Familiar Taranaki faces in Super squads

Photo above: Promising playmaker Stephen Perofeta has signed up for the Blues for next year's Super Rugby competition - one of many new Taranaki Super players. Photo by Dave Lintott Photography 

All New Zealand Super Rugby franchises have named their squads for the 2017 competition which includes a number of Taranaki players.

19 amber and black representatives have been selected across the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders squads for next year.

After an impressive season with Taranaki, utility back Stephen Perofeta has signed up with the Blues and will join team mate Declan O’Donnell with the Auckland side. O’Donnell has had one match for the Chiefs in 2012 before moving to the Highlanders in 2013 but didn’t add to his solitary cap.

Mitchell Graham, Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Brown and Charlie Ngatai will remain with the Chiefs with one of the new signings going to midfielder Johnny Fa’auli. There is no room for Taranaki winger Latu Vaeno who only played two matches for the Chiefs this year but suffered a knee injury that ruled him out of the season. He did, however, make a comeback for Taranaki in their round seven clash against Manawatu. Rhys Marshall wasn't included after signing a three year deal with Irish club Munster.

In the Hurricanes camp prop Mike Kainga has been given a full time contract after playing four games as injury cover in this year’s championship winning season. Toa Halafihi and Kylem O’Donnell are other new Taranaki signings for the ‘Canes who will join existing contracted amber and black players James Broadhurst, Blade Thomson, Te Toiroa Tahuiorangi and Beauden Barrett. There is no space for Iopu Iopu-Aso who signed up with the Hurricanes in 2015. 

Centre and three cap All Black Seta Tamanivalu has moved from the Chiefs to the Crusaders and will join team mates Marty McKenzie, Sean Wainui and new Super signing Manasa Mataele.

And Waisake Naholo is the solitary Taranaki player in the Highlanders group for next year’s competition.

Taranaki players to miss out on contracts are Mitchell Crosswell, Berny Hall and Leighton Price who had solid seasons. 

The competition kicks off on Thursday 23 Feburary when the Rebels host the Blues in Melbourne. 

Click here to read more on the full squad.