Mererangi Paul

Mererangi Paul
Date of birth (1998-10-29) 29 October 1998 (age 26)
Height1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Notable relative(s)Mahina Paul (sister)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020–2021 Bay of Plenty 10 (17)
2022– Counties Manukau (0)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023 Chiefs Manawa 5 (30)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023–Present  New Zealand 8 (65)

Mererangi Paul (born 29 October 1998) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Counties Manukau in the Farah Palmer Cup.

Early career

Netball & Touch rugby

Paul played for the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Premiership, she debuted for them in the 2017 ANZ Premiership season.[1][2][3] She also competed for the New Zealand Women's Open squad for the 2019 Touch Football World Cup in Malaysia.[2]

Rugby sevens

Paul played her first sevens game for Rotoiti three weeks prior to Auckland's Red Bull Ignite7 competition in 2018.[1] She was named as one of the top three women during the tournament and earned a spot at the Black Ferns Sevens National Development Camp for 2019.[1]

Paul also competed for the Surge Women's team in the 2020 Red Bull Ignite7's tournament in December.[4][5] She played Fly-half for Counties Manukau in the Farah Palmer Cup and has also represented Bay of Plenty in sevens.[3][6]

Rugby career

Paul joined Chiefs Manawa in 2022 as part of their wider training squad before making her first start for the side during the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season.[3] She started on the wing in her debut for the Chiefs against Hurricanes Poua in the opening match of the season.[7] She later scored a hat-trick in her sides win over the Blues in round two of the competition.[8][9] In the third and final round, an error from Matatū helped Paul score her team's first points.[10][11] She scored in the Chiefs semi-final win against Hurricanes Poua, and also featured in their loss to Matatū in the final.[12][13]

Paul was one of 34-players who received Black Ferns contracts on 17 April 2023.[14][15] In June, she was named in the Black Ferns 30-player squad to compete in the Pacific Four Series and O’Reilly Cup.[16][17] She scored two tries on her debut against Australia on 29 June 2023 at Brisbane.[18][19] At the Pacific Four Series in July, she scored two tries in her sides 21–52 victory over Canada in Ottawa.[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Macfarlane, Kristin (25 November 2018). "Bay pair selected as rising stars of sevens". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b "SEVENS STAR MERERANGI PAUL COMMITS TO TOUCH WORLD CUP". www.touchnz.co.nz. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa Squad Announced". Chiefs. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Teams selected for 2020 Red Bull Ignite7". allblacks.com. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  5. ^ "7 Auckland Rugby players named for the Womens Red Bull Ignite7". www.aucklandrugby.co.nz. 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  6. ^ Perry, James (17 April 2023). "Reward for Aupiki standouts as Black Ferns contracts revealed". Māori Television. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa side named to face Hurricanes Poua". Chiefs. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Chiefs Manawa resist Blues comeback attempts for Aupiki win". 1 News. 4 March 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  9. ^ Burnes, Campbell (4 March 2023). "Chiefs Manawa take 12-Try Bonanza". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  10. ^ Pearson, Joseph (11 March 2023). "Chiefs Manawa secure top spot in Super Rugby Aupiki with another win over Matatū". Stuff. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  11. ^ Burnes, Campbell (11 March 2023). "Chiefs Manawa top qualifiers into Super Rugby Aupiki Semis". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  12. ^ Burnes, Campbell (19 March 2023). "Manawa to face Matatū in Aupiki Final". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  13. ^ Burnes, Campbell (26 March 2023). "Matatū Take Aupiki Title in Dramatic Finale". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  14. ^ "2023 Black Ferns contracts confirmed". NZ Rugby. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Black Ferns announce contracts for 34 players including six Super Rugby Aupiki standouts". www.rugbypass.com. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  16. ^ "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  18. ^ "PREVIEW: Black Ferns v Wallaroos (Brisbane)". allblacks.com. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  19. ^ Burnes, Campbell (30 June 2023). "Black Ferns run rampant in Redcliffe". allblacks.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Black Ferns fly past Canada in front of record crowd in Ottawa". Americas Rugby News. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  21. ^ Burnes, Campbell (9 July 2023). "Black Ferns secure WXV1 qualification with Ottawa victory". allblacks.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.