Under 18 girls’ high performance pathways group announced

NZRUJune 26, 2025
Under 18 girls’ high performance pathways group announced
New Zealand Rugby has announced 50 U18 girls’ players from across New Zealand to attend a high-performance pathway programme at St Peter’s School Cambridge from 7-12 July.
The group has been split into two squads that will contest an inaugural Under 18 girls’ North v South match to be played on Friday 11 July at the culmination of the six-day programme, which was announced by New Zealand Rugby in May this year.
Read more about the Under 18 girls’ programme here Under 18 girls' North v South match and high performance camp announced
The North squad was selected from girls playing their rugby at a school or club within or north of the Provincial Union boundaries of East Coast, Bay of Plenty, King Country and Taranaki. The South squad was selected from girls playing at a school or club within or south of the Provincial Union (PU) boundaries of Whanganui, Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay.
The 2025 Team North and Team South selections are as follows:
Team North
Hookers
Nora Caffery (Saint Kentigern College & Manurewa Rugby Club)
Milise Tau (Patumahoe Rugby Club)
Magnolia Ash-Faulalo (Auckland Girls’ Grammar)
Props
Amber Mundell (Hamilton Girls’ High School)
Hadassah Timo (Christchurch Girls' High School & Christchurch Football Club)
Fou Sefo (Patumahoe Rugby Club)
Julia Tatupu (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
Locks
Charly Tangiau-Misipeka (One Tree Hill College & Eden Rugby Club)
Truce Wiperi (Patumahoe Rugby Club)
Abi Isaia (St Mary’s College & Oriental Rongotai Rugby Club)
Loose Forwards
Terangi Kureta (Hamilton Girls’ High School)
Mihi Kerr (Hamilton Girls’ High School)
Mari-Lyn Connelly (Westlake Girls’ High & Northcote)
Amarante Sititi (Auckland Girls’ Grammar)
Halfback
Ffion Penney (Howick College)
Aleiyah Tuala (Auckland Girls’ Grammar & College Rifles)
First-five
Rosie Moffitt (Sacred Heart Girls’ College, New Plymouth)
Ella Henderson (Carmel College & Silverdale)
Midfield
Asha Taumoepeau Williams (Howick College)
Levonah Motuliki (Howick College & Marist)
Ellie Harrison (Orewa College & Silverdale)
Wings
Faith Tavita (Auckland Girls’ Grammar & College Rifles)
Hayley Coogan (Sacred Heart Girls’ College, New Plymouth)
Te Pumanawa o Toku Ate Rogers (Ngongotaha Rugby Club)
Fullbacks
Libby Kierans (Hamilton Girls’ High School)
Unavailable due to injury: Acacia Moe (Auckland Girls’ Grammar)
Management group:
Coaches: Vita Dryden & Kristina Sue
Manager: Kylee Richardson
Strength & Conditioning: Chantal MacDonald
Physio: Courtney Wilson
Team South
Hookers
Sophie Pemberton (Waimea College & Waimea Rugby Club)
Laila Severinsen (Palmerston North Old Boys Marist)
Ava-lea Maxwell (New Brighton Rugby Club)
Props
Faith Schwenke (Sacred Heart College Wellington & Petone Rugby Football Club)
Perez Lene (Christchurch Rugby Club)
Molly Hansen (Columba College & Otago University Rugby Football Club)
Eva-Rose Dean (Manukura & Kia Toa Rugby Club)
Locks
Leila Hill (Big River Country)
Olivia Gill (Central Southland College & Star Rugby Club)
Kingston Taiapa (Manukura & Freyberg Old Boys Rugby Club)
Loose Forwards
Hannah Cadzow (Palmerston North Girls’ High School)
Te Waikaukau Mathieson-Julian (Freyberg Old Boys Rugby Club)
Allura Holt (Napier Girls’ High School)
Te Maia Sweetman (Manukura)
Halfback
Briar Hales (Napier Girls’ High School)
Baylee Meroiti (Tawa College & Northern United Women’s)
First fives
Madison Flutey (Columba College & Otago University Rugby Football Club)
Poppy Baxter (High School Old Boys Women’s & Christchurch Girls’ High School)
Midfield
Metua Cranwell (Christchurch Rugby Club)
Zaria Murray (Alhambra-Union RFC)
Sienna Wright (Craighead Diocesan School)
Wings
Maleta Pailate (Hastings Girls’ High School & MAC)
Amaleila Tiatia (Linwood Rugby Club)
Emerald Tuhiwai-Polson (St Mary's College, Petone Rugby Club)
Fullback
Kaylani Anaha (Manukura & Freyberg Old Boys Rugby Club)
Unavailable due to injury: Dormay Laufiso (University of Canterbury)
Team Management:
Coaches: Jason Kjestrup & Angie Sisifa
Manager: Hannah Shalders
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Sophie Glass
Physio: Kimberley Pilbrow