August Pulu will suit up this Sunday for his first 15s run in over 14 months.

Five out of 14 unions in the Mitre 10 Cup ran up losses last year and collectively the provinces are in the red for the first time since 2011.

There is still plenty of life left in the 35-year-old legs of Alex Ainley.

Canterbury did a demolition job on the 2015 Premiership finalists that few saw coming.

It was rusty rather than resounding, but Manawatu have opened their Mitre 10 Cup campaign with a 34-27 victory over Northland at Toll Stadium.

Auckland have loaded up on lineout options and rushed the Ioanes back into action as they plan to lower Canterbury in Christchurch

North Harbour will be desperate to ensure they do not have their usual sluggish start when the Mitre 10 Cup season swings into gear tomorrow night in Albany.

So'otala Fa'aso'o has undertaken some rugby odyssey over the last few seasons to end up as the starting No 8 for Counties Manukau

No less than 11 players are poised to make their Steelers' debuts in Thursday night's Mitre 10 Cup opener and crossover clash with North Harbour in Albany.

Four seasoned newcomers highlight the naming of the 30-man Waikato squad for the upcoming 2016 Mitre 10 Cup season.

The Bay of Plenty Steamers have named their 2016 squad for the upcoming 2016 Mitre 10 Cup season.

North Harbour has announced a Mitre 10 Cup squad that has rewarded club form and should push hard for the Championship semifinals. "This

New Auckland coach Nick White has some looming selection headaches with his Mitre 10 Cup squad, especially if some of his fringe All Blacks are released back to the union for extended periods.

Jarrod Bear will replace Andy Dalton when he steps down next year as Auckland Rugby Union chief executive. Bear has a strong commercial

A kilted Kiwi is coming home. Bay of Plenty have signed Scottish international loose forward Hugh Blake, who was born in Tauranga, for the NPC next month.

Canterbury have added three more young players to their Wider Training Group ahead of next month's Mitre 10 Cup.

Waikato have now confirmed the re-signing of three of their top young talents, alongside securing six highly promising academy graduates.

With the season opener fast approaching, Waikato has confirmed a few key members of their 2016 squad.

Kurtis Haiu was once an integral part of Auckland's rugby landscape, writes Gregor Paul.

Dean Young caught a 136.6kg fish but had to take a polygraph test to prove the catch was legitimate. He was told he failed the test.

Stewart Brodie's assault on man in Hastings pub loses him police contract.

Tries are set to have greater value in the Mitre 10 Cup after a scoring change was revealed this morning.

Nick White is Auckland's new rugby head coach, stepping up from the forwards portfolio to replace the Blues-bound Paul Feeney.

Provincial rugby sponsor not given a reason as to why it was overlooked.