New Hawke's Bay Magpies Welsh signing Mat Protheroe playing for Swansea club Ospreys against French club Racing 92. Photo / Photosport
New Hawke's Bay Magpies Welsh signing Mat Protheroe playing for Swansea club Ospreys against French club Racing 92. Photo / Photosport
Welsh rugby player Mat Protheroe has winged his way from one bird of prey to another as he transfers from Swansea club the Ospreys to the Hawke’s Bay Magpies for the 2024 Bunnings NPC.
The switch, described by one rugby website as a “rare” move of its type in therugby context, was announced by the player and the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union on social media on Monday.
The squad are preparing for Saturday’s Ranfurly Shield defence against Whanganui, a pre-NPC shakedown against Waikato in Hamilton seven days later, and the first NPC match of the season, away to North Harbour on August 11.
A fullback who also plays at first five-eighths, Protheroe has been playing for his home-town club the Ospreys for the past four years of a professional rugby career that started with Gloucester in 2015, at the age of 18, and he has been released after the latest season in the United Rugby Championship, which involves teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and South Africa.
He also played for Bristol Bears, and played for England at Under-18 and U20 level.
Already in the squad is fellow first five-fullback utility Harry Godfrey, while Caleb Makene is taking a break from rugby this season.
Magpies head coach Brock James (pictured) coached Mat Protheroe at the Ospreys in 2020-21. Photo / Warren Buckland
Most of the Magpies squad are now in the Bay after completing international and other club or franchise commitments, although loose forward Josh Kaifa is still with the Tongan national side, who have a match against Queensland Reds next week, and Maori All Blacks Pouri Rakete-Stones and Isaia Walker-Leawere are on short breaks after their recent tour.
Whanganui, who have never won the Ranfurly Shield, the closest being a 15-15 draw with Taranaki in 1964, could soon have a Hawke’s Bay lock in the team as a loan player.
Reuben Allen, a Hawke’s Bay and Hurricanes U20 representative and twin brother of New Zealand under-20 player and Magpie Tom Allen, started training on Tuesday with Whanganui, who have also never made the NPC first division but are consistent top performers in amateur rugby’s Heartland Championship.
Their two Shield challenges against Hawke’s Bay were comfortably repelled in 1926, at Nelson Park, Hastings, and 1934 at McLean Park, Napier, and in their most recent challenges they were beaten 32-12 by Waikato in 2016 and 33-10 by Taranaki in 2018.
Whanganui won back-to-back Heartland titles in 2008-9, and three in a row in 2015-17, and the last match between Hawke’s Bay and Whanganui was a 2005 NPC division two match won 43-15 by the Magpies at McLean Park. The last Whanganui wins over the Magpies were in the 1980s.
With not yet the top line-up on the park, Whanganui beat Manawatu B 24-15 in Feilding last Saturday, with tries to wing Mitai Hemi, halfback and recent Manawatū Turbos NPC player Griffin Culver, utility back Faleseu Tauailoto and centre Alekesio Vakarorogo.
Whanganui union chairman Jeff Phillips says the union is “optimistic but realistic” about the outcome of Saturday’s match, as amateur players have to hold down day jobs and train only a couple of days a week, and then lock horns with the fulltimers of professional rugby.
Most challengers from the lower division compete well in the first half in their Shield bids, but find fitness to be the issue later in the games, he says.
