# Auckland (National Provincial Championship)

Auckland are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Auckland, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1883, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at Eden Park in Auckland. The team is affiliated with the Blues Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are blue and white hoops.

## Current squad

The Auckland squad for the 2024 Bunnings NPC is:
| Auckland squad |
| Props Sione Ahio Ben Ake Oscar Cowley-Andrea $^{REP}$ Josh Fusitua Jordan Lay Sika Pole $^{REP}$ Marcel Renata Angus Ta'avao Tito Tuipulotu $^{REP}$ Hookers Sama Malolo Mills Sanerivi Soane Vikena Locks Edward Annandale Josh Beehre Michael Curry Tuaina Taii Tualima Patrick Tuipulotu | Loose forwards Adrian Choat Che Clark Vaiolini Ekuasi Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo Akira Ioane Niko Jones Anton Segner Ola Tauelangi Half-backs (scrum-halves) Taufa Funaki Kemara Hauiti-Parapara Sam Howling $^{REP}$ Chris Vunipola $^{REP}$ First five-eighths (fly-halves) Alex Harford Christian Leali'ifano $^{REP}$ Harry Plummer (c) Rico Simpson $^{REP}$ | Midfielders (centres) Bryce Heem Rieko Ioane Xavi Taele Tanielu Teleʻa Outside backs Nigel Ah Wong Tomas Aoake Caleb Clarke AJ Lam Payton Spencer Zarn Sullivan Caleb Tangitau Xavier Tito-Harris Lolagi Visinia |
| (c) denotes team captain. Bold denotes internationally capped. REP denotes a replacement squad player. 1 2 Cowley-Andrea and Vunipola weren't named in the original Auckland squad, but were announced in the side for Round 7. ↑ Pole wasn't named in the original Auckland squad, but was announced as a late inclusion in the side for Round 4. 1 2 3 Howling, Simpson and T. Tuipulotu weren't named in the original Auckland squad, but were announced in the side for Round 3. ↑ Leali’ifano wasn't named in the original Auckland squad, but was announced in the side for Round 2 (on loan from Waikato). |

## Honours

Auckland have been overall Champions on 17 occasions. Their first title was in 1982 and their most recent title was in 2018. Their full list of honours include:

### National Provincial Championship First Division

* Winners: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005

### Air New Zealand Cup

* Winners: 2007

### Mitre 10 Cup Premiership Division

* Winners: 2018

## Current Super Rugby players

Players named in the 2023 Auckland squad, who also earned contracts or were named in a squad for any side participating in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.
| Player | Team |
| Leni Apisai | Highlanders |
| Adrian Choat | Blues |
| Caleb Clarke | Blues |
| Vaiolini Ekuasi | Rebels |
| Corey Evans | Blues |
| Taufa Funaki | Blues |
| Josh Fusitua | Blues |
| Bryce Heem | Blues |
| Alex Hodgman | Blues |
| Akira Ioane | Blues |
| Rieko Ioane | Blues |
| Niko Jones | Moana Pasifika |
| AJ Lam | Blues |
| James Lay | Blues |
| Harry Plummer | Blues |
| Salesi Rayasi | Hurricanes |
| Marcel Renata | Blues |
| Joe Royal | Moana Pasifika |
| Zarn Sullivan | Blues |
| Angus Ta'avao | Chiefs |
| Caleb Tangitau | Blues |
| Tanielu Teleʻa | Blues |
| Kalani Thomas | Reds |
| Sione Tuipulotu | Moana Pasifika |
| Roger Tuivasa-Sheck | Blues |
| Soane Vikena | Blues |