Mererangi Paul

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.

Mererangi Paul
Date of birth (1998-10-29) 29 October 1998
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  New Zealand 1 (10)

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. Macfarlane, Kristin (2018-11-25). "Bay pair selected as rising stars of sevens". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  2. "SEVENS STAR MERERANGI PAUL COMMITS TO TOUCH WORLD CUP". www.touchnz.co.nz. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  3. "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa Squad Announced". Chiefs. 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  4. "Teams selected for 2020 Red Bull Ignite7". allblacks.com. 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  5. "7 Auckland Rugby players named for the Womens Red Bull Ignite7". www.aucklandrugby.co.nz. 2020. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  6. Perry, James (2023-04-17). "Reward for Aupiki standouts as Black Ferns contracts revealed". Māori Television. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  7. "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa side named to face Hurricanes Poua". Chiefs. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  8. "Chiefs Manawa resist Blues comeback attempts for Aupiki win". 1 News. 2023-03-04. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  9. Burnes, Campbell (2023-03-04). "Chiefs Manawa take 12-Try Bonanza". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  10. Pearson, Joseph (2023-03-11). "Chiefs Manawa secure top spot in Super Rugby Aupiki with another win over Matatū". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  11. Burnes, Campbell (2023-03-11). "Chiefs Manawa top qualifiers into Super Rugby Aupiki Semis". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  12. Burnes, Campbell (2023-03-19). "Manawa to face Matatū in Aupiki Final". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  13. Burnes, Campbell (2023-03-26). "Matatū Take Aupiki Title in Dramatic Finale". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  14. "2023 Black Ferns contracts confirmed". NZ Rugby. 2023-04-17. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  15. "Black Ferns announce contracts for 34 players including six Super Rugby Aupiki standouts". www.rugbypass.com. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  16. "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  17. "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  18. "PREVIEW: Black Ferns v Wallaroos (Brisbane)". allblacks.com. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  19. Burnes, Campbell (2023-06-30). "Black Ferns run rampant in Redcliffe". allblacks.com. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  20. "Black Ferns fly past Canada in front of record crowd in Ottawa". Americas Rugby News. 2023-07-09. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  21. Burnes, Campbell (2023-07-09). "Black Ferns secure WXV1 qualification with Ottawa victory". allblacks.com. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
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