‘I’m starting to enjoy my footy again’: The Tahs playmaker thriving in New Zealand

After a difficult year of uncertainty and wooden spoon collection, Tane Edmed is deep in enemy territory and loving life.

With the Waratahs’ forgettable season finally fading, the red-headed playmaker is in New Zealand on a short-term contract, playing for North Harbour in the National Provincial Competition (NPC).

And while Edmed may be in a rival’s backyard on the north shore of Auckland, the self-described “code-head” is among his kind of people.

“You can just tell there is a genuine love of the game – they just love talking about rugby, lots of micro-detail in small groups, ” Edmed said.

“They just love talking code, and that’s cool. I have always been a bit of a code-head myself and I cop a bit of grief from the boys back home, but I am fitting right in here.”

Edmed’s love of footy chat is translating to the field, too, with the Eastwood No.10 earning rave reviews for his form in the NPC so far.

Tane Edmed makes a break for North Harbour against Waikato.Credit: Getty Images

The 24-year-old was all over rugby social media at the weekend after helping North Harbour to a big win over Waikato, and he wasn’t alone, with Brumbies utility Ben O’Donnell also starring for Hawkes Bay with three tries.

“It’s been really enjoyable. I am just starting to enjoy my footy again, I guess. That’s been the biggest thing,” Edmed said. “And just learning plenty from how they do things over here.”

Of all the available access points to the IP of the Super Rugby champion Blues, and the broader Kiwi system, one of the most valuable for Edmed is regular contact with Blues assistant coach Daniel Halangahu, who knows his rugby path intimately.

Before settling in New Zealand and pursuing a coaching career, Halangahu was a long-standing occupant of one of the hottest seats in Australian rugby – Waratahs five-eighth.

Edmed has worn the sky blue No.10 on 24 occasions (of 43 games) since debuting for NSW in 2021, and he hopes his time in New Zealand will help him not only lock down the spot next season, but help lift NSW from the foot of the ladder and back up to play-off contention.

The Waratahs announced on Wednesday Edmed had re-signed on a one-year extension, but for a long time this year it wasn’t a sure thing he would be back at Daceyville next year.

The Tahs’ roster for 2025 remained in a state of flux for months, with the Rebels’ drawn out closure – and the likelihood of players such as Carter Gordon coming onto the market – delaying negotiations for many. Then the Waratahs delayed further as they spent even more time appointing a new coach in Dan McKellar.

“There were a lot of moving parts during the year, which definitely made things a bit difficult. It was definitely not a normal contracting year for a lot of the boys at the Tahs, with obviously the Rebels folding and trying to find a place for them,” Edmed said.

It was a tough year for Tane Edmed and the Waratahs.Credit: Getty

“That was one thing and the Tahs weren’t willing to make any decisions without having a head coach appointed, which is understandable. There was a lot of waiting going on. But I have always wanted to stay at the Tahs, that’s my home and I love playing there.”

Getting the nod from Joe Schmidt to be part of the Wallabies’ train-on squad gave Edmed great encouragement, and he hopes his form for North Harbour will keep him on the national radar before the spring tour.

“That was super exciting, just to know you’re in the picture. And then to spend a week under Joe and Laurie Fisher, just to see how they go about things, was obviously awesome. I was stoked to be there but I would love to work my way into the squad in some capacity, at some point,” he said.

Brett Robinson is running for Chair of World Rugby.Credit: Andrew Wheeler

Meanwhile, former Wallaby and Brumbies captain Brett Robinson has confirmed he will run for the chair of World Rugby, opening the way for the first candidate from the Southern Hemisphere to fill the powerful role.

Robinson revealed last month he was considering running against Scotland’s John Jeffrey and Italy’s Andrea Rinaldo to replace outgoing chair Bill Beaumont in November.

“I am committed to delivering this contemporary, commercially driven leadership for World Rugby and its members,” Robinson said in a statement.

In what could be a shift from the traditional north v south split in world rugby politics, Robinson reportedly has the support of several European unions, which could be decisive in the outcome of voting.

In other news, Australian men’s sevens coach John Manenti has resigned and returned to 15-a-side rugby, taking over as coach in San Diego Legion in the US Major League Rugby.

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