Matt Moulds
{{Short description|New Zealand rugby union player}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Matt Moulds
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Matthew Gary Moulds
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|05|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kaipara, New Zealand
| height = {{convert|188|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|107|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| school = Otamatea High School
| university =
| relatives = Jessica Moulds (sister)
| occupation =
| spouse =
| position = Hooker
| currentclub = {{rut|Northland}}
| allblackno =
| allblackid =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 2013–2018, 2022–
| clubs1 = {{rut|Northland}}
| apps1 = 79
| points1 = 50
| years2 = 2015–2019
| clubs2 = Blues
| apps2 = 31
| points2 = 10
| years3 = 2019–2021
| clubs3 = Worcester Warriors
| apps3 = 12
| points3 = 0
| years4 = 2021
| clubs4 = Gloucester
| apps4 = 2
| points4 = 0
| years5 = 2022
| clubs5 = San Diego Legion
| apps5 = 8
| points5 = 10
| years6 = 2024
| clubs6 = Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars
| apps6 = 3
| points6 = 0
| years7 = 2025–
| clubs7 = {{Rut|Crusaders}}
| apps7 = 1
| points7 = 0
| repyears1 =
| repteam1 =
| repcaps1 =
| reppoints1 =
| clubupdate = 23 March 2025
| repupdate =
| ru_sevensnationalyears1 = 2014
| ru_sevensnationalteam1 = New Zealand
| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 = 1
| ru_sevensupdate = 23 March 2025
}}
Matthew Gary Moulds (born 15 May 1991) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a hooker for the Crusaders in Super Rugby and for Northland in the Bunnings NPC.{{cite web | url=https://super.rugby/superrugby/match-centre/?competition=205&season=2025&match=945291 | title=Match Centre - Super Rugby - Blues vs. Crusaders | work=SANZAAR | date=22 March 2025 | access-date=22 March 2025}}{{cite web | url=http://www.taniwha.co.nz/nru_profile/matthew-moulds-2/ | title=Matt Moulds Northland Taniwha Player Profile | work=Taniwha Rugby | access-date=9 December 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209164857/http://www.taniwha.co.nz/nru_profile/matthew-moulds-2/ | archive-date=9 December 2014 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_30001.html | title=Matt Moulds itsrugby.co.uk Player Statistics | work=itsrugby.co.uk | access-date=9 December 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.espn.co.uk/newzealand/rugby/player/195473.html | title=Matt Moulds ESPN Scrum Player Profile | work=ESPN Scrum | access-date=9 December 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Blues-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | title=Blues 2017 Squad Guide | publisher=All Blacks.com | access-date=26 November 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://theblues.co.nz/players/matt-moulds/ | title=Matt Moulds Blues Player Profile | publisher=Blues Rugby | access-date=26 November 2016}} He has also previously represented New Zealand at rugby sevens.{{cite web | url=http://allblacks.com/Player/Sevens/2371 | title=Matt Moulds New Zealand Sevens Player Profile | work=All Blacks.com | access-date=9 December 2014}}
Club career
Moulds started out his career with the Northland Taniwha during the 2013 ITM Cup and quickly established himself as a regular member of their starting fifteen. 2014 was a good year for both the Taniwha, who finished 3rd in the Championship standings with 5 wins and 5 losses and for Moulds, who played 10 times and scored 2 tries.
2015 and 2016 saw Moulds captain the Taniwha in what turned out to be 2 disappointing seasons. As captain, however, he was a guaranteed starter and made 16 appearances across the 2 seasons, scoring 1 try.
Impressive performances at provincial level were rewarded in 2015, when he was named in the {{Rut|Blues}} wider training group for the 2015 Super Rugby season.{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2015_ISR/2015_ISR_Squad_Naming_BluesF02.pdf | title=Blues 2015 Squad Naming| work=All Blacks.com | access-date=9 December 2014}} He made 1 appearance in his debut season, as a replacement in a match against the {{rut|Stormers}}, but further good provincial performances saw him named in the {{rut|Blues}} full squad for 2016. The presence of experienced hookers in the shape of All Black James Parsons and the well traveled Quentin MacDonald meant game time was rare for Moulds who had to take the role of third choice for the Blues. He did get on the field twice during the season, with both appearances coming from the bench.
Moulds was again named in the Blues squad for 2017 where he would compete with Parsons and {{rut|Waikato}} newcomer Hame Faiva for the number 2 shirt.
On 25 April 2019, Moulds moved to England to join Gallagher Premiership side Worcester Warriors.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/48051336|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Matt Moulds: Hooker to join Worcester next season from New Zealand side Blues|date=25 April 2019|access-date=28 August 2019}}
On 27 September 2021, Moulds was released by Worcester as he signed for local rivals Gloucester on a short term deal.{{cite news|url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/sport/19608213.gloucester-rugby-sign-former-worcester-warrior-matt-moulds/|publisher=Worcester News|title=Gloucester Rugby sign former Worcester Warrior Matt Moulds|date=27 September 2021|access-date=28 September 2021}}
On 16 January 2022, after he left Gloucester, Moulds traveled to the US as he signed for the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby (MLR).{{cite news|url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2022/01/14/legion-lands-premiership-hooker-matt-moulds/|publisher=Americas Rugby News|title=Legion lands Premiership hooker Matt Moulds|date=16 January 2022|access-date=16 January 2022}}
On March 21, 2025, Moulds was a late inclusion in Round 6 of the 2025 Super Rugby season for the Crusaders. On March 22, 2025, he made his debut for the club against his former team, the Blues, in Auckland.{{cite web | url=https://super.rugby/superrugby/match-centre/?competition=205&season=2025&match=945291 | title=Match Centre - Super Rugby - Blues vs. Crusaders | work=SANZAAR | date=22 March 2025 | access-date=22 March 2025}}
International career
Moulds was a member of the New Zealand sevens wider training squad in early 2014 and was part of the side which competed in the Wellington Sevens in February 2014.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503448&objectid=11196458 | title=Matt Moulds on cusp of NZ selection | work=The New Zealand Herald| date = 4 February 2014 | access-date=9 December 2014}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Crusaders squad}}
{{Northland NPC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moulds, Matt}}
Category:New Zealand rugby union players
Category:Northland rugby union players
Category:Blues (Super Rugby) players
Category:Worcester Warriors players
Category:Male rugby sevens players
Category:New Zealand international rugby sevens players
Category:New Zealand male rugby sevens players
Category:Gloucester Rugby players
Category:San Diego Legion players
Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England
Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in the United States
Category:Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars players