The Northern United Rugby Club — affectionately known across New Zealand simply as “Norths”—is a powerhouse club representing the Porirua basin in the Wellington Rugby Football Union (WRFU) competition. Playing in blue and white, Norths is celebrated for its deeply embedded community roots, passionate Pacific and Māori support base, and a reputation for producing incredibly physical, world-class rugby talent.
The 1990 Porirua Power Merger
Northern United was established in 1990 following the end of the 1989 rugby season. It was born out of a strategic amalgamation between two proud, local cross-town rivals:
1. Porirua Rugby Club (Founded in 1910)
2. Titahi Bay Rugby Club
When the clubs first combined for the 1990 season, they literally shared their old gear—wearing the traditional Porirua Rugby Club jersey paired with Titahi Bay Rugby Club shorts and socks. Later that year, the official, unified blue-and-white strip was introduced, which has remained the club’s trademark look ever since.
The Fortress: Porirua Park
The spiritual and operational headquarters for Northern United is Porirua Park in Porirua East. Renowned across the province as a world-class premier sports venue, the main ground was officially renamed the Jerry Collins Stadium in honor of the club’s most legendary son.
To keep grassroots rugby accessible and safer for local families mid-week, the club uniquely splits its junior “Norths Bulldogs” training across two distinct historical sites: Onepoto in Titahi Bay and the main Porirua Park hub.
The Golden Era: Jubilee Cup Dominance
Though a relatively young club compared to Wellington’s centurions, Norths quickly grew into an absolute juggernaut in the 2000s. They became the team to beat in the Wellington Premier competition, capturing the prestigious Jubilee Cup multiple times (including titles in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2019, and 2022).
Their style of play during this golden era revolutionized club rugby—blending an uncompromisingly brutal, bruising forward pack with lightning-fast, flair-driven backline play.
An Elite International Production Line
Despite its compact geographical footprint, Northern United punches astronomically above its weight on the global stage. It has developed a legendary conveyor belt of All Blacks, Black Ferns, and Pacific Island international stars.
• Jerry Collins: The ultimate icon of the club. The hard-hitting, fiercely loyal loose forward rose from the fields of Porirua to captain the All Blacks, famously returning to play for Norths even at the peak of his global fame.
• Tamati Ellison: A silky-smooth back who starred for Norths, earned All Black selection, and won a Commonwealth Games Gold Medal with the NZ 7s team.
• TJ Perenara: The dynamic, long-serving All Blacks halfback whose family ties run incredibly deep through the Porirua sports community.
• The Umaga Legacy: Both legendary All Black captain Tana Umaga and his brother, Manu Samoa icon Mike Umaga, have deep, foundational connections to the club’s historic playing roots.
Modern Spirit: Tātou Tātou
Today, Northern United remains a massive multi-cultural and family anchor for the entire Porirua community, catering to hundreds of senior, schoolboy, and junior players. Operating under the binding club motto Tātou Tātou (“All of us together”), Norths continues to defend its legacy as one of the proudest and most formidable clubs in Wellington rugby history.
