Player Tasia Seumanufagai

[mt.wellington]

Tasia Seumanufagai

​

Seumanufagai was born in Auckland and raised in Wellington. Her cousin, Ava, is a professional rugby league player.

In 2010, Seumanufagai began playing rugby league for the Randwick Kingfishers. She later moved to Melbourne, where she began playing rugby union before playing rugby league for the Truganina Rabbitohs.

In 2011, she made her Test debut for Samoa against Australia in Apia.

In May 2019, she represented the Combined Affiliated States at the Women's National Championships. In June 2019, she was named in Samoa's squad for their Test against New Zealand but did not play.

On 10 July 2019, she joined the New Zealand Warriors NRL Women's Premiership team. In Round 3 of the 2019 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Warriors in a 10–8 win over the Brisbane Broncos.

In 2020, Seumanufagai played for the Wests Tigers in the NSWRL Women's Premiership.

 

[mt.wellington]

View: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1895634757156302&set=a.553056078080850​

 

[mt.wellington]

Sport: Fetu Samoa to play first women's international in eight years​

10:49 am on 20 June 2019


Fetu Samoa will play their first women's rugby league international in eight years when they take on the Kiwi Ferns in Auckland on Saturday.
Billy-Jean Ale and Tasia Seumanufagai are the only survivors from the side that played Australia in Apia in 2011, while five of the 21-strong squad have previously represented New Zealand or Australia.

The 2019 Fetu Samoa team to play the Kiwi Ferns in Auckland. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

New Zealand Warriors second rower Luisa Gago was a part of the Kiwi Ferns World Cup squad in 2017 but said the opportunity to represent Samoa was one she could not ignore.

"It's not often that we get this chance and I think the last time Fetu Samoa had a team was 2011 so for us to come back it was a chance that I couldn't miss out and an opportunity that I couldn't turn down. Also my family supported me to go and play for Samoa, to represent my country," said Luisa Gago.

Luisa Gago was born and raised in Auckland but the 25 year old said representing Samoa is a huge deal for her family.

"Both my parents they are born in Samoa so I'm full Samoan. Especially my dad has always urged me to play for Samoa but the opportunity never came around so this time I felt like it was my time to give back to my parents - especially my parents - and my family and my villages and I think they're really proud of me for choosing Samoa," she said.

Saturday's clash will also mark the first meeting between Fetu Samoa and the Kiwi Ferns since 2008 and Gago hopes it's the start of more regular international matches.

"We're definitely making history again bringing a Fetu Samoa team back into it but it's good because rugby league is growing now for the women's so heaps of girls are playing it and we've got heaps of Samoan girls playing it so it was good that we could actually bring a team together and to bring it (with players) from Australia and New Zealand," Luisa Gago said.

Fetu Samoa head coach Glenn Brailey, who is also in charge of the Cronulla Sharks team in the NRL Women's Premiership, says women's rugby league continues to go from strength to strength.

"It's one of the fastest growing parts of the sport. I can tell from even our local junior league the participation numbers are in double digit percentages for women - league tag and rugby league - so the women's space is growing rapidly and I'm proud to be a part of it and hopefully part of that future where it takes it into that next stage, that next level," Glenn Brailey said.

Glenn Brailey, who is the father of Sharks NRL duo Blayke and Jayden Brailey, said he turned down a coaching role with the New South Wales Women's State of Origin team to be involved with Fetu Samoa and insists they will give it everything at the weekend.

"We want to compete with the best. We're not happy for just settling for where we are at this stage - we are here to genuinely improve where we are and compete every single chance we get," Glenn Brailey said.

Sport: Fetu Samoa to play first women's international in eight years

Fetu Samoa will play their first women's rugby league international in eight years when they take on the Kiwi Ferns in Auckland on Saturday.

www.rnz.co.nz

 

[mt.wellington]

NRL Victoria

**Congratulation to Tasia seumanufagai on Winning CAS Player of the Championships Award.**

www.facebook.com

 

[mt.wellington]

Seumanufagai makes big sacrifice​

Alicia Newton
Thu 5 Sep 2019, 07:01 pm

There may only be four teams competing in the Holden Women's Premiership but the state of Victoria will be well represented with Tasia Seumanufagai and Najvada George in line for NRLW debuts this year.

Seumanufagai, the cousin of Leeds Rhinos forward Ava, was picked up by the Warriors in August after biding her time in the Australian pathways system this year.

The 29-year-old represented Combined Affiliated States at the National Championships in June before returning to the Fetu Samoa international set-up for the first time in eight years.

Her most recent sacrifice has included leaving three-year-old son Zyrie with her partner in Melbourne to live at the Warriors' Autex House in Auckland for two months – a hub set up to host some of the club's new recruits.

"The struggle is real, Zyrie's a mummy's boy but I call him every night," Seumanufagai tells NRL.com in Auckland.

"I think he misses me. I was so sad leaving them, I felt guilty leaving them like that. But my partner said just go and they'll be alright.

"Honestly but I would do this for free, but don't tell anybody. It's an honour and privilege to play for the Warriors and represent New Zealand as well originally being from Wellington."

The women's game in Melbourne is a slow burn according to Seumanufagai, who has plans to move north next year and follow suit of 20-year-old George, who has been snapped up by the Dragons for the 2019 season.

"I reckon I've only got a few years left so I want to make the most of it," Seumanufagai said.

"I think for more experience I should move to somewhere like Sydney and play given I'm already 29."

For George, who moved to Sydney's south-west just a few months ago to play with the Wests Tigers in the NSW premiership, she's felt more connected to the game despite her club allegiances to the sporting city at the start of the year.

While she may not forced her way into Daniel Lacey's final 17, she wants to take the camp experience with both hands.

"I've told Tasia that if she wants to progress further she's going to have to make the move," George said.

"You can only go so far and then it stops for the CAS girls. It was a struggle at the start because I was only 20 and living out of home.

"I stayed with family friends at first but now I'm living in a granny flat, have got a job and am managing the training loads that clubs have given me and now at the Dragons."

Tasia Seumanufagai makes supreme sacrifice for Warriors | Warriors

Tasia Seumanufagai says it's an honour and privilege to play for the Warriors.

www.warriors.kiwi

 

[mt.wellington]

Seumanufagai continues to shine through sacrifice​

Caitlyn Grant
Fri 28 Aug 2020, 07:10 am

The surname Seumanufagai is one Wests Tigers fans became accustomed to over the years and it's back again.

Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership forward Tasia Seumanufagai is a woman of ultimate sacrifice and commitment to the great game of rugby league, having given up more than most to get her 2020 season underway.

The cousin of former Wests Tigers forward Ava, Sia has made multiple sacrifices to follow her dream — with her family, her location and her health.

Her wholehearted commitment was first put to the test last year when she left her three-year-old son Zyrie with her partner in Melbourne to pursue her NRLW dream with the New Zealand Warriors.

The closest the pair came to seeing each other was FaceTime.

The move from Melbourne to Sydney this year to join Wests Tigers eventually put that heartache to an end, with Seumanufagai pushing the limits for her dream.

"It actually started for me when I began playing at home in Wellington for the Randwick Kingfishers in 2010 at 20 years old,” Seumanufagai reflected.

“I spent three years there before moving to Melbourne. There wasn't a rugby league competition when I first moved there so I made the switch to rugby union to keep playing.

I made the move to Sydney to take my chance with rugby league. I just wanted to give it a crack.
Tasia Seumanufagai

"I had the opportunity to play with the New Zealand Warriors in the NRLW — it was a good team and a I learned a lot — and then I got part of the Fetu Samoan squad.

"I didn’t get to play but was very grateful to be a part of the squad."

Those seasons didn't come without some big learning curves for Seumanufagai, as she battled form and injuries en route to Wests Tigers.

"I really had to learn how to tackle better," she said with a smile.

"The NRLW really helped me improve my technique.

"I learned more about my position as a lock as I've only just moved there in the last couple of years — I was usually in the backs based on my size."
"But the biggest thing for me that I've been working with the team is to help get the arthritis in my knee under control," she said.

"I can still play so I'm just thankful to keep getting minutes.

"It's so exciting to be back with the girls. I’ve been here for a couple months and everyone is great — they’ve really looked after me in the rehab squad.”

Seumanufagai will feature again for the side this Sunday in a must-win game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs — a game that will determine whether Wests Tigers finish inside the top four or not.

With the benefit of experience on her side, and the exposure of playing in some big games already in her career, Seumanufagai is prepared.
“This squad has a lot of young guns coming up,” she enthused.

“I'm sure we’ll make finals, it's just this one more game against the Rabbitohs.

"We have a good squad – everyone has stepped up and knows their roles.

"We’re continuing to improve every game and that's the best thing."

Seumanufagai continues to shine through sacrifice

2020 NRL, Wests Tigers Seamanufagai continues to shine through sacrifice

www.weststigers.com.au