 Kennedy Simon in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Kennedy Wailer Simon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 1 October 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Kennedy Wailer Tukuafu MNZM (née Simon; born 1 October 1996) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She is a loose forward and plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Waikato provincially.
Simon made her provincial debut for Waikato in 2013 against Otago Spirit. She made her test debut for the New Zealand women's national side, the Black Ferns, against the United States in 2019. [1] [2]
In 2020, she was awarded the international and Farah Palmer Cup player of the year by the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association at the New Zealand Rugby awards. [3] [4]
Simon was part of the inaugural Chiefs Manawa side that played in the first women's Super Rugby match in New Zealand at Eden Park in 2021. [5]
Simon was named in the Black Ferns squad for the August test series against the Wallaroos for the 2022 Laurie O'Reilly Cup. [6] [7] She made the Black Ferns 32-player squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup. [8] [9]
In 2023, She was selected as co-captain of the Black Ferns squad, with Ruahei Demant, for the Pacific Four Series and O’Reilly Cup. [10] [11] In July, she started in her sides 21–52 victory over Canada at the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa. [12] [13]
In the 2023 King's Birthday and Coronation Honours, Simon was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby. [14]
Chelsea Semple is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was part of the Black Ferns side that won their fifth Rugby World Cup title in 2017. She plays for the Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Hazel Tubic is a New Zealand–based rugby union player. She represents New Zealand internationally and was a member of their 2017 and 2021 Rugby World Cup champion sides. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Krystal Murray is a dual code international rugby player for New Zealand. She competed for the Kiwi Ferns at the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup in Australia. She then made her test debut for the Black Ferns in 2021, she was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Hurricanes Poua in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Northland provincially.
Tenika Willison is a New Zealand rugby sevens and rugby league player. She is currently contracted to the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership. She previously played for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. She also plays for the Black Ferns sevens internationally and won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Kendra Reynolds is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays Flanker for New Zealand and was a member of their champion 2021 Rugby World Cup squad. She also plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Maiakawanakaulani Roos is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays as a Lock for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Auckland provincially.
Devon Ruahei Demant is a New Zealand rugby union player. She made her debut for the New Zealand national women's team, the Black Ferns, against Australia in 2018. A utility back, Demant plays as a first five-eighth, second five-eighth or centre. She was named 2022 World Rugby player of the year.
Amy Rule is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Canterbury provincially.
Phillipa Love is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Canterbury provincially.
Renee Holmes is a New Zealand rugby union player. She played for Matatū in the 2022 and 2023 seasons of the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and in 2024 for Chiefs Manawa. She plays provincial rugby for Waikato. She plays International rugby for the Black Ferns and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad.
Georgia Ponsonby is a New Zealand rugby union player. She represents New Zealand internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Canterbury provincially.
Alana Bremner is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Canterbury provincially. She also represents New Zealand internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad.
Chelsea Bremner is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She previously played for Matatū in 2022, but now plays for the Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. She represents Canterbury at a provincial level.
Grace Steinmetz is a New Zealand rugby union player. She made her test debut for the Black Ferns in 2022. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition, she previously played for Matatū. She also represents Canterbury provincially.
Tanya Kalounivale is a Fijian-born New Zealand rugby union player. She plays at tighthead prop for Waikato and Manurewa Women’s Rugby Club. She was part of the Black Ferns champion 2021 Rugby World Cup squad. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Ariana Bayler is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Black Ferns internationally and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Waikato provincially.
Luka Connor is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was part of the Black Ferns 2021 Rugby World Cup squad that won their sixth title. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition; she also plays for the Bay of Plenty Volcanix in the Farah Palmer Cup and club rugby for Rangataua.
Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu is a New Zealand rugby union player. She was part of the Black Ferns team that won the 2021 Rugby World Cup. She also plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Tafito Lafaele is a New Zealand rugby union player. She made her Black Ferns test debut in 2022. She plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Auckland provincially.
Awhina Tangen-Wainohu is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for New Zealand at international level and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She also plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Waikato provincially.
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