Josh Jacomb: From Taranaki beginnings to the Duane Monkley Medal

The rapid rise of Josh Jacomb in 2025 was highlighted this week when he received a special package in the mail: the Duane Monkley Medal for NPC Player of the Year.

“I missed the announcement because I was putting my daughter to bed, and then I suddenly received a flurry of messages from my grandma,” Jacomb told RugbyPass.

“It’s nice to see the award in the flesh. There’s an element of surprise. You don’t set out to win individual awards; you wouldn’t be in this position without your teammates putting in the hard work and the coaches developing a game plan that allows you plenty of opportunities to touch the ball and express yourself. Having my name on it is awesome.

“I remember my first season with Taranaki in 2021 when we won the Championship, and Stephen Perofeta received the Duane Monkley Medal. He was a huge mentor to me, so to achieve something he accomplished is really special.”

Jacomb played all 11 matches for Taranaki this year, scoring 148 points. He ranked in the top five of the NPC for most points, carries, clean breaks, and meters gained. The other nominees were All Blacks Sam Darry, a championship-winning lock with Canterbury, and Hawke’s Bay halfback Folau Fakatava, the winner in 2020.

Jacomb became the fourth first-five to win the Duane Monkely Medal after Mike Delany (Bay of Plenty, 2009), Aaron Cruden (Manawatu, 2011), and Bryn Gatland (North Harbour, 2022).

Taranaki was inconsistent, winning six matches but being eliminated in the quarter-finals by Hawke’s Bay. However, their best form was record-breaking. On August 16 at Eden Park, Taranaki trounced 17-time champions Auckland by 50-8, with Jacomb scoring a staggering 30 points, inculding three tries.

“Consistency was a challenge for us, “Jacomb mused. “We were excellent in patches; lapses in important moments proved costly.

“We had a few injuries along the way, but I don’t like to use that as an excuse because we have a next man up mentality. We played an exciting, expansive brand of rugby, a run-it-from-anywhere approach, but we needed to acknowledge that the opposition were more aware of how we played, and we needed to add more strings to our bow.

“The Auckland game was one of those games where nothing went wrong on the day. I wasn’t happy with the way I played against Nortland and North Harbour, so I had some good connection with the old man, focusing on doing the basics well.

“Thirty points. It was nice to be in the right place and the right time and see those kicks flying over.”

Jacomb has made 36 appearances for Taranaki, achieving 26 wins and scoring 330 points. He is the third Taranaki player to win the Duane Monkley Medal after the aforementioned All Black Perofeta in 2021 and All Blacks and Fijian international Seta Tamanivalu in 2014.

Earlier in 2025, Jacomb played 17 games, including seven starts, for the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific, quadrupling his 2024 tally. He played in all three wins on the All Blacks XV tour of the UK and France. Such form has seen him sign for the Highlanders in 2027 to secure more opportunities as 74-Test All Black Damian McKenzie remains the Chiefs’ talisman with 91 wins and 1456 points in 140 matches.

“The best way for me to grow as a Super Rugby player is to get more playing time, and joining the Highlanders presents a great opportunity to be part of an exciting young group while stepping out of my comfort zone,” Jacomb said.

“However, I don’t expect just to walk in and take over. They already have three excellent tens: Cam Millar had a great season with Otago, Andrew Knewstubb brings a lot of experience from Sevens, and Mika Muliaina is a promising player who has just signed from Southland.

“I refuse to get ahead of myself. My priority is to contribute to the Chiefs in whatever way I can, whether that’s preparing the team for game day, making an impact off the bench, or seizing the opportunity if I get a starting role.”

Duane Monkley Medal

The NPC Player of the Year Award was officially established in 2006 and was renamed in 2017 to honour Waikato flanker Duane Monkley. Monkley played 135 games for Waikato from 1987 to 1996, recording 86 wins and scoring 26 tries. In 1992, Waikato won the NPC title for the first time. The following year, in 1993, Waikato defeated Auckland 17-6 at Eden Park to claim the Ranfurly Shield, ending Auckland’s record 61-game tenure with the Log o’ Wood.

Throughout his career, Monkley played in victories against Wales (28-19 in 1988), Argentina (30-12 in 1989), Canada (three wins from 1989 to 1992), Australia (21-10 in 1990), Samoa (39-29 in 1992), the British and Irish Lions (38-10 in 1993), and Scotland (39-35 in 1996). He notably scored tries during the Lions’ win, against Australia and Scotland, and in a 28-14 victory over Canada in 1992.

The medal is determined by a season points system, with match officials selecting their player of the match, awarding three points, two points, and one point to the game’s top three performers. The Duane Monkley medal was designed by renowned Maori artist Dave Burke, who has previously worked with New Zealand Rugby to design the M?ori All Blacks jersey.  Fittingly, the first winner was Richard Kahui, who helped Waikato win the 2006 NPC. He later won the Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks in 2011.

Working in sales and data solutions, Monkley has expressed pride in receiving this honour, stating, “I’m very excited and very proud that I’ve been asked to use my name for the medal. Provincial rugby is a big part of who we are as New Zealanders; people are very passionate about it and know their rugby well. I was fortunate to play in one of the greatest generations of provincial rugby. Although it would have been nice to be part of professional rugby, I played in an incredible era and have many great memories. Strangely, because I didn’t become an All Black, I feel I earned more respect from rugby enthusiasts. When you think of me, you think of provincial rugby.”

Best NPC Performances Against Auckland

Josh Jacomb, Taranaki, 30, Eden Park, Auckland, 50-8, 2025.

Marty Banks, Tasman, 26, Eden Park, Auckland, 49-31, 2016.

Tyler Bleyendaal, Canterbury, 26, AMI Stadium, Christchurch, 56-26, 2013.

Sitiveni Sivivatu, Waikato, 25, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, 59-11, 2004.

Cam Millar, Otago, 24, Auckland Grammar School, 51-17, 2025.

Bryn Gatland, North Harbour, 22, North Harbour Stadium, Albany, 2017.

Nick McCashin, Bay of Plenty, 22, Rotorua International Stadium, 37-16, 2012.

Matt Berquist, Hawke’s Bay, 22, McLean Park, Napier, 47-13, 2009.

Glenn Dickson, Otago, 22, 32-22, Eden Park, 2011.

David Howell, Wellington, 20, Eden Park, Auckland, 48-23, 2000.