Taniwharau Rugby League Club
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Colours | Green and Gold |
| Founded | 1944 |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
|
| Coach | Premier Coach: John Devonshire Premier Reserve Coach: William Rangi |
| Competition | Waikato Rugby League and WaiCoa Competition |
| Records | |
| Premierships | 14 |
| Waicoa Bay Premierships | 2002, 2007 |
The Taniwharau Rugby League Club is a rugby league club from Huntly, New Zealand. They compete in the Waikato Rugby League and WaiCoa club competitions. The club plays in a green and gold strip and are based at Waahi Pa Huntly.
History
Taniwharau, founded in 1944 by Tonga Mahuta, is the most successful club in Huntly, a town which once boasted four rugby league clubs, the Rangiriri Eels, Huntly South, Huntly United and Taniwharau.
The club won 11 straight Waikato premierships during the 1970-80's. Taniwharau also won the inaugural Waicoa Bay championship in 2002 and again in 2007 a year in which they went through the season unbeaten; a feat that has never been achieved before at the Waikato Rugby League Premier Level. Taniwharau were able to win the reformed Waikato Rugby League title in 2008 and 2009.[1][2]
Taniwharau was arguably the most successful club in the Waikato in the 2013 season with 5 teams in 7 Grand Finals. On the 10th of August 2013 the Taniwharau Rugby League Club fielded the 13s, 14s, 18s, Reserves and Premier grades on Grand Final day with only the 13s grade unfortunately going down to Te Iti Rearea. The 14s and 18s grade saw the Taniwharau boys come up against the family team from the Turangawaewae Rugby League Club. The 14s having just beaten Turangawaewae 28-26 and the 18s comfortably and convincingly winning their game 22-10 keeping Turangawaewae scoreless in the second half. The Reserves and Premiers both had the challenge of playing Hamilton City Tigers in their finals with both games going right down to the last minute with Taniwharau snatching both games by 2 points - 16-14 in the Reserves grade and 18-16 in the Premier grade.
Current Players
2014 Premier Reserves: Ranginui Taoho, Temuera Ratu, Rob Toka, Harley Raihe, Chase Kennedy, Tuhoro Paki, Punakai Waikai, Epiha Kete, Tahauriki Paki ,Wiremu Timoti ,Stu Heslop ,Johna Taoho ,Joshua Toka ,Doug McWatters ,Tonga Nikora ,Ruben Fourie ,Te Orumene Te Wara ,Dwayne Leef ,Greg Newing ,Micheal Randall ,Tarawhiti Paki ,Rawiri Gideon ,John Kingi ,Stonie Bartle ,Utah Wilson ,Karaha Waaka ,Koroheke Moana-Taniwha ,Brett Douglas ,Roy McWatters ,Hekewaru Muru
2014 Premier Players: Hamiora Mihaka ,Teina Ngahiwi ,Joel Thompson ,Mahana Toka ,Anthony Goff ,Malcolm Noda ,William Rangi ,Pawhare Brown ,Mahinga Rangi ,Brendon Irvine ,Tamihana Morunga ,Dana Ratu ,Jason Watkins ,Tama Hata ,Cliff Merriman ,Patara Berryman ,Lloyd Ricketts ,Duane Sykes ,Tiniwaata Dixon-Murray ,Murray Toka ,Chase Kennedy
Notable past & present players
- Lance Hohaia (New Zealand International)[3]
- Wairangi Koopu (New Zealand International)
- Herewini Rangi (New Zealand Warriors player)
- Andy Berryman (New Zealand International)
- Steve Berryman (Cook Islands International)
- Don Parkinson (New Zealand International)
- Rick Muru (New Zealand International)
- Ruben Williams (NSW Cup)
- Dana Ratu (WaiCoa Bay Stallions 2012)
- Chris Fox (NZ Maori Representative 2013/WaiCoa Bay Stallions 2012)
- Hamiora Mihaka (NZ University Representative 2013/WaiCoa Bay Stallions 2013)
- Epiha Kete (NZ Maori Representative 2013)
Harlan Collins (Manly Sea Eagles NYC 2015-16)
References
- ^ "It's all gold for champions Taniwharau". Waikato Times. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ Devonshire, John (10 August 2009). "For Taniwharau it's a three-peat". Waikato Times. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. p. 83. ISBN 9781869693312.
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