San Diego the latest stopover for Judd

Kihikihi club trio among Waikato Rugby award winners

Former Te Awamutu Sports rep and 2022 Bunning Warehouse NPC champion Richard Judd has signed on with the San Diego Legion in US Major League Rugby for 2023.

Hailing from Thames, 30-year-old Judd is an experienced halfback who has played most of his professional career in New Zealand, with stints in England and Japan.

Kihikihi Rugby Club players Merania Paraone, Emma-Lee Heta and Rina Paraone all took home awards from the Gallagher 2022 Waikato Rugby Awards, held last Wednesday evening at Cambridge Raceway.

PIC Insurance Brokers Women’s Club Player of the Year award went to Merania for her ability to play a versatile game in the forwards and in the backs.

Emma-Lee won the Manatiaki award, while Rina took out Farah Palmer Cup Back of the Year in the Waikato Supporters Club Awards.

All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho was the big winner of the night, picking up both the Gallagher Sportsperson of the Year award and the supreme award, the Ian Clarke Trophy.

The Ian Clarke Trophy is awarded to the Waikato person who has achieved the most outstanding re

He began his professional career in 2010 and has played for Thames Valley, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty and Wellington, as well as the Hurricanes in Super Rugby.

“Juddy is a quality player who has been involved with rugby at a very high level . . . for several years. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a complete set of skills. He will add real firepower, clarity, and composure to complement our other 9s,” says Legion head coach Danny Lee, a former All Black. sults over the past 12 months.

In the Community and Club awards, Joey Nayacakalou from Taupiri Rugby Football Club was named the Administrator of the Year for his commitment to the club and his reinvigoration of rugby in the North Waikato area.

Solomone Tukuafu was named Waikato Draught Men’s Club Player of the Year, as he led Hamilton Old Boys to the Waikato Breweries Shield title.

After another strong season with the whistle, which saw Larissa Woolerton awarded the Grassroots Trust Referee of the Year, she again made the national squad and achieved 18 first-class appointments, which earned her a Waikato Rugby blazer. She also made her international debut — and became the seventh female test referee from New Zealand — when she took control of

After missing out on a 2023 Super Rugby Pacific contract, Judd says that he was excited to have an opportunity to be part of the Legion family and hopes to add to the club’s success.

“Watching the last couple of years, the MLR has grown a lot and was something I wanted to be part of. The family and I look forward to heading over, experiencing San Diego, and getting stuck into the season.” the Samoa v Tonga match in the Oceania Women’s series.

There was one recipient of the Leigh Cooksley Waikato Rugby Service to Rugby award. Graham Wallace earned this award due to his efforts with Waikato Central junior rugby.

In the coaching awards, Grant Metcalfe from Cambridge Junior Rugby’s 12th Grade won the Ray White Mark Keesom Junior Coach of the Year award and, for the second year in a row, Nigel Hotham was named Kukri Secondary Schools’ Coach of the Year with Hamilton Boys’ High. Finally, both Dion Ross (Hamilton Old Boys Premier A) and Reuben Samuel (Hamilton Old Boys Premier Women) were joint winners of the Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year.

Hamilton Marist Colts won the Power Farming Club Team of the

Year award for their undefeated season in the Colts competition and Hamilton Old Boys took out the top club, winning the Waikato Draught Club of the Year after both their men’s and women’s teams won premier competitions.

In the Representative awards, the Perry Group Waikato Women’s Juniors’ successful campaign continued as the team picked up two awards. Coach Deano Herewini was named the Kukri Representative Coach, and then the undefeated team won the Hendl & Murray Engineering Team of the Year award.

Strong seasons from Patrick McCurran and Rianna Aspinall saw the players claim the Roommate Cabins Emerging Men’s Player of the Year award and the University of Waikato Women’s Emerging Player of the Year award, respectively.

Daniel Sinkinson was Waikato

NPC’s top try-scorer and was rewarded for his breakout season with the Waikato Draught Bunnings NPC Player of the Year. And, after taking a season off, Ashlee GabySutherland returned to the Farah Palmer Cup this season and earned herself the title of Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year.

Laghlan McWhannell took home the Aaron Hopa award, and Victoria Makea was named the Hare Whakakaraka Puke Tainui Waka Māori Player of the Year.

The Gallagher Waikato Rugby awards recognise people and teams who have made an outstanding contribution to Waikato Rugby in 2022.

The evening covered the entire spectrum of people involved in the game, including coaches, players, referees, volunteers and administrators from junior, school, club, and representative levels.