New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has announced the 50 players selected for the New Zealand U18s Girls’ Pathways Squad camp in Hamilton from 5-10 July.
The group will assemble for a six-day high-performance campaign leading into the second edition of the North v South U18 fixture at St Peter’s school in Cambridge with the match to be livestreamed from midday on 9 July.
NZR Women’s High Performance Pathways Manager Kendra Cocksedge said the inaugural camp in 2025 had already accelerated the development of young women’s players and elevated them to higher honours.
“The pathways opportunities for women and girls continue to increase and evolve and we’ve seen six players from last year’s squads kick on to earn professional contracts in Super Rugby Aupiki, which is an amazing result.
“The camp is about growing the girls as people and players. We want to give them the skills they need to progress their careers and an understanding of what it takes to go to the next level on and off the field.
“The match itself is their opportunity to put what they’ve learned into play and also gives us an opportunity to see the players in a competitive match day situation.”
Six players from last year’s U18 pathways camp were contracted to by Super Rugby Aupiki clubs for the 2026 – Amber Mundell and Levonah Motuliki with the Chiefs Manawa, Amarante Sititi, Ffion Penney, and Ella Henderson with the nib Blues and Poppy Baxter with Matatū.
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, including the Auckland and Northland regions. 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, including all of the South Island.
South Island
Props
Perez Lene, Canterbury / Christchurch Football Club
Lydiah Muyengwa-Cotton / Manawatū, Feilding High School
Kathlynn Magele, Hawke’s Bay / Napier Technical Old Boys Rugby Club
Maddy Judd, Canterbury / Christchurch Girls’ High School
Hookers
Ava-lea Maxwell, Canterbury / New Brighton Rugby Club
Sophie Pemberton, Tasman / Waimea Rugby Club
Locks
Emily Dale, Otago / Otago Girls’ High School
Neve Black, Canterbury / Lincoln University
Elley-May Taylor, Manawatū / MANUKURA
Loose Forwards
Alice Geary, Canterbury / Christchurch Girls’ High School
Fono Bason, Wellington / St Mary’s College Wellington
Hannah Taimalelagi, Canterbury / St Andrew’s College
Te Waikaukau Mathieson-Julian, Otago / University of Otago
Navaeh Harris, Manawatū / MANUKURA
Halfbacks
Malina Millar , Manawatū / MANUKURA
Mika Lene, Canterbury / Christchurch Girls’ High School
First fives
Rosie Moffatt, Canterbury / Lincoln University
Poppy Baxter, Canterbury / High School Old Boys’ RFC
Midfield
Kaylani Anaha, Manawatū / MANUKURA
Sahara Mason, Otago / Dunedin Rugby Club
Metua Cranwell, Canterbury / St Andrew’s College, Christchurch
Outside backs
Tayla Richards, Tasman / Kahurangi Rugby Club
Taylah Seng, Manawatū / MANUKURA
Keighley-Rein Araia, Manawatū / MANUKURA
Payten Peka, Manawatū / Kia Toa RFC
Management
Head Coach: Bryce Grant
Assistant Coach: Vita Dryden
Manager: Georgia Bewley
Physio: Melissa Simpson
Strength & Conditioning: Sophie Glass
Analyst: Lani Herewini
North Squad
Props
Jayden Tango, Northland / Kaikohe Rugby Club
Jaden Lauvale, Auckland / Waitakere College
Petrina Williams, Counties-Manukau / Rosehill College
Georgia Ross, Northland / Hikurangi RFC
Hookers
Jess Hayward, Waikato / Hamilton Girls’ High School
Gennezareth Saipele, Auckland / One Tree Hill College
Locks
Lottie Collis, North Harbour / Mahurangi College
Amber Perry, Thames Valley / Hauraki Plains College
Mari-Lyn Connelly, North Harbour / Westlake Girls’ High School
Loose Forwards
Terangi Kureta, Waikato / Hamilton Old Boys’
Telisa Ongoloka, Auckland / Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Gina-Ann Smith, Northland / Old Boys Marist-Moerewa
Keana Farani, Auckland / Howick College
Ashlee Marra, Waikato / Hamilton Girls’ High School
Halfbacks
Emacyn Ieremia, Auckland / Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Danika Irihei, Bay of Plenty / Ngongotaha Rugby Club
First-fives
Kaydence Benjamin, Waikato / Hamilton Girls’ High School
Taylor Kingi, Bay of Plenty, Te Puke High School
Midfield
Dellis Tuitupou, Auckland / Epson Girls’ Grammar School
Kaiarihi Puku, Bay of Plenty / Rotorua Girls’ High School
Mikaya Tonga, Auckland / Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Outside backs
Koiatarau Edwards, Waikato / Hamilton Girls’ High School
Hadley Deed, North Harbour / Westlake Girls’ High School
Braxton Brown, Auckland / Mt Albert Grammar School
Libby Kearins-Te Whare, Waikato / Hamilton Girls’ High School
Management
Head Coach: Angie Sisfa
Assistant Coach: Brendan Clark
Manager: Kaitlin Russell
Physio: Kimberley Pilbrow
Strength & Conditioning: Rebecca Ailles
Analyst: Maddie Wainwright
With thanks to New Zealand Rugby
