| Apii Nicholls-Pualau | |
| Birth Date: | 1993 2, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Rarotonga, Cook Islands, New Zealand |
| Height: | 163cm (64inches) |
| Weight: | 62kg (137lb) |
| First: | RL |
| Year1start: | 2018 |
| Year1end: | 19 |
| Appearances1: | 6 |
| Tries1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 7 |
| Fieldgoals1: | 0 |
| Points1: | 14 |
| Year2start: | 2022 |
| Year2end: | 23 |
| Appearances2: | 5 |
| Tries2: | 0 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals2: | 0 |
| Points2: | 0 |
| Club3: | Canberra Raiders |
| Year3start: | 2023 |
| Year3end: | present |
| Appearances3: | 8 |
| Tries3: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals3: | 0 |
| Points3: | 0 |
| Teama: | New Zealand |
| Yearastart: | 2017 |
| Yearaend: | present |
| Appearancesa: | 11 |
| Triesa: | 5 |
| Goalsa: | 6 |
| Fieldgoalsa: | 0 |
| Pointsa: | 32 |
| Teamb: | New Zealand 9s |
| Yearbstart: | 2019 |
| Appearancesb: | 4 |
| Triesb: | 0 |
| Goalsb: | 0 |
| Fieldgoalsb: | 0 |
| Pointsb: | 0 |
| Ru Club1: | Chiefs Manawa |
| Ru Year1start: | 2023 |
| Source: | RLP |
| Updated: | 1 November 2023 |
Apii Nicholls-Pualau (born 26 February 1993) is a New Zealand rugby league and union player. She played for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL Women's Premiership. Primarily a, she is a New Zealand representative.[1] [2]
In 2023, she was signed by Chiefs Manawa for the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Born in Rarotonga, Nicolls-Paualau represented the Cook Islands rugby sevens team before switching to rugby league.[3]
In 2017, Nicholls-Paulau began playing for the Otahuhu Leopards in the Auckland Rugby League.[4] Later that year, she was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup.[5] She captained the team in a 50–4 win over Canada.[6] On 2 December 2017, she started at in New Zealand's final loss to Australia.
On 11 February 2018, she was named the NZRL Women's Player of the Year.[7] On 1 August 2018, she joined the New Zealand Warriors NRL Women's Premiership team.[8] In Round 1 of the 2018 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Warriors, kicking a goal in a 10–4 win over the Sydney Roosters.[9]
In October 2019, Nicholls-Pualau was a member of New Zealand's 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s-winning squad.[10]
In October 2022, she was selected for the New Zealand squad at the delayed 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup in England.[11]
Nicholls-Pualau was signed by Chiefs Manawa for the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season.[12] [13] She rejoined the side for the 2024 season.[14] [15]
On 27 Apr 2023 it was reported that she had returned to play rugby league with Canberra Raiders Women in their inaugural season.[16]