Heremaia Murray

Heremaia Murray
Full nameHeremaia W.W. Murray
Date of birth (2000-01-11) 11 January 2000 (age 24)
Place of birthNew Zealand
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight94 kg (207 lb; 14 st 11 lb)
SchoolAuckland Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Current team Northland, Reds
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021 Auckland 1 (0)
2022– Northland 31 (75)
2024 Crusaders 3 (0)
2025– Reds 0 (0)
Correct as of 30 December 2024

Heremaia Murray (born 11 January 2000) is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a wing for the Reds in Super Rugby and Northland in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.[1]

Early career

Murray grew up in Te Hāpua and Ahipara in the Northland Region in the far North of New Zealand. He received his secondary school education at Auckland Grammar School and played for the school's 1st XV team in his final year.[2]

After leaving school, Murray was part of the Counties Manukau Academy,[3] but played for the Auckland U19 team at the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament in 2019.[4]

Senior career

While he wasn't named in the Auckland squad for the 2021 Bunnings NPC season, Murray made his NPC debut for the province on 14 August 2021 against Tasman.[5]

The following year, Murray was named in the Northland squad for the 2022 Bunnings NPC.[6] He made his debut for the Taniwha – off the bench – on 7 August 2022 against Taranaki.[7] He scored his first try for the team on 28 August 2022 against Southland.[8]

On 9 November 2023, Murray was named in the Crusaders squad for the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season after an outstanding season playing for Northland.[9][2] He made his Super Rugby debut for the franchise on 9 March 2024 against the Drua in Lautoka, Fiji.[10] He played three games for the Crusaders.

Although he wasn't named in the initial Queensland Reds squad for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, the franchise announced his signing on 15 November 2024 after a successful trial during a tour with the team to Japan.[11]

International career

Late 2019 and early 2020, Murray was invited to attend the New Zealand Under 20 trial and development camps in preparation of the 2020 Oceania Rugby Under 20 Championship and World Rugby U20 Championship.[12][13] Unfortunately, Murray missed out on playing for the New Zealand Under 20 team, because these tournaments were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14][15]

References

  1. ^ "Heremaia Murray". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "'Who wouldn't want to come here': Crusaders' latest wing recruit out of Northland". RugbyPass. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Counties Manukau's Heremaia Murray selected for NZ U20 Camp ". Counties Manukau. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament – Official tournament programme" (PDF). New Zealand Rugby. 2019. p. 12. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Auckland head to the sunshine city to face the Mako". Auckland Rugby (Press release). 12 August 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  6. ^ "2022 Semco Northland Taniwha squad announced for Bunnings NPC". Northland Rugby (Press release). 29 July 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Semco Northland Taniwha travel to Taranaki". Northland Rugby (Press release). 5 August 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Coach reacts: Southland Stags 'bullied' by Northland". stuff.co.nz. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  9. ^ "2024 Squad launched". Crusaders (Press release). 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Game preview: Round three v Fijian Drua". Crusaders. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  11. ^ "Heremaia Murray signs for Queensland Reds". Queensland Reds (Press release). 15 November 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  12. ^ "New Zealand under 20 programme casts wide net". allblacks.com (Press release). 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 21 November 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Triallists named for New Zealand Under 20 development camp". allblacks.com (Press release). 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Oceania Rugby Under 20s Championships cancelled". allblacks.com (Press release). 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  15. ^ "World Rugby update on COVID-19 response measures and statement from Sir Bill Beaumont". World Rugby (Press release). 21 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2024.