Pia Tapsell

Pia Tapsell
Date of birth (1998-08-02) 2 August 1998 (age 26)
Place of birthMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight86 kg (190 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021– Chiefs Manawa 1 (0)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2020 North Harbour 24 (50)
2020–Present Bay of Plenty Volcanix 5 (5)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–  New Zealand 6 (5)

Pia Tapsell (born 2 August 1998) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She played as a Loose forward for the Black Ferns and plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.

Background

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Tapsell was born in Melbourne, Australia due to her parents being posted there by the Royal New Zealand Navy, but was raised in New Zealand as Ngāti Whakauae and Te Arawa iwi.[1]

Rugby career

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2019

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Tapsell made her test debut for New Zealand against Canada at the 2019 Women's Rugby Super Series on 28 June at San Diego.[2][3] She started in all of the Black Ferns six test matches of 2019.[2] She later appeared for the New Zealand Development XV in Fiji for the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship.[4]

2020

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Tapsell played for the Possibles in a Black Ferns trial match in 2020[5][6] and then featured for the Black Ferns against the New Zealand Barbarians.[7] She previously played for North Harbour before representing Bay of Plenty at the 2020 Farah Palmer Cup.

2021

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In 2021 she was named in the Chiefs squad for their historic clash with the Blues. It was the first-ever women's Super Rugby match to be played in New Zealand.[8][9] Later that year she signed a contract with the Chiefs for the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki.[10][11]

2023

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Tapsell was ruled out for the Super Rugby Aupiki season due to an ACL injury.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ Ex-Black Fern Pia Tapsell joins the Sharks by Sharks Media 6 February 2024
  2. ^ a b Voerman, Andrew (4 September 2020). "Black Fern Pia Tapsell excited to take the field as Farah Palmer Cup begins". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  3. ^ "North Harbour's top try-scorer Pia Tapsell to debut for Black Ferns". Stuff. 27 June 2019. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Black Ferns Development XV named for Oceania Championship". allblacks.com. 22 October 2019. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Possibles v Probables named for Black Ferns trial match". NZ Herald. 4 November 2020. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Possibles v Probables named for Black Ferns trial match". allblacks.com. 4 November 2020. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Black Ferns and NZ Barbarians teams named for Nelson game". www.aucklandrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Chiefs women's side named for historic Super Rugby match". NZ Sports Wire. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Women's Super Rugby Preview: Blues v Chiefs (2021)". superrugby.co.nz. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Milestone for women's rugby with naming of Super Rugby Aupiki squads". RNZ. 4 November 2021. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa 2022 Squad". Chiefs. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Chiefs Manawa sign up four players for 2023 Aupiki season". NZ Herald. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  13. ^ "League and Sevens Stars Sign with Waitomo Chiefs Manawa". Chiefs. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
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