Dan Pryor joins the Manukata Sanix Blues in the Japan Top League for the 2018 season
Yes, it’s true – Dan Pryor is swapping the blue jerseys of Northland and the Highlanders for the blue jersey of the Manukata Sanix Blues in the Japan Top League for the 2018 season. Dan has opted to activate his early release clause, however he is not ruling out a return to the Taniwha in the future.
Dan was first selected to play for Northland while still playing club rugby for Grammar Carlton in Auckland but soon changed clubs to Marist in Whangarei and has since amassed 63 games for our province, gained Super Rugby selection in both the Blues (2012) and the Highlanders (2015-18) and achieved well-earned selections into the New Zealand Maori All Blacks in 2014 & 2017.
We have seen him transition from ‘Pantene Pryor’, with his long flowing locks to become ‘DP’ with his impressive dreads. In 2014 he was joined in the Taniwha by his brother Kara, who remains contracted to Northland.
Taniwha Head Coach Derren Witcombe said, ‘Of course I’m disappointed that DP won’t be with us for this season but, like the true professional he is, he’s kept us fully informed of his plans and we’ve made plans based around this. I wish him well for this next stage of his career and hope to see him back in our jersey one day’
Dan Pryor Tribute Video