Player Crystal Tamarua

[mt.wellington]

Crystal Tamarua

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Crystal Tamarua (born 30 July 1995) is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL Women's Premiership and Burleigh Bears in the QRL Women's Premiership.

She is a New Zealand and Cook Islands representative.

Born in Auckland, Tamarua played her junior rugby league for the Bay Roskill Vikings. Her sister, Rochelle, is a NZRL referee.

On 6 May 2017, while playing for the Richmond Roses, Tamarua made her Test debut for New Zealand, starting at second-row in a 4–16 loss to Australia.

In November 2017, Tamarua represented the Cook Islands at the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup.

On 1 August 2018, Tamarua joined the New Zealand Warriors NRL Women's Premiership team. In Round 2 of the 2018 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Warriors, starting at prop in a 10–22 loss to the St. George Illawarra Dragons.

In October 2019, she was a member of New Zealand's 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s-winning squad.

In September 2020, Tamarua was one of five New Zealand-based Warriors' players to travel to Australia to play in the 2020 NRL Women's premiership. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the players had to quarantine for 14 days on entering Australia and 14 days on return to New Zealand when the season was completed.

On 20 February 2021, she represented the Māori All Stars in their 24–0 win over the Indigenous All Stars. She joined the Burleigh Bears QRL Women's Premiership team for the 2021 season.

In October 2022 she was selected for the New Zealand squad at the delayed 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup in England.

 

[mt.wellington]

Titan Tamarua enjoying coastal change​

Titans.com.au
Thu 1 Jul 2021, 03:17 pm

Crystal Tamarua has only been on the Gold Coast since February, but she says she's now here for life.

The 25-year-old made the move from New Zealand earlier this year and was this week named as one of the Titans inaugural NRLW signings.

"In February I moved to the Gold Coast and it is probably the best decision I've ever made," Tamarua said.

"It's a better life and opportunities, especially in footy because that's what I want to do - play footy.

"I wanted to be a Titan because I live here on the Gold Coast, it is home now and I want to be here forever.

"That's why I want to be a Titan."

Tamarua will have some familiar faces beside her, with former New Zealand Warriors team-mates Karina Brown, Tazmin Gray and Georgia Hale also joining the Titans squad.

Now an established representative player, Tamarua says she has learnt a number of lessons through her NRLW career to date and feels ready to make an impact in 2021.

"I grew up in Auckland in New Zealand and I started footy in my last year of high school my friends got me into it," she said.

"I think it was 2013 or 14 that I was making the Kiwi Ferns squad but for like four years I wouldn't make the team, I'd just be part of the wider squad and that was because of my weight.

"I was overweight and not fit enough, so I took that into account and I was just training crazy hours of the morning and night, I gave up drinking and trained hard and in 2017 I made my debut for the Kiwi Ferns.

"After that I just grew confidence and I just wanted to work hard and play hard."

The skilful backrower is comfortable on either side of the field and is a constant threat to opposition defensive lines.

"My style of play, I prefer early ball off the half so they let me put myself into space," she said.

"I use my footwork, I think I've got some good feet on me as a forward, some forwards aren't mobile but I feel like I am."

The Titans NRLW squad will begin training in a fortnight, with further signings to be announced in coming weeks.

Titan Tamarua enjoying coastal change

Crystal Tamarua has only been on the Gold Coast since February, but she says she's now here for life. The 25-year-old made the move from New Zealand earlier this year and was this week named as one of the Titans inaugural NRLW signings.

www.titans.com.au

 

[mt.wellington]

Titans forced into late squad change with Tamarua injury​

Titans.com.au
Sat 19 Feb 2022, 11:09 pm

The Titans NRLW side have been forced into a late squad change with Crystal Tamarua withdrawing from the 2021 season with an ankle injury.

One of the Titans first signings Tamarua will be missed in the first Gold Coast campaign, but the early withdrawal will give her the best opportunity to be fit for season 2022 at the back end of the year.

Tamarua's spot in the squad will be taken by Lauren Moss who joins from the North Queensland Gold Stars.

Moss is primarily a winger, hailing from Rockhampton and will bring express speed to the Titans squad.

Moss joins in time for Round 1 next Sunday when the Titans take on the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Titans forced into late squad change with Tamarua injury

The Titans NRLW side have been forced into a late squad change with Crystal Tamarua withdrawing from the 2021 season with an ankle injury.

www.titans.com.au

 

[mt.wellington]

Trio Of New Talent Boosts Broncos NRLW Squad​

broncos.com.au
Thu 9 Jun 2022, 01:40 pm


The Broncos have further bolstered their forward stocks with the addition of Kiwi international Crystal Tamarua as well as local talents Jasmine Fogavini and Sophie Holyman for the 2022 NRLW season.

Tamarua, a front and back rower who has played for both the Kiwi Ferns and Cook Islands, comes to the Broncos from the Titans, where she was a marquee signing last season only to be sidelined with ankle surgery. The 26-year-old boasts plenty of NRLW experience having played for the Warriors, and also represented the Māori All Stars in their 24–0 win over the Indigenous All Stars last year.

Fogavini has been one of the standouts in the BMD Premiership this season for the Souths Logan, the 25-year-old moving into the backrow from the centres and averaging 105 running metres per game, as well as racking up 23 tackle busts and three tries across her six appearances for the Magpies.

Holyman, 25, joins the Broncos from the Queensland Reds and Sevens Rugby, having developed a reputation as a strong runner and ball carrier with plenty of skills during her time in the forwards.

Tamarua, Fogavini and Holyman further enhance a Broncos NRLW squad for 2022 that features new signings Neta Nu’uausala and Jaime Chapman, plus the established quality of Ali Brigginshaw, Amber Hall, Chelsea Lenarduzzi, Tallisha Harden, Kaitlyn Phillips, Sara Sautia, Lavinia Gould, Julia Robinson, Tarryn Aiken, Shenae Ciesiolka, Amy Turner, Emily Bass and Jada Ferguson.

Broncos NRLW Coach Kelvin Wright said: “Crystal has some good experience in the NRLW and has the ability to play both front and back row and was a marquee player in the NRLW last season but unfortunately picked up an injury that required surgery so she didn’t get to play. It’s exciting to get someone of her calibre come and join our forward pack.

“Jasmine was a standout for Souths Logan in the BMD Premiership and she brings great leg speed and aggressive running – it’s really exciting to bring some new talent into our system.

“Sophie is making the transition from rugby union and brings plenty of experience from Sevens and Queensland Reds – she is really fit, has a great work ethic and her strength will really suit rugby league and she is a fantastic person off the field. We’ll see what position suits her best, but she has a great skills set and great speed and we have high hopes for her.”

The Broncos’ NRLW preseason will begin in mid-July with the NRLW season to kick-off on the weekend of August 20/21.

Trio Of New Talent Boosts Broncos NRLW Squad

The Broncos have further bolstered their forward stocks with the addition of Kiwi international Crystal Tamarua as well as local talents Jasmine Fogavini and Sophie Holyman for the 2022 NRLW season.

www.broncos.com.au

 

[mt.wellington]

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