The Taranaki Rugby Football Union (TRFU, Taranaki Rugby) is the governing body for rugby union in Taranaki, New Zealand. Established in 1885, it is based in New Plymouth. The union's traditional colours are amber and black.
The Taranaki Bulls and Taranaki Whio are the two most senior representative men's and women's teams, competing in the NPC and Farah Palmer Cup respectively. The Bulls typically play their home games at Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth, while the Whio play at Stadium Taranaki and other venues across the province.
Taranaki Rugby is part of the Chiefs Super Rugby region and has a 23.1% ownership stake in the franchise.
History Early years Taranaki was officially established in 1889 after a team chosen from the surrounding clubs in existence played as Egmont in 1885. They began with a brown coloured jersey before adopting the amber and black hoops in 1892. During the amateur period, the team won the Ranfurly Shield on four occasions. It had also won seven-second division titles in the National Provincial Championship, more than any other team. Further notable moments were in 1959, when a record 35,000 spectators attended Rugby Park in New Plymouth to see the province play the British Lions. Two years later 36,000 people were on hand to watch France defeat the side 11-9.
Their first Ranfurly Shield victory came in 1913 when Auckland was defeated 14-11. Six successful defences followed before a 12-6 loss to Wellington in September 1914. In 1957 shield holders Wellington was defeated in a friendly match early in the year and a rematch was scheduled for later in the season. Otago defeated Wellington, and Otago accepted a special challenge by Taranaki. The match was played on 28 September 1957, the last Saturday of the season, after King Country gave up its scheduled fixture with Taranaki. Taranaki won against Otago for them to, later on, go a 13-match tenure.
In 1963 Taranaki regained the Ranfurly Shield once again off Wellington with a win at Athletic Park. Their third tenure would be its most successful one. The first challenge came from Wanganui who were making their second challenge of the season, having lost earlier to Auckland. Wanganui later would suffer a further defeat in 1964. Taranaki lost to Auckland in their last defence in 1965 and would not reclaim the shield again until 1996 when they edged Auckland 42-39. North Harbour lost narrowly in a tight contest before Taranaki was beaten by 20 points against Waikato.
Professional era In August 2011 Taranaki defeated Southland 15-12 in Invercargill to begin a fifth tenure of the shield. This ended in October 2012 when Waikato won the last challenge of the season. In 2013 Taranaki RFU assembled a women's professional team although it was later disbanded the following year. They claimed the national title for the first time in their history with a win over Tasman in the 2014 ITM Cup. and Hawke's Bay in the 2023 competition.
Club rugby The following rugby clubs are or have been affiliated with the Taranaki RFU.100 years of Taranaki Rugby, 1885-1985. Taranaki Centennial committee, 1985
+ Rugby clubs in Taranaki ClubFoundedMcMaster's Shield premiership winning seasonsAll Blacks Current status. MergersAthletic RFC. Known as "the Bolshies"1925Maurice Cockerill (1951)No longer exists. Merged with Hawera RC and Waimate RFC into Southern Rugby Club in 1994Bell Block Rugby Sports and Community ClubCurrentCentral Rugby and Sports ClubClifton Rugby & Sports Club18801890, 1891, 1923, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1992, 1999, 2026CurrentCoastal Rugby & Sports Club19952009, 2012Mark Robinson (2000-02), Beauden Barrett (2012-), Scott Barrett (2016-), Jordie Barrett (2017-), Current. Formed through the merger of the Okato RFC, Rahotu RFC and Opunake RFC.Eltham Rugby Football Club18881945, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1987, 1990, 1991Frank Glasgow (1903–05), Roger Urbahn (1959–60), Brian Muller (1967–71), Bryce Robins (1985).No longer exists. Merged with Stratford 2017Hawera RFC 1876 (Hawera-Waihi until 1879)1900, 1905, 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1924, 1982No longer exists. Merged with Athletic RFC and Waimate RFC into Southern Rugby Club in 1994Inglewood United Rugby Netball Football Club1893 (as Athletic), 1898 United1940, 1960, 1970, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2006, 2014, 2021John Major 1963, Dave Loveridge 1978-85 Rugby in Inglewood began in 1893 when Inglewood’s first rugby club, the Athletic Club, was formed. Shortly after, in 1896, the Pirates Club was formed. These two clubs united to form one club in 1898Kaitake Rugby Football Club, Corbett Park, Oakura1894Hugh Mills & Barney O'Dowda played for Kaitake, later making the All Blacks from Tukapa in 1897 and 1901 respectivelyCurrent. Fields junior grade teams. Was it recess 1941-51 and 1962-68/Kaponga Rugby Football Club1907 Ian Eliason 1972-73, Kieran Crowley 1984-91CurrentNew Plymouth HSOB Rugby Football and Sports Club19191930, 1946, 1957, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2018, 2023H.W. Brown 1924-26, R.A. Roper 1949-50, George Beatty (1950), N.J. Bowden, 1952, R.H. Brown, 1955–62, R.J. Boon, 1960, John McEldowney 1976–77, M. Watt, 1979–80, Gordon Slater 1997-2000, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi 2018, T. Vaa’i 2020CurrentOkaiawa Rugby Football Club18961911, 1932, 1938, Jimmie O'Sullivan 1905, Dick Roberts 1913, Davy Johnston 1925, Ray Clarke 1932CurrentOkato Rugby Football Club1894, initially the Diamond (Okatu) club until around 19001952, 1975, 1977Terry O'Sullivan (1960-62)No longer exists. Merged into Coastal Rugby & Sports Club in 1995Opunake RFC18961929,Bill CurreyNo longer exists. Merged into Coastal Rugby & Sports Club in 1995Patea Rugby and Sports Club:3/6/1876 (as Carlyle), the oldest club in Taranaki1934, 1951, Murray Wills (1967), Alistair Scown (1972)CurrentPihama / Auroa-Pihama1888No longer exists. Went into recess but revived in 1941 as part of a Coastal competition. Club ceased in 1955.Rahotu Community And Sports Club1919No longer exists. Earlier club, Ake Ake, existed in Rahotu area but went into recess before World War I. Rahotu club formed Merged into Coastal Rugby & Sports Club in 1995Southern Rugby Football Club19942013Jarrad Hoeata 2011Current. Merger of the Hawera RFC, the Athletic RFC and the Waimate RFC (Manaia).Spotswood College Old Boys RFC1964No longer exists. Merged in 1990 with Star RFC to form Spotswood United Rugby Football and Sports ClubStar RFC18891892, 1903, 1947, 1948Lewis (Snip) Allen (1896-1901), Arthur Humphries (1897-1903), Bunny Abbott (1905-06), Neil Wolfe (1961-1968)No longer exists. Merged in 1990 with Spotswood College Old Boys to form Spotswood United Rugby Football and Sports ClubStratford RFC18891906, 1907, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1935, 1937, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1971No longer exists. Merged with Eltham 2017Stratford Eltham Rugby & Sports Club20162024 2025Current. Merger of Stratford RFC and Eltham RFC.Toko Rugby Football Club1905 Current. The club was in recess for some years until 1977.Tukapa Rugby and Sports Club18921897, 1902, 1904, 1922, 1926, 1936, 1939, 1966, 1968, 1969, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022CurrentUnited Rugby Football & Sports Club (formerly Spotswood United)19912019Current. Merger of the Star RFC and the Spotswood Old Boys RFC.Waimate RFC, Manaia18841893, 1894, 1895, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1933, 1955,No longer exists. Merged with Athletic RFC and Hawera RFC into Southern Rugby Club in 1994Whangamoana Rugby Football Club1903
Premier women's club rugby
2026 - Southern 26-12 Stratford-ElthamBurnes, Campbell. Rugby News magazine (August 2026). Charlotte Smulders Publisher, New Zealand. 2025 - Inglewood 46-24 TukapaBurnes, Campbell. Rugby News magazine (August 2025). Charlotte Smulders Publisher, New Zealand.
Schools rugby Rugby is played at the following schools.
Francis Douglas Memorial College Hawera High School Inglewood High School New Plymouth Boys' High School New Plymouth Girls' High School Opunake High School Sacred Heart Girls' College Spotswood College Stratford High School Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls Waitara High School
Taranaki provincial team Year Pos. Division Captain Head coach 2006 11th N/A 9 3 6 0 16 Paul Tito Kieran Crowley 2007 8th N/A 11 4 7 0 23 Tony Penn 2008 8th N/A 11 4 6 1 23 Adrian Kennedy 2009 8th N/A 13 6 6 1 28 2010 5th N/A 13 9 4 0 42 Craig Clarke Colin Cooper 2011 3rd Premiership 10 7 3 0 31 2012 4th Premiership 11 7 4 0 33 2013 6th Premiership 10 3 7 0 14 Kane Barrett 2014 1st Premiership 12 9 2 1 38 James Marshall 2015 4th Premiership 11 6 5 0 32 Charlie Ngatai 2016 2nd Premiership 11 7 3 1 37 Mitchell Crosswell 2017 1st Premiership 11 8 3 0 42 Charlie Ngatai 2018 7th Premiership 10 2 8 0 13 Mitchell Crosswell Willie Rickards 2019 5th Championship 10 4 6 0 18 Mitchell Brown 2020 4th Championship 11 4 7 0 24 2021 1st Championship 10 10 0 0 39Mitchell Brown & Teihorangi WaldenNeil Barnes20226thEvens Conference10307 1520232ndN/A10 7 0 3 38Kaylum Boshier 20242ndN/A108 0 2 4020255th N/A106 0 4 32 Source: New Zealand Rugby History
Notable players
All Blacks Taranaki has produced 83 men's New Zealand internationals to date. Below is a list of New Zealand national rugby union players along with their number and year of debut in brackets.
Alfred Bayly (35 - 1893) Alan Good (42 - 1893) James Lambie (27 - 1893) Walter Bayly (48 - 1894) Hugh Good (50 - 1894) Daniel Hughes (51 - 1894) Lewis Allen (56 - 1896) Donald Watson (65 - 1896) Arthur Humphries (73 - 1897) Bill Wells (75 - 1897) Hugh Mills (80 - 1897) Bernard O'Dowda (88 - 1901) Billy Glenn (111 - 1904) Frank Glasgow (117 - 1905) Jimmy Hunter (118 - 1905) Simon Mynott (120 - 1905) Jimmie O'Sullivan (122 - 1905) Harold Abbott (130 - 1905) Jack Colman (142 - 1907) Donald Cameron (150 - 1908) Jack Stohr (165 - 1910) Henry Dewar (175 - 1913) Mick Cain (187 - 1913) Charles Brown (192 - 1913) Reg Taylor (202 - 1913) George Loveridge (206 - 1913) Edward Roberts (207 - 1913) Alfred West (225 - 1920) Richard Fogarty (230 - 1921) Charles Kingstone (231 - 1921) Harold Masters (254 - 1922) Percy Hickey (264 - 1922) Handley Brown (290 - 1924) Gus Hart (293 - 1924) Davy Johnston (318 - 1925) Jack Walter (312 - 1925) Pat Ward (335 - 1928) Alfred Kivell (375 - 1929) Ray Clarke (390 - 1932) Arthur Collins (391 - 1932) Jack Sullivan (428 - 1936) Roy Roper (515 - 1949) George Beatty (517 - 1950) Maurice Cockerill (522 - 1951) Peter Burke (534 - 1951) Noel Bowden (544 - 1952) Ross Brown (572 - 1955) Roger Urbahn (598 - 1959) Kevin Briscoe (599 - 1959) John McCullough (603 - 1959) Terry O'Sullivan (612 - 1960) Roger Boon (616 - 1960) Neil Wolfe (620 - 1961) John Major (643 - 1963) Brian Muller (656 - 1967) Murray Wills (661 - 1967) Alan Smith (667 - 1967) Bill Currey (671 - 1968) Ian Eliason (706 - 1972) Alistair Scown (710 - 1972) Ash Gardiner (728 - 1974) Graham Mourie (757 - 1976) John McEldowney (768 - 1976) Dave Loveridge (791 - 1978) Murray Watts (793 - 1979) Kieran Crowley (848 - 1983) Bryce Robins (863 - 1985) Bull Allen (933 - 1993) Gordon Slater (968 - 1997) Andrew Hore (1019 - 2002) Chris Masoe (1059 - 2005) Jason Eaton (1063 - 2005) Scott Waldrom (1085 - 2008) Jarrad Hoeata (1109 - 2011) Beauden Barrett (1115 - 2012) Charlie Ngatai (1141 - 2015) Waisake Naholo (1142 - 2015) James Broadhurst (1144 - 2015) Seta Tamanivalu (1148 - 2016) Scott Barrett (1155 - 2016) Jordie Barrett (1159 - 2017) Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (1174 - 2018) Angus Ta'avao (1175 - 2018) Tupou Vaa'i (1188 - 2020) Pita Gus Sowakula (1201 - 2022)
List of centurions