.gif)
Blues (rugby team)
Encyclopedia
Blues are a professional New Zealand
rugby union
team based in Auckland, New Zealand which represents the Northland
, North Harbour
and Auckland
unions in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby sides, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996. The Blues won the competition in each of its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and lost narrowly to the Canterbury Crusaders in the 1998 final at Eden Park
. The team's initial burst of success was followed by a period of modest success, before a resurgent side went on to win the 2003 competition, defeating the Crusaders in the final. Since the expansion of the competition to fourteen sides in 2006, the Blues have had mixed results. The side's two playoff appearances since then came in 2007, when they lost to the Sharks in the semi-final in Durban
, and in 2011 when they were defeated in the semi-final by the eventual champions the Queensland Reds
in Brisbane.
Along with New Zealand's other Super Rugby sides, the Blues were established by the NZRU to take part in the newly formed Super 12 competition which, involved provincial teams from South Africa
and Australia
in addition to New Zealand
. Each of New Zealand's five sides represented a number of provincial unions, with the Blues representing the Auckland
, Thames Valley
, and the Counties Manukau
unions, while the neighbouring Waikato Chiefs representing the Waikato
, North Harbour
, Northland
, Bay of Plenty
and King Country
unions. During this era, the Blues played the majority of their home matches at Eden Park
, with round robin fixtures occasionally held at Growers Stadium
in Pukekohe
.
The Blues tasted immediate success, winning the Super 12 back-to-back in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 the side won eight of eleven round robin matches and finished the regular season in second place (behind the Queensland Reds
on 41 points. They then went on to defeat Northern Transvaaal, now the Bulls, 48-11 in the semi-final at Eden Park
. This result secured a home final, where the Blues comfortably defeated the Natal Sharks
45-21. In 1997, the side improved on their previous season, comfortably topping the table with 50 points after going undefeated in the regular season, the sole blemish on an otherwise perfect season being a draw with Northern Transvaal in a re-match of thh previous season's semi-final. The Blues once again easily won their semi-final, defeating the Natal Sharks
55-36 at Eden Park
and again securing a home final. The 1997 final was a more hard fought encounter than the previous year's, with the Blues defeating the ACT Brumbies 23-7. With three championships and two further semi-final appearances, the Blues are the second most successful team in Super Rugby history.
and Counties Manukau
unions in exchange for the Blues representing the Northland
and North Harbour
unions in addition to Auckland
. Although in the seasons leading up to the trade North Harbour
and Northland
had outperformed Counties Manukau
and Thames Valley
in provincial rugby (thus potentially widening the already sizeable gap between the Blues' and Chiefs' on-field performance), it enabled both teams to represent unions in closer geographical proximity. Because of this trade, the Blues lost the area colloquially referred to as South Auckland
, (excluding those portions of the South Auckland to the north of Manurewa
). Thus, the Blues traded a portion of South Auckland for the Northern portion of the Auckland region and Northland, and still do not represent the entire Auckland region. In 2000 all of New Zealand's Super 12 franchises dropped the regional identifiers from their official names.
The 1998 season saw the Blues again top the points table with 43 points at the conclusion of the round robin, with nine wins and two losses to their credit. They defeated the Otago Highlanders by 37-31 in the side's third consecutive home semi-final, securing a home final against the Crusaders, a match which promised a great deal due to Auckland's traditional sporting rivalry with Canterbury. The Crusaders ultimately won the match by 20-13, putting an end to the Blues' dominance of the competition.
From 1999 - 2002 the Blues' onfield performance was poor, missing the playoffs every season, finishing at an all time low of 11th on the ladder in 2001
with just four wins for the season. The franchise was able to turn its from around in the 2003
season, topping the ladder with 49 points and 10 wins from 11 matches. The team went on to defeat the ACT Brumbies by 42-21 in the semi-final, before beating the Crusaders 21-17 in the final for the franchise's third Super Rugby title. The Blues were unable to follow their 2003 success up in 2004 and 2005 however, missing the playoffs in both seasons.
captain Rua Tipoki
in their squad of 24 players who are 'protected' from the draft. Tipoki was originally to be excluded from the draft due to personal circumstances in order to stay in Auckland. Andrew Mehrtens
had in the past done this with the Crusaders. The NZRU however forced coach David Nucifora to pick Tipoki in his 24 man squad and hence drop another player. It is believed the NZRFU was in favour of dropping players such as Isa Nacewa
who are ineligible to play for the All Blacks
. Instead, Nucifora excluded All Black Isaia Toeava
, who subsequently played for the Hurricanes in 2006. Following the draft fiasco, and the forgettable season which followed, the Blues showed signs of resurgence in 2007, finishing the round robin in fourth place, securing a semi-final against the Sharks in Durban. The travel and form of the opposition were too difficult to overcome, however, with the Blues losing to the eventual runners-up by 34 - 18. The 2008 season, the final under coach David Nucifora
, saw the team finish the season with an 8 - 5 record and a sixth place finish on the ladder. In 2009, Pat Lam
was appointed as coach, however the team have not been able to make significant improvements under his leadership, missing the playoffs in both the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
. This was followed by a win and a loss on their Southa African tour, followed by a 22-all draw against the Western Force
in Perth. This was followed by a seven match winning streak between rounds five and twelve. However, the mid-season wining streak came to an abrupt end with a 37-31 loss to the Queensland Reds
in Brisbane, which initiated a four match losing-streak. In the final round-robin match of the season, the Blues defeated the Highlanders by 33-16 at Eden Park
, securing the side's first playoff appearance since 2007 and first home playoff match since 2003. The team subsequently defeated the New South Wales Waratahs
26 - 13 to secure a semi-final against the Queensland Reds
in Brisbane, which they lost 30 - 13.
, located in the central Auckland suburb of Kingsland. The stadium has a capacity of 65,000. In addition to hosting Blues home matches, the ground is the home of the Auckland Rugby Football Union
and Auckland Cricket, and is a frequent host of All Blacks
matches.
In addition to Eden Park, Blues home matches are occasionally held at North Harbour Stadium
, home of the North Harbour Rugby Union
, and Okara Park
, home of the Northland Rugby Union
.
, North Harbour
, and Northland
rugby unions. At present, the Blues are 55% owned by Auckland, 25% by North Harbour, and 20% by Northland. Up to and including 2010, all New Zealand-base Super 14
sides were able to protect 24 players from within their region each season. Players not protected by the Blues can be selected by any of the other four New Zealand teams for that season, while the Blues are also able to bring in players from other regions for the season. The team has predominantly drawn its players from its own provinces, with the vast majority of players hailing from Auckland, however in recent years several notable players have been signed from outside the region, such as Stephen Brett
(Canterbury) and Alby Mathewson
(Wellington).
From 2011 onwards, the NZRU has relaxed the rules imposed on teams in terms of player recruitment. New Zealand teams will move to a direct-contracting recruitment format, which will enable each team to field two foreign (non-New Zealand or Pacific Island) players each season, in addition to squad sizes increasing from 28 to 32 players. With the wider training groups taken into account, each team will have a 40 man squad.
The current Blues (and Auckland Rugby Football Union
) CEO is former Counties
and New Zealand
player Andy Dalton
. Along with Dalton, Greg Muir, Grant Fox
, Gary Whetton
, Geoff Vazey, Mike Budd, John Morgan and Andrew Golightly make up the Blues board.
(1996–1998) Jed Rowlands
(1999) Gordon Hunter
(2000) Frank Oliver
(2001) Peter Sloane
(2002–2005) David Nucifora
(2006–2008)
1996
, 1997
, 2003
1998
2007
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team based in Auckland, New Zealand which represents the Northland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
, North Harbour
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
and Auckland
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
unions in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby sides, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996. The Blues won the competition in each of its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and lost narrowly to the Canterbury Crusaders in the 1998 final at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
. The team's initial burst of success was followed by a period of modest success, before a resurgent side went on to win the 2003 competition, defeating the Crusaders in the final. Since the expansion of the competition to fourteen sides in 2006, the Blues have had mixed results. The side's two playoff appearances since then came in 2007, when they lost to the Sharks in the semi-final in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, and in 2011 when they were defeated in the semi-final by the eventual champions the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in Brisbane.
Formation and Early Years (1994 - 1997)
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in addition to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Each of New Zealand's five sides represented a number of provincial unions, with the Blues representing the Auckland
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
, Thames Valley
Thames Valley Rugby Football Union
The Thames Valley Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the region of Thames Valley in the North Island of New Zealand...
, and the Counties Manukau
Counties Manukau Rugby Union
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
unions, while the neighbouring Waikato Chiefs representing the Waikato
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Its senior representative team competes in the ITM Cup , and won the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006.Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921...
, North Harbour
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
, Northland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
, Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union is the official governing body for rugby union in the Bay of Plenty, in the North-East of the North Island...
and King Country
King Country Rugby Football Union
The King Country Rugby Football Union is a constituent union in the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is located in the central North Island of New Zealand...
unions. During this era, the Blues played the majority of their home matches at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
, with round robin fixtures occasionally held at Growers Stadium
Growers Stadium
Growers Stadium is a stadium based in Pukekohe, New Zealand. Its usual tenants are the Counties Manukau Rugby Union team who play in the ITM Cup, the national rugby union competition in New Zealand. In July 2009, Counties Manukau announced that Bayer New Zealand Ltd would the main sponsor of their...
in Pukekohe
Pukekohe
Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, it is approximately 50 kilometres south of Auckland City, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Pukekohe...
.
The Blues tasted immediate success, winning the Super 12 back-to-back in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 the side won eight of eleven round robin matches and finished the regular season in second place (behind the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
on 41 points. They then went on to defeat Northern Transvaaal, now the Bulls, 48-11 in the semi-final at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
. This result secured a home final, where the Blues comfortably defeated the Natal Sharks
Natal Sharks
The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby...
45-21. In 1997, the side improved on their previous season, comfortably topping the table with 50 points after going undefeated in the regular season, the sole blemish on an otherwise perfect season being a draw with Northern Transvaal in a re-match of thh previous season's semi-final. The Blues once again easily won their semi-final, defeating the Natal Sharks
Natal Sharks
The Natal Sharks are a South African rugby union team that participate in the annual Currie Cup and Super Rugby tournaments. The Sharks home stadium is Kings Park. They draw most of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Sharks are the current representative team of the Natal rugby...
55-36 at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
and again securing a home final. The 1997 final was a more hard fought encounter than the previous year's, with the Blues defeating the ACT Brumbies 23-7. With three championships and two further semi-final appearances, the Blues are the second most successful team in Super Rugby history.
Middle Years (1998 - 2005)
By the end of the 1990s the number of international from the Blues' region had decreased. This led the Blues and the Chiefs to arrange a swap, where the Chiefs would represent the Thames ValleyThames Valley Rugby Football Union
The Thames Valley Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the region of Thames Valley in the North Island of New Zealand...
and Counties Manukau
Counties Manukau Rugby Union
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
unions in exchange for the Blues representing the Northland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
and North Harbour
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
unions in addition to Auckland
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
. Although in the seasons leading up to the trade North Harbour
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
and Northland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
had outperformed Counties Manukau
Counties Manukau Rugby Union
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
and Thames Valley
Thames Valley Rugby Football Union
The Thames Valley Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the region of Thames Valley in the North Island of New Zealand...
in provincial rugby (thus potentially widening the already sizeable gap between the Blues' and Chiefs' on-field performance), it enabled both teams to represent unions in closer geographical proximity. Because of this trade, the Blues lost the area colloquially referred to as South Auckland
South Auckland
South Auckland is an imprecisely defined area of Auckland, New Zealand, often stereotyped as a socio-economically disadvantaged, and sometimes rough, urban area with a relatively large Polynesian and Māori population. The name South Auckland is not an official place name but is in common use by New...
, (excluding those portions of the South Auckland to the north of Manurewa
Manurewa
Manurewa is the southernmost major suburb of Manukau City, one of the four cities that make up the metropolitan area of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 6km south of the Manukau City Centre, and 26km southeast of the Auckland CBD....
). Thus, the Blues traded a portion of South Auckland for the Northern portion of the Auckland region and Northland, and still do not represent the entire Auckland region. In 2000 all of New Zealand's Super 12 franchises dropped the regional identifiers from their official names.
The 1998 season saw the Blues again top the points table with 43 points at the conclusion of the round robin, with nine wins and two losses to their credit. They defeated the Otago Highlanders by 37-31 in the side's third consecutive home semi-final, securing a home final against the Crusaders, a match which promised a great deal due to Auckland's traditional sporting rivalry with Canterbury. The Crusaders ultimately won the match by 20-13, putting an end to the Blues' dominance of the competition.
From 1999 - 2002 the Blues' onfield performance was poor, missing the playoffs every season, finishing at an all time low of 11th on the ladder in 2001
2001 Super 12 season
The 2001 Super 12 season was the sixth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2001, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals,...
with just four wins for the season. The franchise was able to turn its from around in the 2003
2003 Super 12 season
The 2003 Super 12 season was the eighth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2003, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi...
season, topping the ladder with 49 points and 10 wins from 11 matches. The team went on to defeat the ACT Brumbies by 42-21 in the semi-final, before beating the Crusaders 21-17 in the final for the franchise's third Super Rugby title. The Blues were unable to follow their 2003 success up in 2004 and 2005 however, missing the playoffs in both seasons.
Super 14 Era (2006 - 2010)
The expanded 14 team competition couldn't have started worse for the Blues were in 2006 forced by the NZRU to include North HarbourNorth Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
captain Rua Tipoki
Rua Tipoki
Te Rua Reihana Tipoki brought up in Te Araroa in Gisborne, is a retired rugby union player who has played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and for the Auckland Blues in the Super 14. Tipoki also played for Irish provincial side Munster until 2009. His position was outside centre...
in their squad of 24 players who are 'protected' from the draft. Tipoki was originally to be excluded from the draft due to personal circumstances in order to stay in Auckland. Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Philip Mehrtens MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in France for Béziers, a club in the third-level Fédérale 1 league...
had in the past done this with the Crusaders. The NZRU however forced coach David Nucifora to pick Tipoki in his 24 man squad and hence drop another player. It is believed the NZRFU was in favour of dropping players such as Isa Nacewa
Isa Nacewa
Isakeli Nacewa is a New Zealand-born rugby union footballer of Fijian descent. He is a utility back and represents Leinster Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup competitions. He previously represented the Blues in the Super Rugby competition and Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup...
who are ineligible to play for the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. Instead, Nucifora excluded All Black Isaia Toeava
Isaia Toeava
Isaia "Ice" Toeava , is a professional rugby union player in New Zealand.-Early career:Toeava attended De La Salle College, Mangere East, he played alongside Taniela Moa in the school's First XV rugby team. He represented New Zealand U-19 where he was named the IRB's Under-19 2005 player of the year...
, who subsequently played for the Hurricanes in 2006. Following the draft fiasco, and the forgettable season which followed, the Blues showed signs of resurgence in 2007, finishing the round robin in fourth place, securing a semi-final against the Sharks in Durban. The travel and form of the opposition were too difficult to overcome, however, with the Blues losing to the eventual runners-up by 34 - 18. The 2008 season, the final under coach David Nucifora
David Nucifora
David Nucifora is a former Australian rugby union player, who played for the Queensland and Australia. He played as a hooker. He played for the Queensland team from 1986-1993 and was selected into the Wallabies in 1991 and was also a part of the famous 1991 Rugby World Cup winning team which beat...
, saw the team finish the season with an 8 - 5 record and a sixth place finish on the ladder. In 2009, Pat Lam
Pat Lam
Patrick Richard Lam is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer, of Samoan descent. He was the head coach of Auckland before being appointed head coach of Super 14 team the Blues in 2009. He went to St. Peter's College, Epsom, and captained the New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby team...
was appointed as coach, however the team have not been able to make significant improvements under his leadership, missing the playoffs in both the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Super Rugby Era (2011 - present)
In 2011 the Super Rugby competition was expanded to 15 teams and adopted a conference format. The Blues had a successful start to the season, defeating the Crusaders by 24-22 at Eden ParkEden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
. This was followed by a win and a loss on their Southa African tour, followed by a 22-all draw against the Western Force
Western Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
in Perth. This was followed by a seven match winning streak between rounds five and twelve. However, the mid-season wining streak came to an abrupt end with a 37-31 loss to the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in Brisbane, which initiated a four match losing-streak. In the final round-robin match of the season, the Blues defeated the Highlanders by 33-16 at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
, securing the side's first playoff appearance since 2007 and first home playoff match since 2003. The team subsequently defeated the New South Wales Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
26 - 13 to secure a semi-final against the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in Brisbane, which they lost 30 - 13.
Stadium
The team's primary home ground is Eden ParkEden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
, located in the central Auckland suburb of Kingsland. The stadium has a capacity of 65,000. In addition to hosting Blues home matches, the ground is the home of the Auckland Rugby Football Union
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
and Auckland Cricket, and is a frequent host of All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
matches.
In addition to Eden Park, Blues home matches are occasionally held at North Harbour Stadium
North Harbour Stadium
North Harbour Stadium is a stadium, situated in Albany, in North Shore City, in New Zealand. It was opened in 1997, after nearly a decade of discussion, planning and construction. Rugby union, football and rugby League are the only sports played on the main ground, as it is rectangular in shape....
, home of the North Harbour Rugby Union
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
, and Okara Park
Okara Park
Okara Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Whangarei, New Zealand. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Northland Rugby Union. The stadium is able to hold 30,000 people and was built in 1965....
, home of the Northland Rugby Union
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
.
Blues Region Information
Since 1999, the Blues have represented the AucklandAuckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
, North Harbour
North Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
, and Northland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
rugby unions. At present, the Blues are 55% owned by Auckland, 25% by North Harbour, and 20% by Northland. Up to and including 2010, all New Zealand-base Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
sides were able to protect 24 players from within their region each season. Players not protected by the Blues can be selected by any of the other four New Zealand teams for that season, while the Blues are also able to bring in players from other regions for the season. The team has predominantly drawn its players from its own provinces, with the vast majority of players hailing from Auckland, however in recent years several notable players have been signed from outside the region, such as Stephen Brett
Stephen Brett
Stephen Brett is a rugby union player who plays for the Blues in the Super 14 and Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup.-Career:...
(Canterbury) and Alby Mathewson
Alby Mathewson
Albert "Alby" Mathewson is a rugby union player for the Blues in the Super 14 competition. He plays as a scrum-half. He was born in Hastings, New Zealand. He has also played for the All Blacks.-Biography:...
(Wellington).
From 2011 onwards, the NZRU has relaxed the rules imposed on teams in terms of player recruitment. New Zealand teams will move to a direct-contracting recruitment format, which will enable each team to field two foreign (non-New Zealand or Pacific Island) players each season, in addition to squad sizes increasing from 28 to 32 players. With the wider training groups taken into account, each team will have a 40 man squad.
The current Blues (and Auckland Rugby Football Union
Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
) CEO is former Counties
Counties Manukau Rugby Union
The Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Franklin district of New Zealand. The Steelers colours are red, white, and black horizontal bands. The 'Steelers' moniker is a reference to the nearby Glenbrook steel factory...
and New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
player Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton
Andrew Grant Dalton is an ex-All Blacks rugby union player who captained the side 17 times in tests...
. Along with Dalton, Greg Muir, Grant Fox
Grant Fox
Grant James Fox is a former rugby union player from New Zealand. He was born in New Plymouth. He attended Auckland Grammar school....
, Gary Whetton
Gary Whetton
Gary William Whetton is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He played 180 matches for Auckland, and 58 tests at lock for the All Blacks from 1981 to 1991. He currently serves on the Auckland Blues board....
, Geoff Vazey, Mike Budd, John Morgan and Andrew Golightly make up the Blues board.
2012 Squad
Props Charlie Faumuina Charlie Faumuina Charles Faumuina is a rugby union player who plays Prop.-Career:Faumuina plays for Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup and for Blues in the Super 14. He also represents Otahuhu in the Auckland club competition... Tevita Mailau Tevita Mailau Tevita Mailau is a rugby union player who represents Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Blues in the Super 14.-Representative Rugby:... Pauliasi Manu Angus Ta'avao Tony Woodcock Tony Woodcock (rugby player) Tony Dale Woodcock is a New Zealand rugby union player. His position is loosehead prop, and he has played 83 tests for the national team, the All Blacks. He plays for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and for the Auckland Blues in the Super 14. He plays for North Harbour Marist in the North... Hookers Ash Dixon Tom McCartney Tom McCartney Tom McCartney is a New Zealand rugby player, who plays at the hooker position for the Blues in the Super 14.-Career:... Keven Mealamu Keven Mealamu Keven Mealamu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays at hooker for the Blues in the Super 14, Auckland in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national team, All Blacks.... (c) Locks Anthony Boric Anthony Boric Anthony Boric is a rugby union player for the Blues in the Super 14 competition. He also plays for the North Harbour Marist. He plays as a lock. On 1 June 2008, Boric became a New Zealand All Black for the first time.-All Blacks:Boric made his first appearance as an All Black coming on as a... Liaki Moli Filo Paulo Ali Williams Ali Williams Alexander James "Ali" Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player at the position of lock. He represented Auckland and plays for the Blues in the Super 14, when he signed for the Tasman provincial side. In 2008, he played for the Crusaders in the Super 14 and in 2010 signed on loan for Nottingham... |
Loose Forwards Daniel Braid Daniel Braid Daniel Joshua Braid is a rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Super Rugby team the Blues... Luke Braid Luke Braid Luke Gary Braid is a rugby union footballer who plays for the Bay of Plenty Steamers in the Air New Zealand Cup. He is a part of the Chiefs wider training squad for the 2009 Super 14 season... Jerome Kaino Jerome Kaino Jerome Kaino is a professional New Zealand Rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year.-Early life:... Chris Lowrey Chris Lowrey Chris Lowrey is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays for Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Blues in the Super 14. His playing positions are number eight and flanker.... Brad Mika Brad Mika Bradley Moni Mika is a New Zealander rugby union player. His position is lock. He was educated at St Peter's College.... Peter Saili Peter Saili Peter Saili is a New Zealand rugby player, who plays at the Blindside Flanker/ No 8 position for the Blues in the Super 14.-Early life:... Half Backs Alby Mathewson Alby Mathewson Albert "Alby" Mathewson is a rugby union player for the Blues in the Super 14 competition. He plays as a scrum-half. He was born in Hastings, New Zealand. He has also played for the All Blacks.-Biography:... Piri Weepu Piri Weepu Piri Awahou Tihou Weepu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays scrum-half for the All Blacks on international level, Wellington Lions in the National Provincial Championship and the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby. He first won national honours against Wales in 2004... Toby Morland Toby Morland Toby Morland is a NZ rugby union player , who played for Munster. He made his Super rugby debut for the Highlanders in 2004 and played for them until 2008... Fly Halfs Gareth Anscombe Lachie Munro Lachie Munro Lachlan Munro is a New Zealand professional rugby player who is a product of Auckland Grammar. In 2007 Munro played for the New Zealand 7s side and also the New Zealand under 21s side. He also played for Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup, which is the New Zealand provincial championship. In... |
Centres Michael Hobbs Michael Hobbs Major General Sir Michael Frederick Hobbs KCVO, CBE is a former commander in the British Army and now a charity director and Governor of the Military Knights of Windsor.-Military career:... Ma'a Nonu Ma'a Nonu Ma'a Allan Nonu is a professional Samoan rugby union player from New Zealand. Nonu plays for the Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and the New Zealand All Blacks... Benson Stanley Benson Stanley Benson Stanley is a rugby union player for the Blues in the Super 14 competition. Stanley is a product of Auckland Grammar. He plays as a centre. Benson is one of the Stanley rugby clan that includes Chase, Joe and Kyle... Wingers George Moala David Raikuna Rene Ranger Rene Ranger Rene Ranger is a rugby union player who represents Northland in the ITM Cup and the Blues in the Super 15. Ranger made his debut for New Zealand on 26 June 2010 after a superb season with the Blues... Rudi Wulf Rudi Wulf Rudi Wulf is a rugby union footballer who plays for Toulon in the French Top 14. He joined Toulon on a two-year contract after being left out of the 2010 All Black Tri Nations squad. He previously played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Auckland-based Blues in the Super 14... Fullbacks Isaia Toeava Isaia Toeava Isaia "Ice" Toeava , is a professional rugby union player in New Zealand.-Early career:Toeava attended De La Salle College, Mangere East, he played alongside Taniela Moa in the school's First XV rugby team. He represented New Zealand U-19 where he was named the IRB's Under-19 2005 player of the year... Sherwin Stowers Sherwin Stowers Sherwin Stowers is a New Zealand rugby player. He plays for the Blues Super Rugby side, for whom he has made 11 appearances following his 2011 debut. He also plays for Counties Manukau in the New Zealand Provincial ITM Cup, and played for New Zealand in the Sevens World Series.- References :* * -... |
Wider Training Group
- Pauliasi Manu (Auckland) - Prop
- Sean Polwart (Auckland) - Flanker
- Angus Ta’avao-Matau (Auckland) - Prop
- Auvasa Faleali’i (Auckland) - Scrum Half
- James King (North Harbour) - 2nd Row
- Nafi TuitavakeNafi TuitavakeNafi Tuitavake is a New Zealand Rugby union player who plays for the New Zealand Sevens team. He is the younger brother of former All Black winger Anthony Tuitavake.-Career highlights:*North Harbour ITM CUP 2010*New Zealand U20 2009...
(North Harbour) - Centre - Aaron Bancroft (Northland) - Centre
In for 2012
- Ma'a NonuMa'a NonuMa'a Allan Nonu is a professional Samoan rugby union player from New Zealand. Nonu plays for the Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup and the New Zealand All Blacks...
from
Hurricanes - Rudi WulfRudi WulfRudi Wulf is a rugby union footballer who plays for Toulon in the French Top 14. He joined Toulon on a two-year contract after being left out of the 2010 All Black Tri Nations squad. He previously played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Auckland-based Blues in the Super 14...
from
Toulon - Piri WeepuPiri WeepuPiri Awahou Tihou Weepu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays scrum-half for the All Blacks on international level, Wellington Lions in the National Provincial Championship and the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby. He first won national honours against Wales in 2004...
from Hurricanes
Out for 2012
- John AfoaJohn AfoaIoane Fitu "John" Afoa is a New Zealand professional Rugby union player and plays prop and hooker. Afoa currently plays for Ulster after signing a two-and-a-half year deal after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.-Representative Rugby:...
to
UlsterUlster RugbyUlster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... - Stephen BrettStephen BrettStephen Brett is a rugby union player who plays for the Blues in the Super 14 and Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup.-Career:...
to
Toyota VerblitzToyota VerblitzToyota Verblitz is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. Verblitz is a conflation of verde and blitz . The team is owned by Toyota Jidosha and is separate from, and not to be confused with, the Toyota Industries Shuttles rugby team, owned by Toyota Industries... - Luke McAlisterLuke McAlisterCharles Luke McAlister is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays first five-eighths and second five-eighths ....
to ToulouseStade ToulousainStade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps... - Winston Stanley to
Western ForceWestern ForceWestern Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th... - Joe RokocokoJoe RokocokoJosevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko is a professional New Zealand rugby union player. Rokocoko is known for his speed and strength which has accounted for his prolific try strike rate...
to BayonneAviron BayonnaisAviron Bayonnais is a French rugby union club from Bayonne in Pyrénées-Atlantiques that currently competes in the top level of the French league system, in the Top 14 competition... - Jared PayneJared PayneJared Payne is a rugby union player from New Zealand, playing for Ulster Rugby at centre and fullback. He has played for the New Zealand Under-21s and Schools sevens teams, making his Crusaders debut in 2009. Payne has represented Waikato and was a member of the Chiefs squad for the 2007 season,...
to UlsterUlster RugbyUlster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup... - Chris SmylieChris SmylieChris Smylie is a New Zealand rugby union player, who plays at halfback. Although he made his provincial debut for North Harbour in 2002, he currently plays for Otago in the NPC and the Highlanders in the Super 14, and has been named in the New Zealand Māori squad for 2006.Smylie was named NPC...
to HurricanesHurricanes (Super rugby franchise)The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition... - James KingJames King- Politics :*James G. King , American businessman and United States Representative from New Jersey*James King King , British MP for Herefordshire*James A...
to Melbourne RebelsMelbourne RebelsThe Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
Assistant Coaches
Bryce Woodward (2010–Present) Liam Barry (2011–Present) Mike Casey (scrum coach)Additional Staff
|
|
Former Head Coaches
Graham HenryGraham Henry
Graham Henry is a New Zealand Rugby Union coach, and former head coach of the country's national team, the All Blacks. He played rugby union for Canterbury and cricket for Otago in the Plunket Shield. Henry was heavily criticized following the All Blacks quarterfinal exit at the 2007 Rugby World...
(1996–1998) Jed Rowlands
Jed Rowlands
Jed Rowlands is a New Zealand rugby union coach. He coaches the Black Ferns, the New Zealand women's national rugby team, and was in 1999 the coach of the Auckland Blues Super Rugby professional side.-External links:...
(1999) Gordon Hunter
Gordon Hunter (rugby)
Gordon Hunter was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and selector. Hunter made a couple of appearances for Otago before a workplace accident left him without his left eye. He subsequently made a career as a coach and selector, coaching Otago, the Otago Highlanders, and the Auckland Blues. He...
(2000) Frank Oliver
Frank Oliver (rugby player)
Francis James "Frank" Oliver was a New Zealand rugby union player. He was born in Dunedin on December 24, 1948, making his provincial debut for Southland in 1969. He later also played for Otago and Manawatu....
(2001) Peter Sloane
Peter Sloane
Peter Sloane is a New Zealand rugby coach and former player. He played for Northland from 1972–1983, and made fifteen appearances for the All Blacks, including one test match, between 1973 and 1979...
(2002–2005) David Nucifora
David Nucifora
David Nucifora is a former Australian rugby union player, who played for the Queensland and Australia. He played as a hooker. He played for the Queensland team from 1986-1993 and was selected into the Wallabies in 1991 and was also a part of the famous 1991 Rugby World Cup winning team which beat...
(2006–2008)
New Zealand Representatives
- John AfoaJohn AfoaIoane Fitu "John" Afoa is a New Zealand professional Rugby union player and plays prop and hooker. Afoa currently plays for Ulster after signing a two-and-a-half year deal after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.-Representative Rugby:...
- Ben AtigaBen AtigaBenjamin Alo Charles Atiga is a New Zealand rugby union footballer and plays centre and fullback. Atiga is a product of Auckland Grammar School. He has currently played only 1 test for the All Blacks, he got called into the 2003 All Blacks World Cup squad as an injury replacement and got his cap...
- Norm BerrymanNorm BerrymanNorman Rangi Berryman is a New Zealand rugby union player. He first played first class rugby for Northland in the National Provincial Championship , in 1991. He continued to play for Northland, and in 1996 played for the Chiefs in the new Super 12. Berryman was drafted into the Blues in 1997, and...
- Andrew BlowersAndrew BlowersAndrew Francis Blowers is a rugby union player who played for Auckland Blues, Northampton Saints and Bristol. He played for the All Blacks between 1996 and 1999 in which he had played 11 tests and 7 games...
- Anthony BoricAnthony BoricAnthony Boric is a rugby union player for the Blues in the Super 14 competition. He also plays for the North Harbour Marist. He plays as a lock. On 1 June 2008, Boric became a New Zealand All Black for the first time.-All Blacks:Boric made his first appearance as an All Black coming on as a...
- Daniel BraidDaniel BraidDaniel Joshua Braid is a rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Super Rugby team the Blues...
- Robin BrookeRobin BrookeRobin Matthew Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby player. He played for the All Blacks n the 1990s, playing many tests alongside younger brother Zinzan Brooke...
- Zinzan BrookeZinzan BrookeZinzan Valentine Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight...
- Olo BrownOlo BrownOlo Max Brown was born 24 October 1967 in Apia, Samoa. He played 56 tests at prop for the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team from 1992 to 1998, missing only two tests in his career. He suffered neck and back injuries which ended his rugby playing days, and retired to become a lawyer.-External links:...
- Mark CarterMark CarterFor the former All Black see Mark Carter Mark Colin Carter is an English former footballer....
- Adrian CashmoreAdrian CashmoreAdrian Richard Cashmore in Tokoroa, New Zealand. He is a New Zealand rugby player who played for Auckland and Bay of Plenty provincially, and the Auckland Blues and Chiefs in Super Rugby. He also played professionally in Japan and for Welsh region the Ospreys in the Celtic League...
- Eroni ClarkeEroni ClarkeEroni Clarke was a Samoan-born New Zealand rugby union player who played for Auckland, the Blues, the Highlanders and the All Blacks at international level. Clarke made 154 appearances for Auckland, making him the fifth most capped player in the union's history...
- Greg Cooper
- Ron CribbRon CribbRonald Te Huia Cribb is a real estate agent and formerNew Zealand rugby union player. A very talented loose forward, the 1.94 m, 110 kg Cribb is a former All Black, and mainly plays number eight.- Career :...
- Chresten Davis
- Steve DevineSteve DevineStephen John Devine is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He is a former All Black and currently co-hosts a programme on New Zealand Sky TV called This Given Sunday, along with Karl Te Nana.He played for Australia Under-21 before relocating to New Zealand...
- Craig DowdCraig DowdCraig Dowd born 26 October 1969 in Auckland, New Zealand is a former rugby union player and current coach. He played 60 test matches for New Zealand between 1993 and 2000, spending his entire provincial career with Auckland. He spent his entire Super 12 career, 64 matches, with the Auckland Blues,...
- Marc EllisMarc Ellis (rugby)Marc Christopher Gwynne Ellis is a New Zealand businessman and television presenter, and former rugby league and rugby union player. A graduate of the University of Otago, his primary business interests are in Charlie's, a juice company...
- Tamati EllisonTamati EllisonTamati Ellison is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Japanese Top League competition. His position is utility back. He previously played for Wellington in the Air New Zealand Cup and Super Rugby for the Hurricanes...
- Bryn EvansBryn Evans (New Zealand rugby union player)Bryn Evans is a New Zealand rugby union player. Evans made his international debut for the All Blacks in 2009 against France. He plays with the Hurricanes in the Super 14, and also plays provincial rugby for Hawke's Bay in the Air New Zealand Cup.-Biography:Evans was born in Hastings and attended...
- Nick Evans
- Greg FeekGreg FeekGregory Edward Feek is a New Zealand rugby union player who has played 10 tests for the All Blacks between 1999 and 2001 as a prop, in addition to 63 appearances with the Crusaders. He was born in New Plymouth. He had played provincial rugby for Taranaki between 1996 and 1998 and Canterbury...
- Sean FitzpatrickSean FitzpatrickSean Fitzpatrick MNZM is a former rugby union footballer who represented New Zealand, and is widely regarded as one of the finest players ever to come from that country. He is also the son of former player Brian Fitzpatrick....
- Troy FlavellTroy FlavellTroy Vandem Flavell is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for Bayonne in the French Top 14. Flavell has won 22 caps for New Zealand, and mainly plays lock. He is known for his power in the scrum and his repeated foul play...
- Richard Fromont
- Rico GearRico GearRico Levi Gear is a New Zealand rugby union international player. He is a specialist right wing but can also cover midfield positions. He currently plays for Kintetsu Liners in the Top League....
- Shane HowarthShane HowarthShane Paul Howarth is a New Zealand born former international rugby union player who gained four caps and scored 54 points for the All Blacks before later switching allegiance to Wales, attaining 19 Welsh caps....
- Doug HowlettDoug HowlettDouglas Charles Howlett is a professional New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent. He is primarily a wing but he has also covered fullback at national and international levels. He currently plays in Ireland with Munster. He is the brother of former Tongan rugby league international Phil...
- Craig InnesCraig InnesCraig Innes is a New Zealand former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s. After a successful rugby union career which saw him represent his country he switched to rugby league, playing in both England and Australia, winning the 1996 ARL Premiership, before playing out the...
- Michael Jones
- Jerome KainoJerome KainoJerome Kaino is a professional New Zealand Rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year.-Early life:...
- Danny Lee
- Walter LittleWalter Little (rugby player)Walter Little is a former New Zealand rugby player. He played in the second five-eighth position for and for North Harbour. He was known for his combination with Frank Bunce.- External links :...
- Jonah LomuJonah LomuJonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
- Keith Lowen
- Luke McAlisterLuke McAlisterCharles Luke McAlister is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays first five-eighths and second five-eighths ....
- Angus MacDonald
- Alby MathewsonAlby MathewsonAlbert "Alby" Mathewson is a rugby union player for the Blues in the Super 14 competition. He plays as a scrum-half. He was born in Hastings, New Zealand. He has also played for the All Blacks.-Biography:...
- Mark MayerhoflerMark MayerhoflerMark Mayerhofler was a rugby union player for Newcastle Falcons in the Guinness Premiership.Mark Mayerhofler's position of choice is as a centre.-External links:*...
- Kees MeeuwsKees MeeuwsKees Junior Meeuws is a former New Zealand rugby union prop and current assistant coach of the Highlanders in the Super Rugby tournament. Meeuws played 42 tests for the All Blacks between 1998 and 2004, scoring 10 test tries...
- Brad MikaBrad MikaBradley Moni Mika is a New Zealander rugby union player. His position is lock. He was educated at St Peter's College....
- Dylan MikaDylan MikaDylan Mika . He was educated at St Peter's College. He is a former rugby union footballer who played for both Samoa national rugby union team and the All Blacks. Mika played mainly at flanker during his career. He first played internationally for Samoa despite being born in New Zealand...
- Malili Muliaina
- Craig NewbyCraig NewbyCraig Newby is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He currently plays for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership....
- Caleb RalphCaleb RalphCaleb Stan Ralph is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. Ralph began his first-class career with Bay of Plenty, then moved to Auckland before heading to Canterbury. He started his Super Rugby career with the Chiefs in 1997, Blues , Crusaders and a cameo role with the Queensland Reds...
- Rene RangerRene RangerRene Ranger is a rugby union player who represents Northland in the ITM Cup and the Blues in the Super 15. Ranger made his debut for New Zealand on 26 June 2010 after a superb season with the Blues...
- Greg RawlinsonGreg RawlinsonGreg Rawlinson is a New Zealand international rugby union player. He currently plays for Worcester Warriors in the Guinness Premiership....
- Charles RiechelmannCharles RiechelmannCharles Riechelmann was a Tongan-born New Zealand rugby union player. He played for Auckland, the Blues and the All Blacks at international level. He played six test matches for New Zealand in 1997, scoring three tries. He was also a part of the Blues 1996 and 1997 Super 12 winning teams.-External...
- Mark Robinson
- Josevata Rokocoko
- Xavier RushXavier RushXavier Joseph Rush is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He is a former All Black and currently plays professional rugby in Wales for RaboDirect Pro12 side Cardiff Blues where he is the former captain...
- Carlos SpencerCarlos SpencerCarlos James Spencer is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who currently plays at fly-half for the Lions in the Super 14 and formerly for the New Zealand All Blacks. He is well known for his flamboyant, attacking play and ball handling skills. He has signed to play for the Lions for 2010 and 2011...
- Jeremy StanleyJeremy StanleyJeremy Stanley is a former rugby union player. He was born in Otahuhu, New Zealand.He played for the All Blacks, Ponsonby and Auckland and the Hurricanes as a centre.-External links:...
- Lee StensnessLee StensnessLee Stensness is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played for Manawatu, Auckland, the Blues and the All Blacks. He made his debut for the All Blacks in 1993.-Early career:...
- Saimone TaumoepeauSaimone TaumoepeauSaimone Taumoepeau is a professional rugby union player in France.-Career:Born in Tonga, Taumoepeau emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 20. Taumoepeau was a shock selection in the 2004 end-of-year All Blacks squad after having only made his debut that season in provincial rugby's Air New...
- Glenn TaylorGlenn TaylorGlenn Taylor is a politician from Alberta, Canada. He is the leader of the Alberta Party and mayor of Hinton.-Political career:Taylor was a candidate for the Alberta New Democratic Party in 1997 in the riding of West Yellowhead, and in 2001 was elected to Hinton town council. In 2004 he was elected...
- Rua TipokiRua TipokiTe Rua Reihana Tipoki brought up in Te Araroa in Gisborne, is a retired rugby union player who has played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and for the Auckland Blues in the Super 14. Tipoki also played for Irish provincial side Munster until 2009. His position was outside centre...
- Isaia ToeavaIsaia ToeavaIsaia "Ice" Toeava , is a professional rugby union player in New Zealand.-Early career:Toeava attended De La Salle College, Mangere East, he played alongside Taniela Moa in the school's First XV rugby team. He represented New Zealand U-19 where he was named the IRB's Under-19 2005 player of the year...
- Ofisa Tonu'u
- Sam TuitupouSam TuitupouSam Tuitupou is a New Zealand international rugby union player who plays for Sale in the Aviva Premiership. His position is Inside Centre....
- Anthony TuitavakeAnthony TuitavakeAnthony Tuitavake is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays his rugby as a centre or on the wing. Tuitavake, of Tongan descent, is a fast attacking centre, who not only finishes backline moves himself, but also has the vision to create space and scoring opportunities for his outsides...
- Mose Tuiali'iMose Tuiali'iMose Tuiali'i is a rugby union player who plays for Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup and for the Crusaders in the Super 14. He plays for Suburbs in the Christchurch premier competition. He has played for the All Blacks between 2004 and 2006 in which he has played 9 tests. His position is No 8...
- Joeli VidiriJoeli VidiriJoeli Vidiri is a retired Fijian rugby union footballer who also played for the All Blacks. He played as a wing.-Career:...
- Royce WillisRoyce WillisRoyce Kevin Willis was an international rugby union player who represented New Zealand in 12 matches between 1998 and 2002. -Rugby career:...
- Ali WilliamsAli WilliamsAlexander James "Ali" Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player at the position of lock. He represented Auckland and plays for the Blues in the Super 14, when he signed for the Tasman provincial side. In 2008, he played for the Crusaders in the Super 14 and in 2010 signed on loan for Nottingham...
- Derren WitcombeDerren WitcombeDerren John Charles Witcombe is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays at the position of hooker. He plays for Auckland at provincial level and the Blues in the Super 14. He was a surprise pick in the All Black squad in 2005 after playing only eight games for the Blues behind incumbent All...
- Tony WoodcockTony WoodcockAnthony Stewart "Tony" Woodcock is a retired English international footballer who played professionally in both England and Germany as a striker. He won the European Cup in 1979 with Nottingham Forest.-Early career:...
- Rudi WulfRudi WulfRudi Wulf is a rugby union footballer who plays for Toulon in the French Top 14. He joined Toulon on a two-year contract after being left out of the 2010 All Black Tri Nations squad. He previously played for North Harbour in the Air New Zealand Cup and the Auckland-based Blues in the Super 14...
Super 12/14 Honours
- Champions
1996
1996 Super 12 season
The 1996 Super 12 season was the inaugural season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 1996, with each team playing all the others once...
, 1997
1997 Super 12 season
The 1997 Super 12 season was the second season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 1997, with each team playing all the others once...
, 2003
2003 Super 12 season
The 2003 Super 12 season was the eighth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2003, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi...
- Runners-Up
1998
1998 Super 12 season
The 1998 Super 12 season was the third season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 1998, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals,...
- Semi-Finalists
2007
2007 Super 14 season
The 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby...
Team Record
- Games played: 184
- Games won: 111
- Games lost: 70
- Games drawn: 3
- Winning percentage: 60%
- Points for: 5283
- Points against: 4404
- Winning record at home: 68/94 (72%)
- Winning record away: 43/90 (47%)
Placing History
| Super 12/14 Results | |||||||||||
| Year | Played | Win | Draw | Loss | PF | PA | Diff | BP | Points | Place | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 408 | 354 | +54 | 9 | 41 | 1st | (defeated Natal Sharks (rugby franchise) The Sharks are a South African rugby union team competing in the Super Rugby competition... in final) |
| 1997 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 435 | 283 | +152 | 8 | 50 | 1st | (defeated ACT Brumbies in final) |
| 1998 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 388 | 298 | +90 | 7 | 43 | 2nd | (lost final to Crusaders) |
| 1999 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 202 | 201 | +1 | 5 | 23 | 9th | |
| 2000 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 300 | 262 | +38 | 6 | 30 | 6th | |
| 2001 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 243 | 298 | -55 | 5 | 21 | 11th | |
| 2002 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 318 | 249 | +69 | 5 | 29 | 6th | |
| 2003 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 393 | 185 | +208 | 9 | 49 | 1st | (defeated Crusaders in final) |
| 2004 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 337 | 309 | +28 | 6 | 32 | 5th | |
| 2005 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 243 | 216 | +27 | 3 | 27 | 7th | |
| 2006 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 290 | 348 | -58 | 5 | 29 | 8th | |
| 2007 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 355 | 235 | +120 | 6 | 42 | 4th | (lost to the Sharks in the semi final) |
| 2008 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 354 | 267 | +87 | 8 | 40 | 6th | |
| 2009 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 339 | 369 | -30 | 12 | 32 | 9th | |
| 2010 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 376 | 333 | +43 | 9 | 37 | 7th | |
| Super Rugby Results | |||||||||||
| Year | Played | Win | Draw | Loss | PF | PA | Diff | BP | Points | Place | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 405 | 335 | +70 | 10 | 60 | 4th | (lost to Queensland Reds Queensland Reds The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland... in the semi-final) |
See also
- Auckland Rugby Football UnionAuckland Rugby Football UnionThe Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
- North Harbour Rugby UnionNorth Harbour Rugby UnionThe North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
- Northland Rugby UnionNorthland Rugby UnionThe Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
- New Zealand Rugby Union