Canterbury vs Auckland NPC round one preview: Confirmed lineups and Mo’unga returns

Home team	Canterbury
Away team	Auckland
Venue	One NZ Stadium
Competition	NPC
Kick-off time	8:10 am (UK) 7:10 am (SA)
Watch Live in the UK	Sky Sports

Canterbury vs Auckland NPC preview as the 2025 Champions begin their title defence in their first ever game in the One NZ Stadium. 

The game is also highly anticipated as it marks the return of Richie Mo’unga to New Zealand rugby. 

Read more match previews for all your rugby action here

Canterbury vs Auckland confirmed lineups

Canterbury			Auckland
Forwards
Brewis		1		Fusitu’a
McAllister		2		Viken
Ainsley		3		Ta’avao
Cahill		4		Cribb
Hannah		5		Beehre
Gardiner		6		Clark
Kellow		7		Hainsworth-Fa’aofo
Barnes		8		Nofoagatotoa
Backs
Chapman		9		Arscott
Knewstubb		10		Perofeta
MacDonald		11		Tito-Harris
Rova		12		Ahki
D McLeod		13		Taele
Punivai		14		Vai
Fihaki		15		Simpson
Replacements
Letiu		16		Pole
Ponini		17		Ake
Calder		18		Tu’ungafasi
Jack		19		Cordukes
F McLeod		20		Baker
Belworthy		21		Fines-Leleiwasa
Mo’unga		22		Spencer
Latu		23		Basson

Recent Form:

Canterbury (Home team): 

Result	Date	Competition	Opponent	Score
Won	25th October 2025	NPC Playoffs	Otago	36-28
Won	18th October 2025	NPC Playoffs	Hawke’s Bay	43-19
Won	12th October 2025	NPC Playoffs	Counties Manukau	23-15
Won	5th October 2025	NPC	Taranaki	34-14
Draw	28th September 2025	NPC	Northland	19-19

Canterbury capped off a fantastic 2025 season with the NPC trophy as they defeated Otago in the final. They had won eight out of 10 in the regular season and drawn one.

Auckland (Away team): 

Result	Date	Competition	Opponent	Score
Loss	3rd October 2025	NPC	Otago	17-51
Loss	26th September 2025	NPC	Hawke’s Bay	45-28
Loss	20th September 2025	NPC	Counties Manukau	49-28
Won	14th September 2025	NPC	Manawatu	52-29
Won	6th September 2025	NPC	Tasman	21-29

Auckland finished the season with just two wins,  both of which came in a row in the first half of September last year. They lost all the others in the 10 game season. In seven of their eight defeats in the season they conceded more than 30 points and conceded 45 or more in each of the last three games. 

Canterbury vs Auckland head-to-head record (last five matches):

Date	Competition	Winner	Score
9th August 2025	NPC	Canterbury	19-15
24th August 2024	NPC	Canterbury	21-27
6th October 2023	NPC Playoffs	Canterbury	29-24
9th September 2023	NPC	Auckland	36-29
23rd September 2022	NPC	Canterbury	38-20

Despite a period of relative dominance for Canterbury winning three in a row and four of the last five, each of the last four games have been decided by one score or less.