North Harbour Rugby Union (NHRU) are delighted to announce the signing of Rua Tipoki, who will link up with the Harbour Heat class of 2024 as an Assistant Coach!

As the management look forward to the Bunnings Warehouse NPC, Tipoki adds invaluable international experience from his playing career and a strong community presence from his coaching career.

Tipoki’s recent success with the North Shore Rugby Football Club, saw him win Club Coach of the Year at NHRU’s 2023 Annual Awards ceremony.

When asked for comments on his appointment, Tipoki responded with: “I’m really excited to be working with Ben (Afeaki) and Kenny (Addison) and the talent we have in the Union. Such an exciting time at the Union with our women’s game experiencing massive growth and positive change in our Youth Rugby space. Club rugby’s underway, so I’m looking forward to seeing our talent on display and prepping for the rep season ahead”.

NHRU Chief Executive, Adrian Donald, shares the following regarding Tipoki’s appointment to the coaching staff; “it’s a privilege to welcome Rua on board for the upcoming representative season. The players will be able to feed off his title-winning experiences from the Ranfurly Shield, to the Meads Cup, to Munster. We’re pleased to be offering a pathway for our community coaches coming through the club rugby system into the Provincial Union – high performance coaching space.

NHRU wishes Tipoki best of luck for the 2024 season, which is set to follow our thriving community rugby season.

Article added: Friday 12 April 2024