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New Zealand’s provincial competition – the Mitre 10 Cup – is set to kick off on Friday with a full slate of seven games scheduled over the weekend. There are 14 teams competing this season, seven in each of the Premiership and Championship divisions, though there is crossover between the two.
This season will feature an unprecedented number of players with Major League Rugby connections. Some will be returning to the American competition in time for the 2021 season, others are still to be determined. A handful are chasing Super Rugby contracts.
The North Island features the bulk of the Championship players of note. Auckland have included a pair of Old Glory standouts in hooker Mike Sosene-Feagai and scrumhalf Danny Tusitala. Former Colorado prop Marco Fepulea’i is also named, with a potential move to Dallas still to be confirmed.
Counties Manukau feature four players who appeared in the 2020 season. Second row Potu Leavasa won’t be returning to Austin, but scrumhalf Pele Cowley will be. Sam Slade impressed at No8 for the now-defunct Raptors, and flyhalf Jason Robertson starred alongside Tusitala in DC.
Ex-Glendale eightman Murphy Taramai will play for North Harbour having suited up for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby this year. There is a tenuous connection at Waikato in Adam Thomson. The former All Blacks flanker signed for Utah in 2019 but did not end up playing for the Warriors.
There could be an all-MLR halfback combination for the defending champion Tasman Mako this season. Utah captain Dwayne Polataivao teams up with former Warriors skipper Tim O’Malley. Traditional powers Wellington and Canterbury do not have links in their senior squads but No8 Bill Fukofuka of Rugby ATL is in the latter’s extended training group.
The talent is again concentrated up North in the Championship. Northland’s Taniwha have added Utah tighthead Kalolo Tuiloma and also feature loosehead prop Luatangi Li. The latter was meant to join San Diego before the season was suspended. In the midfield they have another Warriors representative in Blake Hohaia along with Raptors star Rene Ranger.
Bay of Plenty feature two players who will be divisional rivals in 2021. Left winger Fa’asiu Fuatai has signed for Rugby United New York, while the newest member of the Free Jacks is young openside flanker Joe Johnston. New England also have prop Donald Brighouse at Taranaki.
Hawke’s Bay will have livewire outside back Mason Emerson back in their lineup after a strong campaign with Colorado. Arrows departure Sam Malcolm won’t be at Manawatu this season, but midfielder Nigel Ah Wong will be. He was linked to an Austin earlier this year in a move that didn’t eventuate.
Captaining Southland will be former San Diego and NOLA flanker Tony Lamborn, while Rugby ATL fullback Rory van Vugt has also returned. Former Stags skipper Jamie Mackintosh will play a little further north for Otago this season before he returns to Austin as a player-coach, and will share the pitch with new Free Jacks center Aleki Morris-Lome.
