New Zealand

In just a few hours New Zealand will revive an old tradition – the North vs South Island trial match. Similar ideas are not uncommon in rugby, one example being the ‘Probables vs Possibles’ contest held by Wales as recently as 2014. England, Ireland, and Australia have all held such …

USA international Tony Lamborn will captain Southland in the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup. They will compete in the Championship division. The 29-year-old loose forward returns to the Stags after a year away due to Rugby World Cup 2019 commitments. He also led the team in 2018. Originally from Timaru on …

Beaudein Waaka will stay with the New England Free Jacks for another two seasons. The former New Zealand Sevens standout has committed to seeing out his existing contract, announced in August of last year, that runs through the 2022 Major League Rugby campaign. Injury restricted Waaka to only two games …

The New England Free Jacks have signed 26-year-old center Aleki Morris-Lome on a two-year deal through the 2022 Major League Rugby season. He arrives from New Zealand where he has played in the Mitre 10 Cup provincial competition since 2016. Originally from Dunedin, Morris-Lome played for North Otago in 2015 …

Kurt Morath has re-signed with the Austin Gilgronis for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. Tonga’s all-time leading scorer with 340 points in 38 tests, the New Zealand-born flyhalf gives the AG’s two sets of international halfbacks along with Will Magie and scrumhalves Pele Cowley and Marcelo Torrealba. Morath arrived …

Frank Halai will return to Austin for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The Tongan-born powerhouse enters the second season of his contract signed in September 2019 and joins fellow All Blacks international Jamie Mackintosh on the confirmed list for the Gilgronis. Having been used primarily as a winger both …

Martini Talapusi has signed a one-year extension with Rugby ATL through the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 25-year-old utility back is the ninth player to re-sign for the club during the off-season and the first since the team’s new logo was unveiled earlier this month. Born in New Zealand …

The Austin Gilgronis have confirmed the re-signing of Jamie Mackintosh for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. As expected the 35-year-old New Zealand international will return as a player-coach, joining a new-looking coaching staff that includes Australian duo Sam Harris and Mark Gerrard. Mackintosh, nicknamed ‘Whoppa’, signed on for a …

Four Major League Rugby players have been named in the Counties Manukau training squad for the upcoming Mitre 10 Cup season. New Zealand’s provincial competition is to begin on September 11 following the completion of Super Rugby Aotearoa. Colorado Raptors eightman Sam Slade has returned to his club side Pukekohe …

New England Free Jacks prop Donald Brighouse has been named in the Taranaki Bulls squad for the upcoming Mitre 10 Cup. The 27-year-old Wellington native has most recently been playing for New Plymouth Old Boys since the Major League Rugby season was suspended. Brighouse signed for the the Free Jacks …