• 31 Auckland Rugby Academy graduates in the 2022 squad.
• 22,000 community registered players, coaches and referees can attend all Auckland Rugby home games for free.
• NPC opening fixture against North Harbour part of a historical triple-header at Eden Park.

The Auckland NPC squad has been confirmed for the 2022 NPC season.

The Auckland NPC coaching group have named a 41-strong squad to endeavour for an 18th National Provincial Title and continue their ownership as the most successful provincial rugby union in New Zealand.

The Blue and White Hoops will be looking forward to a whole campaign after their 2021 season was cruelly brought to a halt due to the COVID-19 outbreak in New Zealand.

The 2022 NPC season will be a significant step for Auckland Rugby to continue growing the strongest rugby whanau. In a first in the New Zealand Rugby landscape, all 22,000 registered players, coaches, and referees can attend all Auckland Rugby home games at Eden Park for free under the Boots N’ All Membership.

An initiative created to reward the Auckland Rugby community who have supported the union and remained resilient through a challenging time in Tamaki Makaurau.

“Our clubs and rugby grounds have always created a hub for communities to come together and provide a sense of belongingness, and we want to carry on that feeling by letting our Auckland Rugby community come together at Eden Park to watch their team play our national game.”

Says Auckland Rugby CEO Jarrod Bear, who hopes to see the Auckland Rugby community coming together at Eden Park to enjoy the NPC season.

The Auckland Rugby High Performance program continues to provide pathways for the Auckland Rugby community, with the 2022 NPC squad boasting 31 Academy graduates and six All Blacks.

Grammar TEC first five-eighth and Auckland Rugby Academy graduate Harry Plummer will lead the side for his second season. Plummer is coming from an injury suffered in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, which sidelined him for over six weeks. Plummer will look forward to pulling on the Auckland jersey come August 6.

A dynamic loose forward contingent will line up for the Auckland NPC squad. Former Auckland captain Blake Gibson and Adrian Choat will feature in the number 6 and 7 jerseys in 2022. Niko Jones and Vaiolini Ekuasi will get their chance to showcase their talents after seasons with Moana Pasifika and the Blues, respectively.

In the back three, in-form Blues winger AJ Lam and new Māori All Black Zarn Sullivan will portray finishing abilities Auckland Rugby fans are now well accustomed towards.

2020 NPC Top Try scorer Salesi Rayasi will be back in the mix for Auckland. The Auckland Marist Winger has never been a stranger to the try line in the NPC competition.

The 2022 season will kick off with a highly anticipated edition of “The Battle of The Bridge” with North Harbour. Both teams will play for the Waka Trophy, an initiative by the Blues to symbolise both provincial unions moving in the same direction towards a similar destination point.

The “Battle of The Bridge” will be part of a Triple Header at Eden Park that will celebrate the rich history of rugby in Auckland.

The Storm will play Manawatu in their FPC fixture, and a historical Gallaher Shield Final as Auckland Rugby celebrate 100 years of the Premier Men’s competition.

It will be a special day for our men in the Blue and White Hoops, who, for many, would have raised the hallowed Gallaher Shield for their club and community during its 100-year history.

The Auckland Rugby community will be spilling into Eden Park from the first whistle of the Auckland Storm match right through until we hear “up the gulls” shouted from the stands as the NPC team run out for their season opener.

Player Info:

• The Auckland Rugby coaching group welcomes two new additions to the 2022 make-up. Census Johnston joins as Scrum Coach after coaching experience with Manu Samoa and in France. Census has come back to take development the scrum capabilities of the NPC and Auckland Rugby Academy players.

• Jono Hickey joins the Auckland squad in a coaching capacity. The former Auckland Halfback who racked up 32 caps in the Blue and White Hoops will take on the attack coaching role. Hickey will join brother Simon in the NPC campaign after several years of assisting in Auckland's development program.

• All Blacks Alex Hodgman and Angus Ta’avao are joined in the front row by Blues Props Jordan Lay and Marcel Renata, and the young talent of Sione Ahio and Hamdahn Tuipulotu will bolster the front line.

• Ponsonby Rugby Club hooker Leni Apisai and  Waitemata Rugby Club hooker Soane Vikena headline the pivotal spot for the Auckland tight-five.

• College Rifles lock Hamish Dalzell joins Auckland for a third season. Felix Kalapu and Jamie Lane return from seasons in the MLR to represent their home province.

• At first five-eighth, supporting Auckland Captain Harry Plummer, the experienced head of Simon Hickey will be available for Auckland and the talents of Grammar TEC club man Jock Mckenzie who earnt starts for the Blues in 2022.

• Taufa Funaki and Manu Paea will be coming off Super Rugby experience into the Auckland Rugby distribution centre. Funaki and Paea have shown their speed and attacking prowess from halfback on the Super Rugby stage.

• The midfield follows the trend of experience and Auckland Academy talent. Bryce Heem will offer a wealth of knowledge, while Grammar TEC club man Corey Evans brings a well-rounded platform to the squad.

2022 Auckland NPC Squad (Club, School)

Forwards

Robbie Abel (Waitemata)  

Sione Ahio (Waitemata, Liston College)        

Leni Apisai (Ponsonby)     

Adrian Choat (Waitemata, Liston College)     

Hamish Dalzell (College Rifles)

Vaiolini Ekuasi (East Tamaki, De La Salle College)               

Joshua Fusitua (Grammar TEC, Auckland Grammar School)

Blake Gibson (Ponsonby, Saint Kentigern College)

Alex Hodgman (Eden, Mount Albert Grammar School) 

Akira Ioane (Ponsonby, Auckland Grammar School) 

Niko Jones (Waitemata, St Peter’s College)

Felix Kalapu (Grammar TEC, Auckland Grammar School)

Jamie Lane (Ponsonby, Sacred Heart College)

James Lay (University, King’s College)

Jordan Lay (University, King’s College)

Terrell Peita (Ponsonby, Mount Albert Grammar School)               

Jackson Pugh (Marist Brothers Old Boys)     

Marcel Renata (University, King’s College)

Angus Ta'avao (Eden, Dilworth)

Hamdahn Tuipulotu (Ponsonby, St Peter’s College)

Patrick Tuipulotu (Ponsonby, St Peter’s College)

Connor Vest (University)   

Soane Vikena (Waitemata, Mount Albert Grammar School)

Backs

Tomas Aoake (Ponsonby, De La Salle College)                                             

Caleb Clark (Ponsonby, Mount Albert Grammar School)

Joel Cobb (Ponsonby, Mount Albert Grammar School)                               

Corey Evans (Grammar TEC, Auckland Grammar School)

Taufa Funaki (Marist Brothers Old Boys, Sacred Heart College)       

Bryce Heem (Grammar TEC, Avondale College)

Simon Hickey (Grammar TEC, King’s College)              

Rieko Ioane (Ponsonby, Auckland Grammar School)                

AJ Lam (Grammar TEC, St Peter’s College)

Jock McKenzie (Grammar TEC)                     

Manu Paea (Manukau Rovers, Otahuhu College)                              

Harry Plummer (Grammar TEC, St Peter’s College)

Salesi Rayasi (Marist Brothers Old Boys)                     

Zarn Sullivan (College Rifles, King’s College)

Tanielu Tele’a (Marist Brothers Old Boys, Saint Kentigern College)                  

Jordan Trainor (Ponsonby, St Peter’s College)

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (East Tamaki, Otahuhu College)

Sam Wye (Ponsonby, St Peter’s College)

Development Players

Josh Beehre (Grammar TEC)

Che Clark (Grammar TEC, King’s College)

Pasqualle Dunn (East Tamaki)        

Sofai Maka (Manukau, De La Salle College)

Caleb Tangitau (Grammar TEC)

Essendon Tuitupou (Ponsonby, Kelston Boys’ High School)