Waikato (National Provincial Championship)

Waikato
	WRU official emblem
Union	Waikato Rugby Union
Nickname(s)	Mooloos
Founded	1921; 103 years ago
Location	Whitiora, Hamilton, New Zealand
Ground(s)	FMG Stadium Waikato (Capacity: 25,000)
CEO	Amy Marfell
Coach(es)	Ross Filipo
Captain(s)	Ayden Johnstone & Xavier Roe
Most appearances	Ian Foster and Graham Purvis (148)
Top scorer	Matthew Cooper (1,604)
Most tries	Bruce Smith (70)
League(s)	Bunnings NPC
2024	7th ; Semi-finalist
	Team kit
	Team kit
Official website
	www.mooloo.co.nz

Waikato (often known as the Waikato Mooloos) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1921, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton in the Waikato region. The team is affiliated with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are red, yellow and black.

Current squad

The Waikato Mooloos squad for the 2024 Bunnings NPC is: ^[2]

Waikato Mooloos squad
Props George Dyer Ayden Johnstone (cc) Sefo Kautai ^REP ^[a] Ollie Norris Gabe Robinson Solomone Tukuafu Mason Tupaea Hookers Pita Anae Ah-Sue Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia ^REP ^[b] Sean Ralph Samisoni Taukei'aho Locks Josh Balme ^REP ^[c] Hamilton Burr Tai Cribb ^REP ^[b] Laghlan McWhannell James Tucker	Loose forwards Samipeni Finau Luke Jacobson Mitch Jacobson Senita Lauaki ^REP ^[d] Oli Mathis ^REP ^[b] Patrick McCurran Xavier Saifoloi Andrew Smith ^REP ^[b] Adrein Wharawhara ^REP ^[e] Malachi Wrampling-Alec Halfbacks (scrum-halves) Quintony Ngatai ^REP ^[b] Cortez Ratima Xavier Roe (cc) First five-eighths (fly-halves) Aaron Cruden Taha Kemara D'Angelo Leuila Damian McKenzie	Midfielders (centres) Austin Anderson Anton Lienert-Brown Bailyn Sullivan Quinn Tupaea Gideon Wrampling Outside backs Tepaea Cook-Savage Liam Coombes-Fabling Josh Moorby Jole Naufahu ^REP ^[c] Waisake Salabiau ^REP ^[f] Daniel Sinkinson Newton Tudreu ^REP ^[b] Aki Tuivailala ^REP ^[c]
(c) denotes team captain. Bold denotes internationally capped. REP denotes a replacement squad player. ^ Kautai wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for Round 8.^[3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Boyle-Tiatia, Cribb, Mathis, Ngatai, Smith and Tudreu weren't named in the original Waikato squad, but were announced in the side for Round 1.^[4] ^ ^a ^b ^c Balme, Naufahu and Tuivailala weren't named in the original Waikato squad, but were announced in the side for Round 4.^[5] ^ Lauaki wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for Round 2^[6] ^ Wharawhara wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for the Round 4 mid-week game.^[7] ^ Salabiau wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced as a late inclusion in the side for Round 9.^[8]

Honours

Waikato have been overall Champions on three occasions, winning the titles in 1992, 2006 and 2021. Their full list of honours include:^[9]^[10]

National Provincial Championship Second Division North Island

Winners: 1980

National Provincial Championship Second Division

Winners: 1986

National Provincial Championship First Division

Winners: 1992

Air New Zealand Cup

Winners: 2006

Mitre 10 Cup Championship Division

Winners: 2018

Bunnings NPC Premiership Division

Winners: 2021

Current Super Rugby players

Players named in the 2024 Waikato Mooloos squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Player	Team
Hamilton Burr	Chiefs
Liam Coombes-Fabling	Chiefs
George Dyer	Chiefs
Samipeni Finau	Chiefs
Luke Jacobson	Chiefs
Ayden Johnstone	Highlanders
Taha Kemara	Crusaders
D'Angelo Leuila	Moana Pasifika
Anton Lienert-Brown	Chiefs
Josh Moorby	Hurricanes
Damian McKenzie	Chiefs
Laghlan McWhannell	Blues
Ollie Norris	Chiefs
Cortez Ratima	Chiefs
Xavier Roe	Chiefs
Daniel Sinkinson	Hurricanes
Bailyn Sullivan	Hurricanes
Samisoni Taukei'aho	Chiefs
James Tucker	Hurricanes
Solomone Tukuafu	Highlanders
Mason Tupaea	Blues
Quinn Tupaea	Chiefs
Gideon Wrampling	Chiefs
Malachi Wrampling-Alec	Chiefs

References

^ "WRU Staff & Board". Waikato Rugby. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
^ "2024 Waikato National Provincial Championship squad announced". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
^ "Waikato named for their round 8 Bunnings NPC clash with Southland Stags". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 28 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^ "Waikato named for season opener against Bay of Plenty Steamers". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^ "Waikato named to defend the Stan Thomas Memorial against Auckland". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^ "Waikato named to face Counties Manukau in Pukekohe for round 2". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 17 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^ "Waikato named for game 2 of Storm week against Northland Taniwha". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 3 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^ "Bunnings NPC: Canterbury v Waikato – Teams". RugbyPass. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
^ "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
^ "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Retrieved 17 September 2020.

External links

Official site

[Round_8-4] Kautai wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for Round 8.^[3]

[Round_1-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Boyle-Tiatia, Cribb, Mathis, Ngatai, Smith and Tudreu weren't named in the original Waikato squad, but were announced in the side for Round 1.^[4]

[Round_4-8] Balme, Naufahu and Tuivailala weren't named in the original Waikato squad, but were announced in the side for Round 4.^[5]

[Round_2-10] Lauaki wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for Round 2^[6]

[Round_4a-12] Wharawhara wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for the Round 4 mid-week game.^[7]

[Round_9-14] Salabiau wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced as a late inclusion in the side for Round 9.^[8]

[1] "WRU Staff & Board". Waikato Rugby. Retrieved 10 September 2020.

[2024_Waikato_National_Provincial_Championship_squad_announced-2] "2024 Waikato National Provincial Championship squad announced". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.

[3] "Waikato named for their round 8 Bunnings NPC clash with Southland Stags". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 28 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.

[5] "Waikato named for season opener against Bay of Plenty Steamers". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.

[7] "Waikato named to defend the Stan Thomas Memorial against Auckland". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 29 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.

[9] "Waikato named to face Counties Manukau in Pukekohe for round 2". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 17 August 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.

[11] "Waikato named for game 2 of Storm week against Northland Taniwha". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 3 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.

[13] "Bunnings NPC: Canterbury v Waikato – Teams". RugbyPass. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.

[15] "National Provincial Championship winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 17 September 2020.

[16] "Mitre 10 Cup". Rugby Heartland. Retrieved 17 September 2020.

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