Thirty-nine players have been named in this season’s Tasman Mako squad, but two of them are already sidelined for the NPC campaign.
Former captain and halfback Finlay Christie and prop Sam Matenga are both on the injured list after playing for the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific earlier this year.
The signing of Australian Super rugby players, hooker Richie Asiata and flanker Rory Scott is a feature.
The pair joins Lopeti Faifua, from the Western Force, who is back for a second season.
Auckland-born Richie has played 45 matches for the Queensland Reds and the 30-year-old appeared for Northland in the 2024 provincial season.
Twenty-five-year-old Rory has played 62 times for the Brumbies since debuting in 2021.
At 1.89m and 110kgs, he brings plenty of size to the loose forward mix.
The three other new faces are prop Vea Taumoefolau, who has come from Japan, Marist hooker Dylan Irvine who played club rugby in England last season, and lock Jake Frost who is in the Crusaders system.
At 1.98m and 116kg, Jake has been a New Zealand U20 representative for the past two years after previously co-captaining the Christchurch Boys’ High School 1st XV.
Loose forward Matt Lowe and halfback Mason Lund were contracted last season but injuries kept them from taking the field.
The 39 man squad is:
Forwards (21): Richie Asiata, Ethan Blackadder, Ryan Coxon, Lopeti Faifua, Shannon Frizell, Jake Frost, Tayne Hemopo, Tom Heywood, Dylan Irvine, Johnny Lee, Hunter Leppien, Tyrel Lomax, Matt Lowe, Sione Mafi, Sam Matenga, Monu Moli, Eli Oudenryn, Rory Scott, Antonio Shalfoon, Kershawl Sykes-Martin and Vea Taumoefolau.
Backs (18): Finlay Christie, Mitchell Drummond, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Cooper Grant, Jack Gray, William Havili, David Havili, Noah Hotham, Will Jordan, Mason Lund, Maloni Kunawave, Cooper Roberts, Taine Robinson, Nic Sauira, Macca Springer, Kyren Taumoefolau, Timoci Tavatavanawai and Wil Thornalley.
