Semisi Paea

Semisi Paea
Date of birth (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 25)
Place of birthTofoa, Tonga
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)
SchoolRotorua Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, Flanker
Current team Bay of Plenty, New England Free Jacks
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021– Bay of Plenty 8 (5)
2023– New England Free Jacks 13 (5)
Correct as of 28 August 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021– Tonga 4 (0)
Correct as of 28 August 2023

Semisi Paea (born 17 April 1999) is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Major League Rugby club New England Free Jacks and the Tonga national team.[1]

Early life

Paea was born in Tonga[2] but grew up and lives in Rotorua in New Zealand, where he represents Ngongotaha Rugby Club.[3]

Club career

Paea was named in the Bay of Plenty squad for the 2021 Bunnings NPC.[4] At the end of the 2021 season, he was selected for the New Zealand Barbarians.[5] In 2023, he joined the New England Free Jacks for the 2023 Major League Rugby season.[6]

Paea made his debut for Tonga in 2021 against the Cook Islands.[7] He made further appearances for Tonga in the 2022 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Semisi Paea". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  2. ^ "New England Free Jacks Signs Semisi Paea". DJ Coil Rugby. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Teammates turned rivals in Tonga vs Cook Islands clash". RNZ. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  4. ^ "New Bay Signings Face Former Team in Round 2 Bunnings Warehouse NPC Match-up". Bay of Plenty Rugby. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Players rewarded with New Zealand Barbarians squad selection". NZ Rugby. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Free Jacks sign Tongan international Semisi Paea". Americas Rugby News. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Tonga name six debutants to face Cook Islands". RNZ. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Rugby-Tonga without big guns for World Cup playoff amid injuries". Reuters. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2023.


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