Kyren Taumoefolau: an NPC-record 19 tries in a season, five in one game, and a World Cup try for Tonga

In the 2026 NPC Kyren Taumoefolau scored 19 tries in 11 games for Tasman, breaking a record for the competition's top division that had stood at 15 since Terry Wright of Auckland set it in 1984 and Brendan Laney of Otago matched it in 1998. Along the way, on 16 August 2026 at Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe, he scored five tries in one game against Counties Manukau, equalling the NPC record for a single match. The wing from Blenheim had already played at a Rugby World Cup for Tonga, scored 12 Super Rugby tries for Moana Pasifika, and in his first season with the Chiefs in 2026 scored 10 more and started in a Super Rugby final.

Blenheim, Picton and Marlborough Boys'

Taumoefolau was born in Blenheim on 8 May 2003, Wikipedia records, and grew up in Marlborough. He is of Tongan heritage. He went to Marlborough Boys' College, where he was co-captain of the First XV and played at first five, and he played his club rugby for Waitohi in Picton. In 2022 he helped the Waitohi premier side win the club's first premier title, RugbyPass reported.

Tonga

He wore Tonga's colours before he played Super Rugby. As a 19-year-old he played for Tonga, the invited team, at the New Zealand Sevens at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on 21 and 22 January 2023, part of the 2022-23 World Sevens Series. He scored tries against Great Britain, and Tonga picked up points with upset wins over Australia, Uruguay and Kenya, RugbyPass reported.

His first appearance for Tonga's XV came off the bench against Australia A at Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Nuku'alofa on 14 July 2023, a 27-21 win in the first international Tonga had played at home since 2017. He was one of two Tonga debutants that day, with Pita Ahki. Eight days later, on 22 July 2023, he scored his first try for Tonga in a Pacific Nations Cup match against Fiji at Churchill Park in Lautoka, and on 15 August 2023 he scored twice in a 36-12 win over Canada at Teufaiva Sport Stadium.

He was named in Tonga's squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and played in the final pool game, against Romania at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq on 8 October 2023. He came off the bench in the 67th minute and scored in the 71st as Tonga won 45-24, their highest score and biggest winning margin at a World Cup, in front of 45,042 people. Wikipedia credits him with six caps for Tonga and four tries, 20 points; RugbyPass's match data lists five matches, without the game against Australia A. He has not played for Tonga since 2023.

"I know I'm representing my family, my last name, and the kingdom of Tonga," he told Pacific Media Network in 2025.

Moana Pasifika

Moana Pasifika gave him his Super Rugby start after the World Cup. His debut came off the bench in round two of 2024, on 2 March 2024 at AAMI Park in Melbourne, as Moana beat the Fijian Drua 39-36 for their first win over the Drua. In his first start, against the Western Force at HBF Park in Perth on 15 March 2024, he took a pass from Sekope Kepu off a lineout and ran 50 metres untouched for his first Super Rugby try in a 22-14 win.

In 2025 he scored nine tries for Moana. He began with two in the opening game against the Force in Perth, and on 17 May 2025 he scored a hat-trick in a 27-21 win over the Blues at North Harbour Stadium, RugbyPass reported. "Playing for your Pasifika team, you're representing your people, your family," he said. In two seasons with Moana he played 21 games and scored 12 tries, the Chiefs recorded when they signed him.

Tasman

Taumoefolau made his Tasman debut off the bench in a 22-7 win over Canterbury at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on 17 August 2024, according to Wikipedia. Three weeks later he was in the Tasman side that won the Ranfurly Shield for the first time, 25-24 against Hawke's Bay at McLean Park in Napier on 7 September 2024, and in the first defence, against Wellington at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim on 15 September 2024, he scored a try in his home town in a 28-15 win. He added six tries in 2025, including a hat-trick in a 55-38 win over Southland at Rugby Park Stadium in Invercargill on 26 September 2025.

The record season

The 2026 NPC began with a hat-trick in a 31-29 win over North Harbour at Trafalgar Park on 31 July 2026. Two weeks later in Pukekohe he scored three tries in the first half and two more early in the second, in the 19th, 24th, 32nd, 45th and 50th minutes, as Tasman beat Counties Manukau 50-35. Stuff reported that the five tries equalled the NPC record for a single game, and Marlborough Now's Peter Jones noted that they broke Tasman's own record of four, shared by Peter Playford and Macca Springer. "I love this team and I'm happy to finish when I can," Taumoefolau told Sky.

He kept going. He scored twice against Southland at Trafalgar Park on 22 August 2026 and once in each of his next four games. On 3 October 2026, in the final round at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, he scored four tries in a 50-33 win over Waikato and went past the old season record of 15, RugbyPass reported, finishing the round-robin with 18. His try in the quarter-final against Northland at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei on 9 October 2026 made it 19, though Tasman lost 26-21.

He scored in nine of his 11 games and finished as the competition's top try scorer, nine clear of Otago's Lucas Casey, Wikipedia's statistics show. RugbyPass picked him on the wing in its Form XV of the season and recorded that he led the NPC for metres gained, clean breaks and defenders beaten. In three seasons for Tasman he has played 32 games and scored 27 tries.

The Chiefs

The Chiefs signed him on a two-year deal from 2026. "Kyren is a player with immense potential," head coach Jono Gibbes said. "I'm excited for the next challenge," said Taumoefolau.

He scored 10 tries in 13 games in his first Chiefs season, including doubles against the Waratahs and Moana Pasifika, and in the playoffs he scored twice in a 46-24 qualifying final win over the Reds at FMG Stadium Waikato on 6 June 2026, and twice more in the first 16 minutes of a 49-12 semi-final win over the Crusaders at the same ground on 12 June 2026. On 20 June 2026 he started on the left wing in the final against the Hurricanes at Hnry Stadium in Wellington, which the Hurricanes won 60-5.

Where he is now

Having not played for Tonga since 2023, Taumoefolau became eligible for the All Blacks at the start of October 2026. He was not in Dave Rennie's squad for the Nations Championship tour, but Rennie said he had been discussed and that a big Super Rugby season in 2027 would put him in contention, RugbyPass reported. He is in the Chiefs' 2027 squad, the second year of his contract.

Career at a glance

Tasman, Moana Pasifika and Chiefs figures are from Wikipedia (updated 9 October 2026) and agree with RugbyPass's match data. Tonga figures are Wikipedia's; RugbyPass's data does not count the match against Australia A.