The Gallagher Chiefs have begun their pre-season training with the addition of 16 players who join the squad on National Development Contracts (NDC) as replacement players and as part of the wider training squad.
The New Zealand Rugby (NZR) initiative of NDC contracts allows promising young players to be immersed in the professional rugby environment for the DHL Super Rugby Pacific season.
This season’s NDC players include Waikato’s Dylan Eti and Micah Fale, who have come through the Chiefs Development Pathway, and Bay of Plenty’s Charlie Sinton. Former NDC Fiti Sa, who was promoted to the main squad this year, will be joined for the season by his brother, Jayden, who earned an NDC contract after his first season with Taranaki.
Previous NDC players also include Oli Mathis, who this year earned his debut for the All Black Sevens, and Aki Tuivailala, who is named in the 2025 Crusaders squad.
The wider training and replacement players group for this season includes Bay of Plenty’s Benet Kumeroa, Taine Kolose, and Jacob Norris; Waikato’s James Thompson, Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia and Tai Cribb; Counties Manukau’s Adam Brash, Peniasi Malimali, Joshua Gray and Leo Ngatai-Tafau; with former Western Force winger Manasa Mataele and North Harbour’s Oscar Koller the only players from outside of the Chiefs region.
The replacement players join the squad as cover for the All Blacks, who are on leave until January, with a handful of players remaining with the squad for the season as part of the wider training squad.
NDC
Dylan Eti (Waikato)
Charlie Sinton (Bay of Plenty)
Micah Fale (Waikato)
Jayden Sa (Taranaki)
REPLACEMENT
James Thompson (Waikato)
Adam Brash (Counties Manukau)
Jacob Norris (Bay of Plenty)
Joshua Gray (Counties Manukau)
Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia (Waikato)
Tai Cribb (Waikato)
Leo Ngatai-Tafau (Counties Manukau)
Oscar Koller (North Harbour)
WIDER TRAINING
Benet Kumeroa (Bay of Plenty)
Taine Kolose (Bay of Plenty)
Peniasi Malimali (Counties Manukau)
Manasa Mataele (Canterbury)
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