The club has recently finalised details establishing an International player exchange in New Zealand, to support the development of our junior players beyond Colts. The club has reached out to former HRUFC Captain Brendon Back (2005-2007), current Director of Taranaki Steelformers and main sponsor of the Taranaki Provincial rugby, forming a partnership that will see selected Harrogate Colts get the opportunity to spend a season at Tukapa Rugby Club in the 2025 season.

This partnership marks a key milestone for the club, as it looks to broaden its offering for its junior players by providing them with opportunities to fulfill their potential both on and off the field. Harrogate RUFC is committed to ensuring that its program delivers a high-quality rugby experience where players can develop technical and tactical skills that ready them for any environment they find themselves in when transitioning into adult rugby.

The club is pleased to announce that the first player taking the trip to New Zealand will be Ted Morley. Ted will continue playing his rugby with the Harrogate Senior men until he flies over to New Zealand in March/April of 2025. We look forward to seeing how Ted’s game will develop over the coming years and are excited to welcome a Tukapa representative the following season.

Scott Siffleet, Tukapa Club General Manager said about the exchange program “We are looking forward to welcoming Ted Morley to Tukapa, and to developing our relationship with Harrogate Rugby in the coming seasons"