Jayson Potroz

Jayson Potroz (born 26 November 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays at fullback in the National Provincial Championship for Taranaki. He also plays for the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby (MLR).

Quick Facts Date of birth, Place of birth ...

Potroz has played premier club rugby in Taranaki since he left Francis Douglas Memorial College in 2009, first playing for Stratford until 2013, and now playing for Tukapa. He has played age group, development, and representative sevens, and featured in Taranaki pre-season matches for a number of years. However, he made his first-class debut in 2018 against Poverty Bay in a Ranfurly Shield pre-season match in Tikorangi, then against Wanganui in the second Ranfurly Shield pre-season match and came off the bench against Canterbury. He was best known in his first season for scoring a 55m intercept try in his third match of 2018. He scored three tries that year.^[1]

In 2019, Potroz started in all 10 matches for Taranaki, scoring a total of 17 points. He played nine matches at fullback and one on the wing. At the end of the season, he was named Back of the Year, the first non-Super Rugby player to win such an award. He also won Sevens Player of the Year.^[2] The following year, during the 2020 season, Potroz appeared in 11 matches, scoring 3 tries and 95 points overall.

In the Taranaki premier competition, Potroz has played over 100 matches for Tukapa and predominantly plays first-five eighth. In the 2017 club competition, he was the leading try scorer and highest points scorer.^[3]

During the 2021 season Potroz appeared in nine matches, scoring one trie as he and Taranaki won the NPC championship division.^[4]

In September 2022, it was announced that Potroz would play for the New England Free Jacks in the MLR competition in 2023. He was a key play maker for the team, having a superb kicking, running and passing game, and leading the MLR in scoring during the 2023 season with 146 points. This led to him being named MLR player of the year. In the postseason, he and the Free Jacks won the MLR championship. Portroz scored two penalty kicks and two conversions during the championship game. This led to him being named the championship match MVP.^[5] He then returned to New Zealand to play for his province in the 2023 National Provincial Championship. Appearing in 11 matches and scoring 26 points, he and Taranaki won the NPC championship vs Hawke's Bay, 22-19.

He returned to the Free Jacks for the 2024 season and was part of another championship team. He scored five penalties in the championship game as the Free Jacks beat Seattle 20-11. He again led the league in points with 181 during the 2024 season.^[6]

Potroz was named to the all MLR first team in both 2023 and 2024.^[7]^[8]

He returned to Taranaki after the 2024 MLR season, and claimed his 50th cap for the club on August 31, 2024.^[9]

During the 2025 MLR season Potroz faced a couple of different injuries, and only appeared in four games, scoring 26 points. He eventually suffered a season-ending knee injury during match week 16 vs Seattle. He finished the year in a player-coach role.^[10]

Career

Honours

Personal life

References

External links

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