Kiana Takairangi
{{short description|Cook Islands & New Zealand international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Kiana Takairangi
|fullname =
|image = kianatakairangi.jpg
|imagesize = 250px
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1992|7|20}}
|birth_place = Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia{{Cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/players/womens-national-championship/nsw-city-women/kiana-takairangi/|title=Kiana Takairangi|website=New South Wales Rugby League}}
|height = {{convert|175|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|75|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|WG|CE}}
|club1 = {{nowrap|Sydney Roosters}}
|year1start = 2019
|year1end =
|appearances1 = 2
|tries1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 0
|club2 = {{nowrap|Newcastle Knights}}
|year2start = 2022
|year2end =
|appearances2 = 6
|tries2 = 4
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 16
|club3 = {{nowrap|Cronulla Sharks}}
|year3start = 2023
|year3end = present
|appearances3 = 5
|tries3 = 2
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 8
|teamA = {{nowrap|Cook Islands}}
|yearAstart = 2017
|yearAend = 22
|appearancesA = 4
|triesA = 0
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 0
|teamB = New Zealand
|yearBstart = 2019
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 2
|triesB = 2
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 8
|teamC = {{nowrap|New Zealand 9s}}
|yearCstart = 2019
|yearCend =
|appearancesC = 3
|triesC = 2
|goalsC = 0
|fieldgoalsC = 0
|pointsC = 8
|retired =
|source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/kiana-takairangi/summary.html RLP]
|updated = 16 July 2023
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| father =
| mother =
| spouse =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| relatives = Brad Takairangi (brother)
}}
}}
Kiana Takairangi (born 20 July 1992) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Cronulla Sharks in the NRL Women's Premiership.
A {{rlp|wg}}er or {{rlp|ce}}, she has represented the Cook Islands and New Zealand internationally. She previously played for the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights in the NRLW and the Sharks in the NSWRL Women's Premiership.
Background
Kiana is the sister of Cook Islands and New Zealand international Brad Takairangi. Her father, Louis, played three games for the Parramatta Eels in 1987.
She has also played for the Los Angeles Temptation in the Legends Football League.{{cite web |url=http://cookislandsnews.com/sport/league/item/75769-brother-sister-in-arms |title=Brother/sister in arms |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=30 January 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101010547/http://cookislandsnews.com/sport/league/item/75769-brother-sister-in-arms |archive-date=1 November 2020}}
Playing career
In 2017, Takairangi represented the Cook Islands at the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/2017/11/10/cook-islands-name-team-for-2017-women-s-rugby-league-world-cup/|title=Cook Islands name team for 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup|date=11 October 2017|website=Rugby League Planet}}
On 22 June 2019, Takairangi made her debut for New Zealand, starting at {{rlp|ce}} and scoring two tries in a 46–8 win over Samoa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/06/22/takairangi-keeps-up-the-family-tradition-in-big-ferns-win/|title=Takairangi keeps up the family tradition in big Ferns win|date=22 June 2019|website=NRL}}{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/113592955/two-debutantes-named-in-kiwi-ferns-test-team-to-tackle-fetu-samoa |title=Two debutantes named in Kiwi Ferns test team to tackle Fetu Samoa |publisher=Stuff |date=18 June 2019 |accessdate=4 November 2020}} On 1 July 2019, she was named in the Sydney Roosters NRL Women's Premiership squad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2019/07/01/roosters-announce-2019-nrlw-squad/|title=Roosters announce 2019 NRLW Squad|date=1 July 2019|website=Sydney Roosters}}
In Round 1 of the 2019 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Roosters in a 12–16 loss to the New Zealand Warriors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2019/09/14/nrlw-late-mail--round-1/|title=NRLW Late Mail - Round 1|date=14 September 2019|website=Sydney Roosters}} In October 2019, she was a member of New Zealand's 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s-winning squad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2020/02/10/world-cup-winners-for-wnrl-nines/|title=World Cup winners for WNRL Nines|date=10 February 2020|website=NZ Warriors}}
In 2020, Takairangi re-signed with the Roosters as a development player for the 2020 NRL Women's season.
In June 2022, Takairangi signed with the Newcastle Knights for the 2022 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2022/06/09/knights-announce-2022-nrlw-squad/|title=Knights confirm further 2022 NRLW signings|date=9 June 2022|website=Newcastle Knights}} She made her club debut for the Knights in round 1 of the 2022 NRLW season against the Brisbane Broncos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2022/08/21/late-mail-nrlw-team-confirmed-for-broncos-clash/|title=Late Mail: NRLW team confirmed for Broncos clash|date=21 August 2022|website=Newcastle Knights}} In the Knights' round 5 win over the St. George Illawarra Dragons, she made her first NRLW appearance at {{rlp|ce}} and scored her first try, where she beat 5 defenders on her way to the line.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2022/09/18/knights-finish-regular-season-with-classy-win-over-the-dragons-nsw-mining/|title=Knights finish regular season with classy win over the Dragons|date=18 September 2022|website=Newcastle Knights}}
On 2 October 2022, Takairangi played in the Knights' NRLW Grand Final win over the Parramatta Eels, scoring two tries in the Knights' 32-12 victory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/draw/womens-premiership/2022/grand-final/game-1/|title=Knights v Eels|website=National Rugby League|access-date=4 October 2022|archive-date=2 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002130204/https://www.nrl.com/draw/womens-premiership/2022/grand-final/game-1/|url-status=dead}}
In April 2023, Takairangi signed a 1-year contract with new NRLW side Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sharks.com.au/news/2023/04/28/local-talent-signs-on-for-nrlw-sharks/|title=Local talent signs on for NRLW Sharks|date=27 April 2023|website=Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/teams/womens-premiership/newcastle-knights-women/kiana-takairangi/ Newcastle Knights profile]
- [https://www.roosters.com.au/teams/womens-premiership/sydney-roosters-women/kiana-takairangi/ Sydney Roosters profile]
- [https://www.nrl.com/players/womens-internationals/ferns/kiana-takairangi/ Kiwi Ferns profile]
{{Cronulla Sharks women's squad}}
{{Newcastle Knights squad - 2022 NRLW premiers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takairangi, Kiana}}
Category:Australian people of Cook Island descent
Category:Australian people of Māori descent
Category:Australian female rugby league players
Category:Cook Islands women's national rugby league team players
Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (NRLW) players
Category:Legends Football League players
Category:New Zealand women's national rugby league team players
Category:Newcastle Knights (NRLW) players
Category:Rugby league players from Sydney
Category:Sydney Roosters (NRLW) players