While New England’s offseason continues, six Free Jacks are already back in action on the other side of the world. As the 2026 Bunnings NPC kicked off across New Zealand last weekend, Tayne Hemopo, Reuben Palmer, Filipe Vakasiuola, Sione Tupou, Joe Johnston, and Nathan Salmon all took the field for their home provinces. Between them, they cover three provinces, three position groups, and one very intriguing collision course. Here’s how round one went, and what’s coming up this weekend.

TAYNE HEMOPO HELPS TASMAN SURVIVE A SCARE

Tasman Mako needed every bit of their round one grit to hold off North Harbour 31-29 at Trafalgar Park on Friday. Tayne Hemopo started at openside flanker and played 68 minutes in a tight, back-and-forth contest that swung on a Kyren Taumoefolau hat-trick and tries from Cooper Roberts and Leo Marfell. North Harbour battled all the way to the final whistle, with Tom Barham crossing twice, but Tasman’s forward platform, Hemopo included, held up when it mattered most. 

NATHAN SALMON SCORES TWICE IN NORTHLAND ROUT

Up in Whangarei, Nathan Salmon picked up right where he left off with the Free Jacks in Quincy. The winger scored twice as Northland put away Manawatu 40-14 at Semenoff Stadium, sharing try-scoring duties with fellow wing Brady Rush in a dominant display. It’s the same blistering speed and electric footwork that made Salmon must-watch viewing in Quincy this year, and that pace out wide put Northland on the front foot heading into round two. 

FOUR STEAMERS, ONE TOUGH OPENING NIGHT IN HAMILTON

It was a busy weekend for the Bay of Plenty contingent, with Joe Johnston, Sione Tupou, and Reuben Palmer all involved as the Steamers opened their campaign against Waikato in Hamilton. Waikato raced out to a 35-0 halftime lead, but Bay of Plenty stormed back in the second half, outscoring their hosts 26-3 after the break to snatch a losing bonus point in a 38-26 defeat.

Johnston started at openside flanker and played the full eighty as part of the pack that steadied the ship after a rough first forty. Tupou started at hooker but was forced off early, in the 13th minute, with Taine Kolose taking over the role. Palmer came off the bench in the second half, replacing lock Jai Knight in the 48th minute and adding fresh legs up front as the Steamers found their rhythm late. Filipe Vakasiuola was not named in the matchday twenty-three for round one.

“Playing with a few of the boys from Free Jacks back in my home province in the NPC is a dream come true” said Palmer. “It’s also really cool for us to be able to reflect and look back at the memories we made together with the Free Jacks.”

LOOKING AHEAD: NORTHLAND HOSTS BAY OF PLENTY

The headline act of round two is a Free Jacks family reunion of sorts. Northland travels to Rotorua International Stadium to face Bay of Plenty on Saturday, August 8, with kickoff set for 5:05 p.m. local time. Confirmed lineups have Nathan Salmon starting on the wing for Northland, while Bay of Plenty hands Joe Johnston another start at blindside flanker and names Sione Tupou, Filipe Vakasiuola, and Reuben Palmer all among the replacements.

The Free Jacks connection to this one runs well beyond the playing group. Head coach Ryan Martin is also in charge at Northland, with James Doyle, the Free Jacks’ Head of Strength and Conditioning, and Colton Bennett, the club’s Performance Analyst, both part of his staff there too. On the other side, Free Jacks assistant coach Pingi Tala’apitaga does double duty as an assistant coach for Bay of Plenty, the same role in which he helped develop Tupou and Vakasiuola through the Steamers program.

“It’s fantastic to see so many of our young Free Jacks players gaining valuable experience in New Zealand’s NPC competition,” said Coach Martin. “It’s exciting to watch our players continue to develop and perform at a high level on the international stage.”

Northland arrives full of confidence off a 26-point win and sits second in the table after round one, while Bay of Plenty will be looking to bounce back from that tough Waikato opener, currently 10th in the standings. Salmon’s finishing form makes him a threat out wide against a Bay of Plenty defense still searching for its shape after conceding 35 first-half points last week. The Steamers, for their part, showed real character in their comeback and will look to carry that second-half energy into a full eighty minutes this time out, with Johnston’s experience at the breakdown and a bench stacked with Tupou, Vakasiuola, and Palmer likely to play a big role up front.

For Free Jacks fans, it is a rare chance to watch four teammates go head to head with a former teammate on the other side. Keep an eye on the schedule for how it unfolds, and stay tuned to freejacks.com for more updates as our players continue to make their mark in the NPC this season.

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