Five players from Pakuranga United’s triumphant under-85kg national club rugby championship-winning side have been chosen for New Zealand’s first rep side in the grade.
The Pakuranga Black Panthers’ quintet – Jamie Petford, Francis Morrison, Jeandre du Toit, Rory Cavanagh and Ben Biggelaar – were picked recently by New Zealand Rugby.
The selection honours follow the Pakuranga Black Panthers’ nail-biting last-minute 23-22 victory over Christchurch’s High School Old Boys’ Light Bears at Sky Stadium (the Cake Tin) in Wellington on September 28 to lift the U85kg National Club Cup.
The Pakuranga United Rugby Club says of their new national representatives: “We are so proud and can’t wait to see you do your thing in a black jersey!”
Biggelaar, who is understood to have retired after the historic Wellington final, has played 118 matches in the grade for Pakuranga.
New Zealand Rugby says it’s in discussions with another nation’s rugby union about an overseas tour next year.
On social media, New Zealand Rugby says: “We have exciting news for all U85ers out there! A New Zealand U85kg team will be selected to travel to South Asia in 2025.”
National under-85kg squads have been named in recent years but never assembled to take the field, New Zealand Rugby says.
The first weight-restricted representative side was assembled by the New Zealand Barbarians Club in 2012 and featured Morrinsville’s Simon Sia who is selected again after this year.
The 2024-25 New Zealand Under-85kg squad has 12 players from the thrilling National Club Cup Final, with five from Pakuranga, and seven from HSOBs.
New Zealand Rugby’s head of rugby participation Mike Hester says the squad announcement is a fitting end to an exciting under-85kg season.
“If the thrilling final in Wellington was anything to go by, we can expect that this squad will come together to showcase everything we love about this grade of rugby: speed, skill and comradery.
“Having an international stage to do that on is not only a great opportunity for this group of men but also for the promotion of weight-restricted rugby,” Hester says.
The selection panel was made up of representatives from across the country and considered performances from the National Club Cup and regional club competitions.
The national side will be coached by Ngatai Walker, skills coach for Manawatu, who has also previously worked with the Hurricanes Poua, Taranaki Development, and New Zealand Secondary Schools.
New Zealand Rugby says the Auckland-headquartered Barbarians are still involved in the under-85kg grade and “are a key contributor in making this tour come to life”.
Barbarians club captain Peter White says: “The New Zealand Barbarians Rugby Club is committed to growing rugby in New Zealand and are proud of our long association with, and promotion of, weight-restricted rugby.
“We’re excited by the selection of this team which provides the opportunity for players from this grade to play international rugby and most importantly for these trailblazers to make lifelong friendships by touring together.”
