Tag Archives: New Zealand NPC

Jake Ilnicki is moving up the professional ranks. Having split the 2016 season between PRO Rugby’s San Diego Breakers and the Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup, the 24-year-old Williams Lake native will start the New Year with the Northampton Saints of England’s Aviva Premiership. Ilnicki has already …

It was a challenge to put together a select side this week and in all honesty it isn’t one of our best, but sometimes you have to make do with what you’re given. A number of backs put their hand up which made things a little easier out wide. Up …

Head coach Colin Cooper and assistant Tana Umaga have named 26 players in their New Zealand Māori squad to depart on Sunday for a three-match tour that begins in Chicago against the US Eagles. Included are six new Māori caps with all but five of the squad boasting Super Rugby …

Three players of American interest will be participating in Southern Hemisphere finals this weekend. Chris Baumann, Marcel Brache, and Toni Pulu are set to take part in the knock-out stages of their respective competitions with Eagles selectors sure to be keen observers. Baumann has enjoyed a fine season with the …

There was a lot of ground to cover with Americas players strewn all over Europe, some circling the Tasman Sea, and four teams full over five games in two days to asses down in Montevideo. It makes for a cosmopolitan selection with credit largely given to Americas Pacific Challenge players …

The Southern Hemisphere’s top domestic competitions are starting to wrap up as New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup enters its 9th and final week of regular season play, while Australia’s National Rugby Championship has reached the semi-finals stage. Americas players will feature in both over the next few days. Jake Ilnicki …

A great week of rugby with the Americas Pacific Challenge getting underway while the Rugby Championship and South American ‘B’ Championship sign off. The Aviva Premiership was in full flight, there were good performances in the Mitre 10 Cup, and amazingly not a single player has been picked from France …

Two North American props battled it out on Wednesday in Week 8 of the Mitre 10 Cup. US Eagles rep Chris Baumann and Canadian international Jake Ilnicki were at tighthead for Wellington and Manawatu respectively as the Turbos took the spoils at home 50-28. Baumann suffered a head knock during …

Samoa head coach Alama Ieremia has named an impressive list of 45 players in an extended squad to prepare for the November test series. The daunting tour features matches against France, Georgia, and Canada, with a final group of 32 players to be named before departure. Bristol flanker Jack Lam …

San Francisco Rush standout Bill Fukofuka has been selected to the Tongan national side for their November test series. Now returned to the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup, the 21-year-old loose forward is one of 10 uncapped players named in the 30-strong group by head coach Toutai Kefu. …