# Waikato (National Provincial Championship)

Waikato (often known as the Waikato Mooloos) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1921, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton in the Waikato region. The team is affiliated with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are red, yellow and black.

## Current squad

The Waikato Mooloos squad for the 2024 Bunnings NPC is:
| Waikato Mooloos squad |
| Props George Dyer Ayden Johnstone (cc) Sefo Kautai $^{REP}$ Ollie Norris Gabe Robinson Solomone Tukuafu Mason Tupaea Hookers Pita Anae Ah-Sue Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia $^{REP}$ Sean Ralph Samisoni Taukei'aho Locks Josh Balme $^{REP}$ Hamilton Burr Tai Cribb $^{REP}$ Laghlan McWhannell James Tucker | Loose forwards Samipeni Finau Luke Jacobson Mitch Jacobson Senita Lauaki $^{REP}$ Oli Mathis $^{REP}$ Patrick McCurran Xavier Saifoloi Andrew Smith $^{REP}$ Adrein Wharawhara $^{REP}$ Malachi Wrampling-Alec Halfbacks (scrum-halves) Quintony Ngatai $^{REP}$ Cortez Ratima Xavier Roe (cc) First five-eighths (fly-halves) Aaron Cruden Taha Kemara D'Angelo Leuila Damian McKenzie | Midfielders (centres) Austin Anderson Anton Lienert-Brown Bailyn Sullivan Quinn Tupaea Gideon Wrampling Outside backs Tepaea Cook-Savage Liam Coombes-Fabling Josh Moorby Jole Naufahu $^{REP}$ Waisake Salabiau $^{REP}$ Daniel Sinkinson Newton Tudreu $^{REP}$ Aki Tuivailala $^{REP}$ |
| (c) denotes team captain. Bold denotes internationally capped. REP denotes a replacement squad player. ↑ Kautai wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for Round 8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Boyle-Tiatia, Cribb, Mathis, Ngatai, Smith and Tudreu weren't named in the original Waikato squad, but were announced in the side for Round 1. 1 2 3 Balme, Naufahu and Tuivailala weren't named in the original Waikato squad, but were announced in the side for Round 4. ↑ Lauaki wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for Round 2 ↑ Wharawhara wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced in the side for the Round 4 mid-week game. ↑ Salabiau wasn't named in the original Waikato squad, but was announced as a late inclusion in the side for Round 9. |

## Honours

Waikato have been overall Champions on three occasions, winning the titles in 1992, 2006 and 2021. Their full list of honours include:

### National Provincial Championship Second Division North Island

* Winners: 1980

### National Provincial Championship Second Division

* Winners: 1986

### National Provincial Championship First Division

* Winners: 1992

### Air New Zealand Cup

* Winners: 2006

### Mitre 10 Cup Championship Division

* Winners: 2018

### Bunnings NPC Premiership Division

* Winners: 2021

## Current Super Rugby players

Players named in the 2024 Waikato Mooloos squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
| Player | Team |
| Hamilton Burr | Chiefs |
| Liam Coombes-Fabling | Chiefs |
| George Dyer | Chiefs |
| Samipeni Finau | Chiefs |
| Luke Jacobson | Chiefs |
| Ayden Johnstone | Highlanders |
| Taha Kemara | Crusaders |
| D'Angelo Leuila | Moana Pasifika |
| Anton Lienert-Brown | Chiefs |
| Josh Moorby | Hurricanes |
| Damian McKenzie | Chiefs |
| Laghlan McWhannell | Blues |
| Ollie Norris | Chiefs |
| Cortez Ratima | Chiefs |
| Xavier Roe | Chiefs |
| Daniel Sinkinson | Hurricanes |
| Bailyn Sullivan | Hurricanes |
| Samisoni Taukei'aho | Chiefs |
| James Tucker | Hurricanes |
| Solomone Tukuafu | Highlanders |
| Mason Tupaea | Blues |
| Quinn Tupaea | Chiefs |
| Gideon Wrampling | Chiefs |
| Malachi Wrampling-Alec | Chiefs |