# Taranaki (National Provincial Championship)

Taranaki (often known as the Taranaki Bulls) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in New Plymouth, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1889, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at TET Stadium & Events Centre in Inglewood and Yarrow Stadium in the Taranaki region. The team is affiliated with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are amber and black.

## Current squad

The Taranaki Bulls squad for the 2024 Bunnings NPC is:
| Taranaki Bulls squad |
| Props Michael Bent Toby Burkett $^{REP}$ Perry Lawrence Mitch O'Neill Reuben O'Neill Marika Parker $^{REP}$ Jared Proffit Hookers JJ Pokai Ricky Riccitelli Bradley Slater Locks Scott Barrett Tom Franklin Josh Lord Jackson Morgan Jesse Parete Fiti Sa Jayden Sa $^{REP}$ Tupou Vaa'i | Loose forwards Kaylum Boshier (c) Hemopo Cunningham Scott Jury AJ Lemalu $^{REP}$ Michael Loft Nathaniel Peters $^{REP}$ Arese Poliko Rowan Slater $^{REP}$ Half-backs (scrum-halves) Logan Crowley Adam Lennox Leone Nawai First five-eighths (fly-halves) Beauden Barrett Josh Jacomb Jayson Potroz Ethan Reti | Midfielders (centres) Jordie Barrett Meihana Grindlay Brayton Northcott-Hill Daniel Rona Outside backs Brad Kooman $^{REP}$ Kini Naholo Stephen Perofeta Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens Obey Samate Josh Setu Vereniki Tikoisolomone |
| (c) denotes team captain. Bold denotes internationally capped. REP denotes a replacement squad player. ↑ Burkett wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced in the side for Round 4. ↑ Parker wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced as a late inclusion in the side for Round 8. ↑ Jayden Sa wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced as a late inclusion in the side for Round 5. ↑ Lemalu wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced in the side for Round 2. ↑ Peters wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced in the side for the Round 7 mid-week game. ↑ Rowan Slater wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced in the side for Round 5. ↑ Kooman wasn't named in the original Taranaki squad, but was announced in the side for Round 8. |

## Honours

Taranaki have been overall Champions twice, winning the title in 2014 and 2023. Their full list of honours include:

### National Provincial Championship Second Division North Island

* Winners: 1976, 1982, 1983, 1984

### National Provincial Championship Second Division

* Winners: 1985, 1992, 1995

### ITM Cup Premiership Division

* Winners: 2014

### Bunnings NPC Championship Division

* Winners: 2021

### Bunnings NPC

* Winners: 2023

## Current Super Rugby players

Players named in the 2023 Taranaki Bulls squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.
| Player | Team |
| Beauden Barrett | Blues |
| Jordie Barrett | Hurricanes |
| Scott Barrett | Crusaders |
| Kaylum Boshier | Chiefs |
| Josh Lord | Chiefs |
| Kini Naholo | Hurricanes |
| Reuben O'Neill | Chiefs |
| Stephen Perofeta | Blues |
| Jared Proffit | Chiefs |
| Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens | Blues |
| Ricky Riccitelli | Blues |
| Daniel Rona | Chiefs |
| Bradley Slater | Chiefs |
| Tupou Vaa'i | Chiefs |