Manawatu Rugby Union
Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of Rugby in the Manawatu rugby province. It is based in the city of Palmerston North but has club teams from nearby towns in the province, such as Feilding and Rongotea.
Club Rugby
There are 12 club teams which play at Senior A level.
They are:
- Palmerston North High School Old Boys RFC (HSOB)
- Queen Elizabeth College Old Boys RFC (COB)
- Freyberg Old Boys RFC
- Kia Toa RFC
- Palmerston North Marist
- Massey University RC (commonly known as Varsity)
- Feilding RFC (Commonly called Feilding Yellows, to differentiate from the below club)
- Feilding Old Boys RFC
- Bush from nearby Woodville
- Te Kawau from nearby Rongotea
- Oroua RFC, from Kimbolton
- Linton Army RFC, from Linton Military Camp
Other clubs include:
- Ashhurst-Pohangina
- Bunnythorpe
- Bulls
- Halcombe
Representative Rugby
Manawatu will play in the Air New Zealand Cup in 2006. It will be the first time since 1988 that Manawatu will play in the top grade for New Zealand Rugby. They will play under the name of the Manawatu Turbos
===Current Squad=== [1]
- Daniel Alofa * Tim Faleafaga * Johnny Leota * Koli Sewabu
- Siaosi Anamani * Lisiate Faaoso * Leon Lubbe * Graham Smith
- Ryan Bambry * Robbie Foreman * Sam Moore * David Te Moana
- Francisco Bosch * Aaron Good * Bertus Mulder * Hayden Triggs
- Josh Bradnock * Talau Hala * David Palu * Simeli Tuiteci
- Frank Bryant * Eddie Hei Hei * Paul Rodgers * Joggie Viljoen
- Nick Crosswell * Nathan Kemp * Mike Rowe * Alex Waite
Coach: Dave Rennie
History
Manawatu Rugby Union, founded in 1886, is one of New Zealand's oldest rugby unions.
Notable players from Manawatu (including ex-All Blacks)
- Rod McKenzie
- Doug Rollerson
- Sam Strahan
- Ken Lambert
- Mark Shaw
- Christian Cullen
- Jason Eaton (now playing for Taranaki)