Mele Hufanga Explained

Birth Date:18 October 1994
Height:1.83 m
Weight:93 kg
Ru Currentposition:Centre
Provinceyears1:2011–2018
Province1:Auckland
Provinceapps1:46
Provincepoints1:195
Provinceyears3:2020
Province3:Counties Manukau
Provinceapps3:6
Provincepoints3:5
Superyears1:2022
Super1:Blues Women
Superapps1:2
Superpoints1:5
Repyears1:2022
Repcaps1:3
Reppoints1:35
Module:
Embed:yes
Position:Wing, Centre
Club1:Ponsonby Ponies
Year1start:2022
Appearances1:12
Tries1:10
Goals1:15
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:70
Year2start:2023
Year2end:present
Appearances2:13
Tries2:14
Goals2:0
Fieldgoals2:0
Points2:40
Teama:Tonga
Yearastart:2020
Appearancesa:1
Triesa:0
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:0
Teamb:New Zealand
Yearbstart:2022
Yearbend:present
Appearancesb:7
Triesb:6
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:24
Teamc:Auckland
Yearcstart:2023
Appearancesc:1
Triesc:1
Goalsc:0
Fieldgoalsc:0
Pointsc:4

Mele Hufanga (born 18 October 1994) is a New Zealand rugby player. She has competed for Tonga internationally in rugby union, and for Tonga and New Zealand in rugby league.[1] [2] She played for the Blues Women in the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki in 2022. She also made her test debut for the Tonga women's national rugby union team. She competed for the Kiwi Ferns at the delayed 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup.

Rugby union career

Hufanga scored 16 tries for Auckland in the 2015 Farah Palmer Cup season. Hufanga played for Counties Manukau in the 2020 season of the Farah Palmer Cup.[3] [4] In 2021 she played for the Moana Pasifika women's sevens team at the Takiwhitu Tutūru tournament in Wellington.[5] [6] [7]

Hufanga signed with the Blues for the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki.[8] [9] [10] She scored a try in their match against Matatū in round 2 of the 2022 Super Rugby Aupiki season.[11] [12] [13]

Hufanga captained Tonga at the 2022 Oceania Championship in New Zealand.[14] She scored a brace of tries against Samoa in the opening match of the tournament.[15] [16] She scored again against Fiji in their 34–7 loss in the second game.[17] [18] She scored four tries in her sides 108–7 trouncing of Papua New Guinea in their final match.[19] [20]

Rugby league career

Hufanga represented Tonga in a test match against Niue in 2020.[21] She competed for the Kiwi Ferns at the delayed 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup in England.[22] [23] [24] BRISBANE BRONCOS

On 22nd of July Mele made her debut for the, She finished the game with the most run metres out of any broncos player with 167. On the 5th of August she scored her first try and her first 4 tries of the season against the in which the won 40-12. Hufanga scored a double against the Canberra Raiders on the 27th of August. On the 16th of September Mele picked up yet another double continuing her try scoring season against the St George Illawarra in another big win for the Broncos. She finished the normal season with 10 tries in 9 games as the finished 4th on the ladder, qualifying for finals. Mele played in the only finals match against the eventual NRLW 2023 premiers . To complete a quality debut year in the NRLW in which she had impressive stats, she led the league in line breaks, finished 2nd in tackle breaks and tries and average 121 meters gained a game. As well as collecting the season collecting Dally M centre of the year.

After the 2023 NRLW season, Mele represented the Kiwi Ferns in the Pacific Championships. She played in all three of their games scoring 3 tries. She played in the Final against the Australian Jillaroos, scoring her third try of the series.

Prior to the NRLW 2024 season kick off, Mele was put on the 2024 NRLW Player to Watch by the NRL and NRLW, on the NRL Website [25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stanley . Ashley . 2021-05-25 . Super Rugby: Culture and values a winning recipe for Moana Pasifika . 2022-03-21 . Stuff . en.
  2. Web site: MELE HUFANGA - Tackling Pasifika health challenges head-on . 2022-03-21 . www.thecoconet.tv.
  3. Web site: Talented squad selected for 2020 Farah Palmer Cup Campaign . 2022-03-21 . Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union . en.
  4. Web site: 2 September 2020 . Counties Manukau: PREVIEW 2020 . 2022-03-21 . allblacks.com . en-NZ.
  5. Web site: 19 April 2021 . Takiwhitu Tuturu has provided an ideal training ground for NZ . 2022-03-21 . Planet Sevens . en-US.
  6. Web site: 6 April 2021 . Teams announced for Takiwhitu Tūturu . 2022-03-21 . allblacks.com . en-NZ.
  7. Web site: 9 April 2021 . Moana Pasifika women make rugby history . 2022-03-21 . Nukualofa Times . en-US.
  8. Web site: 4 November 2021 . Inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki squads announced . 2022-03-21 . www.voxy.co.nz . en.
  9. Web site: 2021-11-04 . Women's Super Rugby squads announced for 2022 . 2022-03-21 . ClubRugby.nz . en-US.
  10. Web site: 19 Auckland Rugby players named in Super Rugby Aupiki squads . 2022-03-21 . www.aucklandrugby.co.nz.
  11. Web site: Burnes . Campbell . 15 March 2022 . Blues full of merit in downing Matatū . 2022-03-21 . superrugby.co.nz . en-GB.
  12. News: Powell . Alex . 2022-03-15 . Super Rugby Aupiki: Blues defeat Matatū to notch first competitive victory in competition debut . en . Newshub . 2022-03-21.
  13. Web site: Reive . Christopher . 15 March 2022 . Super Rugby Aupiki: Strong attack lifts Blues to impressive win over Matatū . 2022-03-21 . NZ Herald . en-NZ.
  14. Web site: 2022-07-09 . Teams ready for first outing of 2022 Oceania Rugby Womens Championship . 2022-08-22 . oceania.rugby . en.
  15. Web site: Walker . Sarah . 2022-07-09 . 2022 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship Team Lists 9 July 2022 . 2022-08-20 . Oceania Rugby.
  16. Web site: 2022-07-09 . Samoa win in a close match while Fiji dominated day 1 of the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship . 2022-07-20 . oceania.rugby . en.
  17. Web site: Walker . Sarah . 2022-07-13 . 2022 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship Team List 13 July 2022 . 2022-08-20 . Oceania Rugby.
  18. Web site: 2022-07-14 . Samoa and Fiji Win Again to Set Up Championship Decider . 2022-07-20 . oceania.rugby . en.
  19. Web site: Walker . Sarah . 2022-07-17 . 2022 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship Team Lists 17 July 2022 . 2022-08-20 . Oceania Rugby.
  20. Web site: 2022-07-17 . Fijiana win Oceania Rugby Womens Championship in a thriller . 2022-07-20 . oceania.rugby . en.
  21. Web site: Mele Hufanga . 2022-11-20 . New Zealand Rugby League . en-NZ.
  22. Web site: Walter . Brad . 2022-11-18 . 'I've always had my eye on league': Hufanga ready for NRLW move . 2022-11-20 . National Rugby League . en.
  23. Web site: Long . David . 2022-11-05 . Code hopping Mele Hufanga finds her home at Kiwi Ferns for Rugby League World Cup . 2022-11-20 . Stuff . en.
  24. Web site: Dahal . Manish . 2022-11-17 . Mele Hufanga: 5 Facts On New Zealand Rugby Player . 2022-11-20 . sportslulu.com . en.
  25. https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/07/08/nrlw-players-to-watch-in-2024-mele-hufanga/

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