New Zealand U18 Girls' Pathways Squad announced

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 Squad 

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