Taranaki (National Provincial Championship)

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Taranaki
Taranaki bulls logo.png
Taranaki Bulls logo
Union Taranaki Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)Bulls
Founded1885;140 years ago (1885)
Location New Plymouth, New Zealand
Ground(s) Stadium Taranaki (Capacity: 30,000)
CEOJimmy Fastier
Coach(es)Neil Barnes
Captain(s) Kaylum Boshier
Most appearances Kieran Crowley (199)
Top scorer Kieran Crowley (1,723)
Most tries Kieran Crowley (64)
League(s) Bunnings NPC
2024 2nd
Quarter-finalist
Kit left arm goldborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body goldhoops.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm goldborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks hoops gold.png
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Official website
www.trfu.co.nz

Taranaki (often known as the Taranaki Bulls) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. They represent the Taranaki region and compete National Provincial Championship. The union was originally established in 1889, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976.

Contents

The team is governed by the Taranaki Rugby Football Union, and typically play their home games at Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth. The team is affiliated with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are amber and black.

Current squad

The Taranaki Bulls squad for the 2025 Bunnings NPC is: [1]

Taranaki Bulls squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Half-backs (scrum-halves)

First five-eighths (fly-halves)

Midfielders (centres)

Outside backs

  • (c) denotes team captain.
  • Bold denotes internationally capped.
  • Injury icon 2.svg denotes a player ruled out for the season with injury.

    Honours

    Taranaki have been overall Champions twice, winning the title in 2014 and 2023. They are also the current holders of the Ranfurly Shield having won the shield during the 2024 Bunnings NPC. [2] Their full list of honours include: [3] [4]

    National Provincial Championship Second Division North Island
    National Provincial Championship Second Division
    ITM Cup Premiership Division
    Bunnings NPC Championship Division
    Bunnings NPC

    Current Super Rugby players

    Players named in the 2025 Taranaki Bulls 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] [12]

    PlayerTeam
    Beauden Barrett Blues
    Scott Barrett Crusaders
    Kaylum Boshier Chiefs
    Meihana Grindlay Blues
    Josh Jacomb Chiefs
    Adam Lennox Highlanders
    Michael Loft Highlanders
    Josh Lord Chiefs
    Kini Naholo Hurricanes
    Leone Nawai Drua
    Reuben O'Neill Chiefs
    Arese Poliko Hurricanes
    Jared Proffit Chiefs
    Taniela Rakuro Drua
    Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens Highlanders
    Daniel Rona Chiefs
    Fiti Sa Chiefs
    Bradley Slater Chiefs
    Tupou Vaa'i Chiefs

    References

    1. ↑ "Barnes satisfied with depth and balance of Taranaki squad" . Taranaki Daily News. 7 July 2025. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
    2. ↑ "Taranaki end Tasman's Ranfurly Shield run". RNZ. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
    3. ↑ "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
    4. ↑ "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
    5. ↑ "We're ready to take the handbrake off". Blues (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
    6. ↑ "2025 Crusaders squad announced". crusaders.co.nz (Press release). 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
    7. ↑ "Gallagher Chiefs name cohesive 2025 squad" (Press release). Chiefs. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
    8. ↑ "Highlanders announce team to travel to Canberra to play the ACT Brumbies". Highlanders (Press release). 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
    9. ↑ "Game Readiness and Maturity Key in 2025 Hurricanes Squad". Hurricanes (Press release). 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
    10. ↑ "Rabitu gets the nod at fullback, Murray back to face the Waratahs". Fijian Drua (Press release). 16 April 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
    11. ↑ "Fijian Drua unveil 2025 squad" (Press release). Fijian Drua. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
    12. ↑ "Highlanders name squad for 2025 DHL Super Rugby competition" (Press release). Highlanders. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
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