Grace Gago

Grace Gago (born 5 May 1998) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Blues in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Counties Manukau in the Farah Palmer Cup.

Grace Gago
Date of birth (1998-05-05) 5 May 1998
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017–Present Counties Manukau 26 (35)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023– Blues 5 (10)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023  New Zealand 1 (0)

Early career

Gago was attending Manurewa High School when she was named Counties Manukau Rugby's under-18 girls' Player of the Year at the Junior Rugby Awards that was held in Pukekohe in 2016.[1] Besides playing for the Counties Manukau under-18s team, she also played for the Manurewa Wahine rugby league team and the Samoan under-18 tag team.[1] She also represented her school in touch and was also part of their football and first XVs team.[1]

Rugby career

In 2022, At the Counties Manukau Rugby awards Gago won the Players’ Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, and MVP of the Year awards.[2] She made her Super Rugby Aupiki debut for the Blues in 2023 in their first round loss to Matatū, despite scoring her sides first try, they narrowly lost 31–33.[3][4]

Gago was named among 34 contracted players for the Black Ferns in 2023 as they build toward the 2025 Rugby World Cup, it is her first fulltime contract.[5][6] She was named in the Black Ferns 30-player squad in June to compete in the Pacific Four Series and O’Reilly Cup.[7][8] She started in her international debut against the United States on 14 July 2023, at Ottawa.[9][10]

References
  1. Apted, Alan (19 October 2016). "Sport: Grace Gago named best female rugby prospect in Counties Manukau". Stuff. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. "Gago shines bright on red carpet at season awards". Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. "New players get Black Ferns contracts with 2025 the target". NZ Sports Wire. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. Wall, Jamie (25 February 2023). "Matatū pip Blues Women in outstanding performance". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. "Black Ferns contracts revealed". RNZ. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. "Black Ferns contracts announced for 2023". allblacks.com. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  8. "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  9. "PREVIEW: Black Ferns v USA (Ottawa)". allblacks.com. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  10. "Live updates: Pacific Four - Black Ferns v USA at Ottawa's TD Place Stadium". Newshub. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
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