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, as well as a Trans Tasman competition in 2021, additionally, the team were finalists in 1998 and 2022 and semi-finalists in 2007, 2011 and 2023.
Douglas Charles Howlett is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He was primarily a wing, but he also sometimes played as a fullback.
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.
James Gopperth is a New Zealand professional rugby union player. His regular playing positions are centre and fly-half. He has played over 490 professional games in a 22-year career, scoring over 4,000 points. He has played professionally for Wellington, North Harbour, the Hurricanes and the Blues in his native New Zealand. He moved to Europe in 2009 where he played for Newcastle Falcons in Premiership Rugby and Leinster in Ireland, before joining Wasps in 2015 where he played 156 games over seven years. He joined Leicester Tigers in 2022 for a single season and is currently playing for Provence Rugby in France.
Zachary Robert Guildford is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player who played as a wing most notably for National Provincial Championship club Hawke's Bay and the New Zealand national team.
Kieran James Read is a New Zealand former rugby union player. He played as a number 8 and is a former captain of the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks.
Benjamin Robert Smith is a retired New Zealand rugby union player, currently working for Super Rugby side Highlanders' management team. He formerly played for the Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition, Otago in the ITM Cup, Pau in the Top 14 and Kobelco Steelers in the Japan Rugby League One.
Matthew David Duffie is a New Zealand professional rugby footballer who plays rugby union for the Blues in Super Rugby. He previously played rugby league with the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL) and was a part of their under-20s Premiership winning team in 2009, scoring 25 tries. On 1 May 2011, he was selected for the New Zealand national rugby league team for the 2011 ANZAC Test. In October 2017, Duffie was named in the All Blacks for their end-of-year tour, becoming a dual-code rugby international.
Sio Julian Savea is a New Zealand professional rugby union player. He currently plays wing for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Savea formerly played for Toulon in the Top 14 and Hurricanes in the Super Rugby, and is a former captain of the Wellington Lions in the Mitre 10 Cup. Between 2012 and 2017, he won 54 caps for New Zealand.
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union (CMRFU) is the governing body of rugby union in Southern Auckland and the Franklin district of New Zealand. Nicknamed the Steelers, their colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The Steelers moniker is a reference to the Glenbrook steel factory, which is in the area. The union is based in Pukekohe, and plays at Navigation Homes Stadium.
Cameron "Cam" Crawford is an Australian professional rugby union player who plays for the Rebels in Super Rugby as a full back.
Augustine Pulu is a professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Japan Rugby League One club Hino Red Dolphins. Born in New Zealand, he represents Tonga at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Luke Charles Whitelock is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a loose forward for Section Paloise (Pau) in France's Top 14 rugby competition.
Jimmy Tupou is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a lock or loose forward for the Counties Manukau Steelers in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Blues in the international Super Rugby competition.
Aniseto Ofa He Moori Tuʻungafasi is New Zealand rugby union player who plays for the All Blacks as a prop. He also plays for the Blues in Super Rugby and Northland in the Bunnings NPC.
Malakai Fonokalafi Fekitoa is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Benetton and the Tonga national team.
Nepo Eti Laulala is a professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Top 14 club Toulouse. Born in Samoa, he represented New Zealand at international level from 2015-2023, after qualifying on residency grounds.
Toni Pulu is a rugby union player who currently plays as a wing for the Seattle Seawolves in the MLR competition. He previously played for the Brumbies and Chiefs.
Melani Nanai is a Samoan rugby union player who plays as an outside back for the Crusaders.
Dalton Reece Papalii ("Pa-pa-lee-e") is a New Zealander professional rugby union player who plays for Counties Manukau in the Mitre 10 Cup and the Blues in the Super Rugby competition. Papalii has also played international test match rugby for the All Blacks, making his debut in 2018. His position is flanker.