The Northland Rugby Football Union (NRFU) is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.
History
Northland was founded in 1920, as North Auckland Rugby Union.
Northland, as North Auckland, have held the Shield on 4 occasions - 1950, 1960, 1971 and 1978.
Representative Rugby
Its representative team, called the Northland Taniwha, competes in the Air New Zealand Cup, the country's top-level professional competition, which replaced Division One of the National Provincial Championship. The union is based in Whangarei, where the Taniwha play their home fixtures at ITM Stadium. The Taniwha play in a predominantly sky blue strip with dark blue trim. Apparel is supplied by Canterbury of New Zealand. Main sponsor is United Carriers Ltd. Other sponsors:
2006 squad
The squad at the start of the 2006 season will include:
Current staff
Mark Anscombe(Head Coach 2006-)
2006 Results
Round 1
Round 2
Because the Northland union is linked with the Blues Super 14 franchise, Taniwha players are eligible for selection to the Blues without a drafting system or negotiations with other franchises.
When NZRU were initially deciding the team compositions for the Super 12 in 1995 it was decided that to have the Blues franchise encompass the North Harbour, Counties-Manukau, Northland and Auckland provincial rugby unions would be unfair. This was due to the preponderance of All Blacks (players representing New Zealand) who came from North Harbour, Counties-Manukau and Auckland at the time. Hence if the Blues were to consist of these unions, they would field an All Blacks team in all but name. This led to North Harbour and Northland being represented by the nearest other team, the Chiefs (at the time named the Waikato Chiefs).
By the end of the 1990s the number of All Blacks from these unions had decreased. This led the Blues and the Chiefs to arrange a swap, where the Chiefs would represent Thames Valley and Counties Manukau in exchange for the Blues representing Northland and North Harbour.
Sub-Unions
Due to the large size of the Northland province, the Northland rugby union is divided into 7 sub-unions. Each sub-union represents a number of rugby clubs.
Bay of Islands
- Kaeo RFC
- Kaikohe RFC
- Kerikeri RFC
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- Moerewa RF Sports Club
- Ohaeawai RF and Sports Club
- Okaihau RUF and Sports Club
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- Otiria RUF and Sports Club
- United Kawakawa RFC
- Waitangi RFC
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Hokianga
- Horeke RFC
- Mangamuka RFC
- Motukohu RFC
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- Opononi RFC
- Panguru RFC
- Whirinaki RFC
- Rawene RFC
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Mangonui
- Aupouri RF and Sports Club
- Awanui RFC
- Eastern United RFC
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- Kaitaia City RFC
- Kaitaia Pirates RFC
- Mangonui Women's Rugby Club
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- Rarawa RFC
- Takahue RFC
- Waipapakauri RFC
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Northern Wairoa
- Dargaville Old Boys Football and Softball Club
- Dargaville Rugby and Sports Club
- Kaihu Valley RFC
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- Ruawai RFC
- Southern RFC
- Western Sharks
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Otamatea/Rodney
- Otamatea Hawks RFC
- Paparoa RFC
- Port Albert RFC
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- Tomarata RFC
- Wellsford RFC
- Ruawai RFC
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Whangarei City
- City RFC
- Hikurangi RUFC
- Hora Hora RUFC
- Kamo Rugby and Squash Club
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- Manaia RFC
- Mangakahia RFC
- Marist Rugby Club
- Mid Northern RFC
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- Mid Western Rugby and Squash Club
- Old Boys Rugby and Sports Club
- Onerahi RFC
- Pipiwai RFC
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- Tikipunga RFC
- Waimarie Rugby Club
- Waipu Rugby and Squash Club
- Whangaruru RFC
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Players and coaches of note
Former coaches
Notable former players
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- AB Ian Irvine
- AB Blair Larsen
- AB Ken Going
- Chippie Semenoff
- AB Hamish Macdonald
- AB Alf Waterman
- AB Michael Speight
- AB Des Webb
- AB Mike Burgoyne
- Robbie Johnson
- Jared Going
- Brian Going
- Geoff Crawford
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- Milton Going
 "Big" Joe Veitayaki- AB Peter 'Kumara' Jones
- AB Bevan Holmes
- AB Lindsay Townsend
- AB Wayne Neville
- AB Nau Paora 'Brownie' Cherrington
 Julian Huxley- Sam Payne
 Sam Pinder- Mose Tuiali'i
- Mark "ziggy" Seymour
- Nick White
- Fero Lasagavaibau
- Lee Peina
- Jason Barrell
- Doug Te Puni
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External links
Matt Faleuka
