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The Blues are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Auckland, who play in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby teams, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996. One of the most successful teams in Super Rugby history, the Blues won the competition in its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and again in 2003 and 2024. Additionally, the team were finalists in 1998 and 2022, and semi-finalists in 2007, 2011 and 2023. They won a Trans Tasman competition in 2021.
The North Harbour Rugby Union (NHRU), commonly known as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is the governing body of rugby union that encompasses a wide geographical area north of Auckland that includes North Shore City, Rodney District, the Hibiscus Coast and part of Waitakere City. There are 12 rugby clubs from Mahurangi RFC, based in Warkworth, Rodney District, in the north through to Massey the southernmost area of the union.
Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. Weepu played most recently for Wairarapa Bush in the Heartland Championship. Generally Weepu played as a half-back but also played at first five-eighth on occasion. He has represented the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, between 2004 and 2013. He first won national honours against Wales in 2004. In 2005 was called back into the All Blacks squad for the first Tri Nations test against South Africa, having missed selection for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour. He represented the Hurricanes and Blues in Super Rugby, and Wellington and Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. He also had brief spells with several clubs in Europe. In October 2017, Weepu announced his retirement as a rugby player.
Massey High School is a co-educational state secondary school in West Auckland, New Zealand established in 1969. The school is located on the western edge of the city, thus obtaining students from both suburban and rural backgrounds. In 2017 it was rated decile 4.
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Christopher Bradley Smylie is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the scrum-half position for Taranaki in the ITM Cup. He was born in Greater Auckland and attended Massey High School. In 2002 he made his professional debut for North Harbour against Auckland in the National Provincial Championship. Smylie then went south and had one season for the Highlanders in 2006, off the back of a hugely impressive debut season for Otago in 2005. The following year he played for the New Zealand Māori and in 2007 saw him play for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby, before debuting in 2009 for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup.
Alexander James Williams is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player who playled as a lock most notably for Super Rugby club Blues and the New Zealand national team.
Kees Junior Meeuws is a New Zealand former rugby union prop and former assistant coach of the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition, and also a real estate agent by trade and a painter by education. Meeuws played 42 tests for the All Blacks between 1998 and 2004, scoring 10 test tries. He played provincial rugby for Otago and Auckland, and played for the Blues in the Super 12. In 2004, Meeuws left New Zealand to take up a contract with French club Castres Olympique, and in 2006 he left Castres for Agen after a falling-out with Castres coach Laurent Seigne. Following Agen's relegation after the 2006–07 season, Meeuws left Agen and returned to Castres, signing a two-year contract with the club. In May 2008, it was announced that Meeuws would be joining the Scarlets on a two-year deal. However, shortly into his Scarlets career, he suffered a long-term injury. In July 2009, having made just 12 appearances and scored 1 try, his contract with the Scarlets was cancelled by mutual consent. He returned to Otago in 2010 to play in the ITM Cup.
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Graham William Dowd is a former rugby union player for the national team of New Zealand, the All Blacks. He was born in Takapuna.
James William Parsons is a New Zealand retired Rugby union player who played as a hooker for the Blues in Super Rugby and North Harbour in the ITM Cup. He has also played two matches for the All Blacks. He is one of just 3 players that have ever become a Blues centurion and Player of the Year
In June 2013, France played a three-test series against New Zealand as part of the 2013 mid-year rugby test series. This was the sides' first encounter since they met in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, which New Zealand won 8–7. It was France's first test series against the All Blacks since their 2009 two-test tour of New Zealand, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
Patrick Tito Tuipulotu is a New Zealand rugby union player who is currently a lock for the Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. Tuipulotu is the Blues' current captain and has previously captained Auckland in 2017 and 2018.
Tevita Li is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a wing for North Harbour in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition.
Greg Pleasants-Tate is a New Zealand rugby union player who has played as a hooker for Bay of Plenty, North Harbour, Auckland, Canterbury and Southland in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Blues and Highlanders in the international Super Rugby competition.
Sean Wainui was a New Zealand rugby union player. He played on the wing for provincial side Bay of Plenty, the Chiefs in Super Rugby, and for New Zealand's Māori international side the Māori All Blacks.
Eloise Blackwell is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was a member of New Zealand's squad at the 2014 Rugby World Cup, and was also a part of their champion 2017 side. She also plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Auckland provincially.
Rieko Edward Ioane is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a wing or as a centre for New Zealand team Blues in Super Rugby and the New Zealand national team. In his youth career, he was selected to play in the 2014 and 2015 Sevens World Series for New Zealand and took part in Auckland Grammar School first XV, the top representative team in secondary school.
References
- ↑ "Boric to labour at heart of NZ scrum". The Press . 10 July 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 McMurran, Alistair (12 July 2008). "Rugby: 'Boks match a dream come true for Boric". Otago Daily Times . Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- 1 2 Alumni and friends alumni.auckland.ac.nz