Honey Hireme

Arneta Honey Hireme-Smiler MNZM (born 3 May 1981) is a New Zealand rugby football player who has represented her country in rugby league, rugby sevens and rugby union. Due to her multi-sport career, Hireme-Smiler has been referred to as Honey Bill Williams, in reference to her New Zealand male counterpart Sonny Bill Williams.[1][2]

Honey Hireme-Smiler
MNZM
Hireme in 2021
Date of birth (1981-05-03) 3 May 1981
Height1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Weight82 kg (12 st 13 lb)
Rugby league career
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008-present New Zealand 0 (0)
Rugby union career
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018 St George Illawarra 3 (4)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
Waikato ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014-present New Zealand 18 (75)
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2013 New Zealand -

Playing career

From Putaruru, South Waikato, Hireme-Smiler played rugby league for Putaruru Dragons from 5 years old and then onto the senior women's grades playing for the Papakura Sea Eagles club in the Auckland Rugby League women's competition. She has represented Counties Manukau, Bay of plenty, Waikato and Waicoa Bay in the New Zealand Rugby League's women's competition over her 20 year career at representative level.[3]

In rugby union, she plays and coaches melville women's Premier rugby team and represents Waikato in the women's provincial championship.[3][4]

Hireme-Smiler has played in four Rugby League world cups, she played for the Kiwiferns in the 2003 Women's world cup 2008 and 2013 World Cups.[3] She captained the team in 2013.[5] She was named in the world women's rugby league in all 4 world cup tournaments, and also awarded player of the Tournament in 2013. Honey played in the 2017 Rugby League world cup representing the kiwiferns finishing the tournament as the highest try scorer and finalist for player of the tournament.

Hireme-Smiler has played for the New Zealand women's national rugby sevens team in the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup in Moscow.[5] She has also played for New Zealand on the IRB Women's Sevens World Series and represented New Zealand Maori in sevens.[6][7]

She made her New Zealand rugby union debut at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup, where she was named to the World Cup Dream Team[8] and the World XV team.[5] In 2014, she also became one of New Zealand's first contracted sevens players.[5]

She competed in the Women's Rugby Super Series 2013-2016.

In June 2018, Hireme-Smiler joined the St George Illawarra Dragons women's team ahead of the inaugural NRL Women's Premiership commencing in September 2018.[9] Honey is the current Captain for the NZ women's rugby league team, co-captaining with Laura Mariu, between the pair they have over 36 years of experience at international level. Honey was awarded NZ women's rugby league player of the year in 2018 her third time winning top honours. Honey was also a finalist in 2018 for the International Women's Golden boot award

Honours and awards

She was:

  • the New Zealand Rugby League's women's player of the year in 2007, 2012 and 2017.[3]
  • Gallagher Waikato sportswomen of the year in 2013 and 2014
  • Player of the Tournament in the 2013 Women's Rugby league World Cup
  • Waikato women's rugby player of the year in 2013,2014,2015 and 2016
  • Top try scorer and player of the tournament finalist for the 2017 Rugby league World Cup.

In the 2020 New Year Honours, Hireme was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby league.[10]

References
  1. Michael Burgess (30 April 2013). "League: 'Honey Bill' eyes another World Cup". Herald on Sunday. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  2. CALEY WILSON (9 November 2014). "'Honey Bill' has resume to put Sonny to shame". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  3. Goile, Aaron (14 November 2012). "'Honey Bill Williams' is the centre of attention" – via Stuff.co.nz.
  4. "Honey Hireme - allblacks.com".
  5. Wilson, Caley (9 November 2014). "'Honey Bill' has resume to put Sonny to shame" – via Stuff.co.nz.
  6. "'Honey Bill Williams' stars in rugby and league". 28 April 2013 – via New Zealand Herald.
  7. "Honey Hireme: A force to be reckoned with - Fitness Journal". 9 November 2015.
  8. "Womens RWC - #WRWC2014 Dream Team revealed after fan vote". 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  9. "Marquee quartet further boosts Dragons' Women's Premiership squad". Dragons.com.au. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  10. "New Year honours list 2020". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
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