* Terrell Peita
* Rob Rush
* Zac Shanks

Half-backs (scrum-halves)

* Marley Murphy
* Sam Nock
* Josh Renton

First five-eighths (fly-halves)

* Rivez Reihana
* Jade Stewart

Midfielders (centres)

* Corey Evans
* Quinton Nichols
* Reesjan Pasitoa
* Hoani Reid REP
* Reuben Stewart

Outside backs

* Solomon Alaimalo
* Kiwi Duncan
* Brady Rush
* Nathan Salmon
* Jordan Trainor
* Guy-Visachi Waerehu

* (c) denotes team captain.
* Bold denotes internationally capped.
* DEV denotes a development squad player.
* REP denotes a replacement squad player.

## Honours

[edit]

Northland have never been overall Champions. Their full list of honours, though, include:[3][4]

National Provincial Championship Second Division North Island

* Winners: 1977 (as North Auckland)

National Provincial Championship Second Division

* Winners: 1997

## Current Super Rugby players

[edit]

Players named in the 2025 Northland Taniwha squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Player  | Team

|

Solomon Alaimalo | Moana Pasifika
Chris Apoua | Moana Pasifika
Alan Craig | Moana Pasifika
Corey Evans | Blues
Lachlan Hooper | Brumbies
Jordan Lay | Blues
Matt Moulds | Crusaders
James Mullan | Blues
Sam Nock | Blues
Simon Parker | Chiefs
Reesjan Pasitoa | Force
Rivez Reihana | Crusaders
Marcel Renata | Blues
Ofa Tu'ungafasi | Blues

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Our people". Northland Rugby. 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
2. ^ @northlandugby; (17 July 2025). "our 2025 Cancer Society Northland Taniwha Squad". Retrieved 17 July 2025 - via Instagram.
3. ^ "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
4. ^ "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
5. ^ "Moana Pasifika name squad for 2025". Moana Pasifika (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
6. ^ "We're ready to take the handbrake off". Blues (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
7. ^ "ACT Brumbies announce 36-player squad for 2025 Super Rugby Pacific" (Press release). ACT Brumbies. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
8. ^ "Match Centre - Super Rugby - Blues vs. Crusaders". SANZAAR. 22 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
9. ^ "Gallagher Chiefs name cohesive 2025 squad" (Press release). Chiefs. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
10. ^ "Four more round out 2025 Western Force Super Rugby squad" (Press release). Western Force. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
11. ^ "2025 Crusaders squad announced". crusaders.co.nz (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official site
* Fan site

* v
* t
* e

National Provincial Championship (2006–present)

Seasons|

| Air New Zealand Cup|

* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009

|

ITM Cup|

* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015

Mitre 10 Cup|

* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020

Bunnings NPC|

* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Unions|

* Auckland
* Bay of Plenty
* Canterbury
* Counties Manukau
* Hawke's Bay
* Manawatu
* North Harbour
* Northland
* Otago
* Southland
* Taranaki
* Tasman
* Waikato
* Wellington

Other|

* Honours
* Rugby Cup
* Ranfurly Shield
* Wooden Spoon
* Inter-union trophies
* Duane Monkley medal
* Media
* Sky Sport
* Radio Sport
* New Zealand Herald
* Stuff

Stadium|

* Apollo Projects Stadium
* Central Energy Trust Arena
* Eden Park
* FMG Stadium Waikato
* Forsyth Barr Stadium
* Jerry Collins Stadium
* Lansdowne Park
* McLean Park
* Navigation Homes Stadium
* North Harbour Stadium
* Rotorua International Stadium
* Rugby Park Stadium
* Semenoff Stadium
* Sky Stadium
* Stadium Taranaki
* Tauranga Domain
* Trafalgar Park

New Zealand Rugby Union

* v
* t
* e

Northland - current squad

Forwards|

* Chris Apoua
* Sam Caird
* Allan Craig
* Esile Fono
* Liam Hallam-Eames
* Jake Heenan
* Ricki Heremaia
* Darcy Holwell
* Lachlan Hooper
* Jordan Hutchings
* Jordan Lay
* Matt Letoga
* Matt Moulds
* James Mullan
* Simon Parker
* Terrell Peita
* Marcel Renata
* Rob Rush
* Olly Ryan
* Zac Shanks
* Coree Te Whata-Colley
* Ofa Tuʻungafasi

Backs|

* Solomon Alaimalo
* Kiwi Duncan
* Corey Evans
* Marley Murphy
* Quinton Nichols
* Sam Nock
* Reesjan Pasitoa
* Hoani Reid
* Rivez Reihana
* Josh Renton
* Brady Rush
* Nathan Salmon
* Jade Stewart
* Reuben Stewart
* Jordan Trainor
* Guy-Visachi Waerehu

Head coach|

* Ryan Martin

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