Nickname: Taniwha
2021 finish: Fifth in Championship Coach: George Konia Captain: TBC
GAINS:
Jarred Adams (Manawatū), Chris Apoua (Southland), Trent Hape (Hawke’s Bay), Bruce Kauikapetersen (Wellington), Matt Matich (back from sabbatical), Jaycob Matiu (Australia), Lisati Milo-harris (Southland), Josh Moorby (Southland), Matt Moulds (USA), Heremaia Murray (Auckland), Conan O’donnell (Canterbury), Sila Puafisi (Counties Manukau), Ofa Tuungafasi (Auckland)
LOSSES:
Setefano Funaki (UK), Scott Gregory (Southland), Jordan Hyland (retired), Luatangi Li (North Harbour), Isi Manu (Japan), Raikabula Momoedonu (Fiji), Jordan Olsen (unavailable), Kara Pryor (USA), Renata Roberts-tenana (USA), Leka Tuungafasi, Kaliopasi uluilakepa
GO-TO PLAYER:
Tom Robinson The rugby gods have not been kind to Tom robinson.
Last season, ‘Little Red’ played just one game off the bench for the Taniwha but, fingers crossed, he will line up at blindside flanker for his beloved province.
robinson plays the same way for any team – full throttle – and northland fans will enjoy having him for the full campaign.
BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER:
Jonah Mau’u The 24-year-old has five games for Northland to his credit from his maiden season of 2021. but he is set to cement the no 7 position after the departure of Kara Pryor.
“He was probably the club forward of the year,” says Te Haara of the Waipū loosie.
“He’s bulked up after limited opportunities last year but he’s a different person. It’ll be very interesting to see if he can take his club form through.”
OUR PREDICTION:
Seventh in Evens conference/12th overall northland has made some useful signings to bolster its squad, but the problem is that the Taniwha are in a hellishly tough evens conference.
They will have to fight past Manawatū and North Harbour, both of whom have also recruited well, to even knock on the quarter-finals door. The Tanis have a simple team goal of winning every game and look capable of racking up 3-4 victories, but if they get close to playoffs footy then they will have outdone themselves.