Dhys Faleafaga (born 17 October 2000) is a New Zealand rugby union and sevens player. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Wellington provincially. She has played for the Black Ferns and the Black Ferns Sevens internationally.
| Date of birth | 17 October 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 87 kg (192 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal life
editFaleafaga attended St Mary's College and played for their First XV. They won the National First XV and Sevens titles in 2016 and 2017.[1] Her mother, Vanessa was a flanker who represented Samoa at the 2002 and 2006 Women's Rugby World Cups. She also played netball for the Central Pulse. Her older sister, Lyric Faleafaga, was previously a member of the Black Ferns Sevens squad.[2]
Rugby career
edit2017–2018
editFaleafaga made her debut for the Wellington Pride in 2017.[1] In 2018, she was one of 28 female rugby players to be the first-ever 15s players to be offered Black Ferns contracts by New Zealand Rugby.[3][2]
2019
editFaleafaga was contracted by the Black Ferns Sevens squad as an injury replacement in 2019.[4] She made her rugby sevens debut for New Zealand at the 2019 Japan Women's Sevens in Kitakyushu.[5]
2021–2023
editIn 2021, she was named in the Black Ferns squad for the end of year tour of England and France.[6][7][8] She later made her Black Ferns debut against England on 31 October 2021 in Exeter.[9][10][11]
The Hurricanes named her in their squad for the historic Super Rugby Aupiki competition.[12] She signed with Chiefs Manawa for the competitions second season.[13][14]
2024
editAfter taking a break from rugby to give birth to twin sons, Faleafaga was in February 2024 named in the Black Fern Sevens squad for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.[15]
References
edit- ^ a b Pearson, Joseph (24 September 2021). "Farah Palmer Cup: Once scared about playing rugby, Black Fern Dhys Faleafaga marches on". Stuff. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ a b Wells, Kate (18 September 2018). "Schoolgirl Dhys Faleafaga has big dreams - and a Black Ferns contract". Stuff. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Black Ferns contracted squad named in historic announcement". allblacks.com. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Wellington teen Dhys Faleafaga goes on Black Ferns Sevens contract". Stuff. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Black Ferns Sevens debut for teenager". RNZ. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ Voerman, Andrew (6 September 2021). "Olympic gold medallists on board as Black Ferns squad named for end-of-year tour". Stuff. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "34-player Black Ferns squad named for Test series". allblacks.com. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Black Ferns name youthful squad for European tour". 1 News. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Tears flow as Black Ferns name youthful squad for historic test". NZ Herald. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Tears as Black Ferns name nine debutants for England Test". 1 News. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ Ekin, Kim (30 October 2021). "Black Ferns name nine debutants for long-awaited 100th test". www.rugbypass.com. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Hurricanes Women's Squad Named in Historic Announcement". Hurricanes. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Loosie Dhys Faleafaga also signs from Hurricanes". NZ Herald. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- ^ "Dhys Faleafaga signed for 2023". Chiefs. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- ^ "17-year-old among new faces in Sevens squads ahead of Olympics". 1 News. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.