Pia Tapsell

Last updated

Pia Tapsell
Born (1998-08-02) 2 August 1998 (age 27)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loose forward
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2016–2020 North Harbour 24 (50)
2020–2022 Bay of Plenty Volcanix 11 (10)
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2021–2022 Chiefs Manawa 4 (0)
2025 Western Force (0)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2019–2020Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 6 (5)
Rugby league career
Playing information
Position Prop, Lock
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2024–25 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 00000
2025– St. George Illawarra Dragons 00000
Total00000
As of 28 September 2025

Pia Tapsell (born 2 August 1998) is a New Zealand former rugby union & current rugby league player. She played as a Loose forward for the Black Ferns and for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition. She played for the Western Force Women in the Super Rugby Women's competition.

Contents

Background

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.

Rugby career

Tapsell made her test debut for New Zealand against Canada at the 2019 Women's Rugby Super Series on 28 June at San Diego. [1] [2] She started in all of the Black Ferns six test matches of 2019. [1] She later appeared for the New Zealand Development XV in Fiji for the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. [3]

She played for the Possibles in a Black Ferns trial match in 2020 [4] [5] and then featured for the Black Ferns against the New Zealand Barbarians. [6] She previously played for North Harbour before representing Bay of Plenty at the 2020 Farah Palmer Cup.

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. [7] [8] Later that year she signed a contract with the Chiefs for the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki. [9] [10]

Tapsell was ruled out for the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season due to an ACL injury. [11] [12] In 2025, she joined the Western Force Women in the Super Rugby Women's competition. [13] [14]

Rugby league

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Women

On 6 February 2024 it was reported that she had signed for Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRLW [15]

St. George Illawarra Dragons Women

In July 2025 it was reported that she had made her debut for St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRLW [16]

References

  1. 1 2 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.
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. ↑ "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.
  4. ↑ "Possibles v Probables named for Black Ferns trial match". The New Zealand Herald . 4 November 2020. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "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.
  6. ↑ "Black Ferns and NZ Barbarians teams named for Nelson game". www.aucklandrugby.co.nz. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. ↑ "Waitomo Chiefs Manawa 2022 Squad". Chiefs. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Chiefs Manawa sign up four players for 2023 Aupiki season". The New Zealand Herald . 16 January 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "League and Sevens Stars Sign with Waitomo Chiefs Manawa". Chiefs. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  13. ↑ Williamson, Nathan (29 January 2025). "Super Rugby Women's squads confirmed for 2025 season". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  14. ↑ Somerford, Ben (29 January 2025). "Two additions as Force completes squad for 2025 Super W season". westernforce.rugby. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "Ex-Black Fern Pia Tapsell joins the Sharks". Sharks Media. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  16. ↑ Joel Beatton (9 July 2025). "Tapsell hungry for more after debut victory". St George Illawarra Dragons. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
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