Related Research Articles
The National Provincial Championship, often simply called the NPC, is an annual round-robin rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played during the 2006 season, it is the second highest level of competition in New Zealand alongside the Ranfurly Shield. It is organised by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and since 2021, it has been known as the Bunnings NPC after its headline sponsor. A concurrent women's tournament is also held, the Farah Palmer Cup.
The Manawatu Rugby Football Union (MRU) is the governing body of the sport of rugby union in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand.
Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Mitchell Crosswell is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the flanker position for the provincial based ITM Cup side Taranaki.
Ma'afu Fia is a Tongan International rugby union prop who most recently played rugby for Ospreys in the URC, having previously represented the Highlanders in Super Rugby.
Andre Taylor is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the fullback position and most recently played for Kintetsu Liners of Japan, and previously played for the Wellington-based Super Rugby franchise, the Hurricanes. He has played for New Zealand's Māori international side, the Māori All Blacks. Also a former New Zealand under-20 rep, Taylor endeared himself to Hurricanes' fans with a superb Super Rugby season in 2012. Starting at fullback, he became a regular try-scoring threat, drawing comparisons with the great Christian Cullen. At provincial level he began his career with Manawatu, his home province before making the switch to Taranaki in early 2010.
Nigel Ah Wong is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Heiden Kahira Bedwell-Curtis is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the flanker position for Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars in the Japanese Top League.
Hamish Northcott is a New Zealand rugby union player who played as a Second five-eighth or Centre for Manawatu in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Stacey Fluhler is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays fifteen-a-side and seven-a-side rugby union, and is a member of the New Zealand Women's Sevens team and New Zealand Women's National Rugby Union team. Fluhler was a member of the New Zealand Women's Sevens team when they won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. She was also a member of the New Zealand fifteen-a-side team which won the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup and the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup.
Isaac Arapata Salmon is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship. He also plays for New Orleans Gold in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. Salmon was educated at Nelson College from 2011 to 2014.
Manawatu are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1886, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. The team is affiliated with the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are green and white.
Sosefo Losino 'Apikotoa is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but represents Tonga internationally, for which he is eligible due to his Tongan descent.
Ollie Sapsford is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back or wing for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for the Brumbies in Super Rugby.
Tom Parsons is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a lock for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.
Shamus Hurley-Langton is a New Zealand rugby union player, currently playing for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Connacht. He plays as a flanker or number 8.
Josh Taula is a New Zealand rugby union player, who plays for the Hurricanes and Manawatu. His preferred position is lock.
Ofa Tauatevalu is a New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent, who plays for Moana Pasifika and Manawatu. His preferred position is lock.
Epeli Wawaicece, commonly known as Waqa Nalaga, is a Fijian rugby union player, who plays for the Drua and Manawatu. His preferred position is centre.
References
- ↑ "Turbos squad confirmed for 2023" (Press release). Manawatu Turbos. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ↑ "ボーディン・ワッカ選手加入のお知らせ" [Announcement of the addition of Beaudein Waaka](PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Skyactivs Hiroshima. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
- ↑ "Two black jerseys for Waaka siblings". Maori Television. 8 June 2015.