Kennedy Tukuafu

For the American athlete, see Kennedy Simon (sprinter).

Kennedy Tukuafu

MNZM

Kennedy Tukuafu in 2022
Full name	Kennedy Wailer Simon
Date of birth	(1996-10-01) 1 October 1996 (age 28)
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	80 kg (176 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2013–2023 Waikato 37 (35) Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2021–Present Chiefs Manawa 16 (35) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2019–Present New Zealand 27 (20)
Medal record Women's rugby union Representing   New Zealand Rugby World Cup 2021 New Zealand Team competition

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.

Rugby career

Tukuafu 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]}

2020–22

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]}

Tukuafu 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]

She 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]}

2023

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]}

Honours and awards

In the 2023 King's Birthday and Coronation Honours, Tukuafu was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby. ^[14]

References

1. "Eagles, Black Ferns Set To Face Off In Super Series – FloRugby". www.florugby.com. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
2. "Black Ferns to play USA in Super Series named". RUGBY HEARTLAND. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
3. "Black Ferns flanker Kennedy Simon does the double at rugby players' annual awards". Fiji Times. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
4. "Black Ferns flanker Kennedy Simon does the double at rugby players' annual awards". Stuff . 21 December 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
5. "Women's Super Rugby Preview: Blues v Chiefs (2021)". superrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
6. "Black Ferns named for O'Reilly Cup Test series". allblacks.com. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
7. Brown, Roger (15 August 2022). "2022 Laurie O'Reilly Cup Black Ferns Vs Wallaroos " When Does It Start, Live Streams And Schedule"". thedailyrugby.com. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
8. "Black Ferns squad locked in for Rugby World Cup". allblacks.com. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
9. "Black Ferns Rugby World Cup squad named". RNZ . 13 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
10. "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
11. "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
12. "Black Ferns fly past Canada in front of record crowd in Ottawa". Americas Rugby News. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
13. Burnes, Campbell (9 July 2023). "Black Ferns secure WXV1 qualification with Ottawa victory". allblacks.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
14. "The King's Birthday and Coronation honours list 2023". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

External links

• Kennedy Tukuafu (née Simon) at the Black Ferns ( archive )
• Chiefs Profile