Martha Mataele
{{Short description|Rugby player (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1999|7|9|df=y}}
| birth_place =Auckland
| height =1.69 m
| weight =
| ru_position =Wing
Flanker
| ru_provinceyears1 =2019–2023
| ru_province1 =Canterbury
| ru_provinceapps1 =30
| ru_provincepoints1 =145
|superyears1=2022–2024
|super1=Matatū
|superapps1=13
|superpoints1=20
|superyears2=2023
|super2=Western Force
|superapps2=3
|superpoints2=20
|superyears3=2025–
|super3=Chiefs Manawa
|superapps3=3
|superpoints3=0
| repyears1 =2023
| repteam1 ={{nwrut|New Zealand}}
| repcaps1 =2
| reppoints1 =5
}}
Martha Mataele (née Lolohea; born 9 July 1999) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Canterbury at Provincial level.
Rugby career
Mataele is of Tongan descent, she was born in Auckland and was raised in Christchurch.{{Cite web |last=Julian |first=Adam |date=2022-08-17 |title=Mataele in electric form for Canterbury |url=https://www.provincial.rugby/news/new-news-article-596/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Provincial Rugby |language=en-GB}} She first attended Villa Maria College before switching to Christchurch Girls’ High School in 2017.
Mataele made her debut for Canterbury in 2021 and then debuted for Matatū a year later in Super Rugby Aupiki's inaugural season.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-11 |title=Black Ferns Squad named for end of year Tests |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-squad-named-for-end-of-year-tests/ |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-04 |title=Inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki squads announced |url=https://oceania.rugby/news/inaugural-super-rugby-aupiki-squads-announced-2021118 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=oceania.rugby |language=en}}
Mataele and her sister, Atlanta Lolohea, were part of Matatū's squad that won the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season. She scored a try in her sides win against the Chiefs Manawa.{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Joseph |date=2023-03-25 |title=Matatū win Super Rugby Aupiki final after Chiefs Manawa miss two late kicks |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/131602281/matat-win-super-rugby-aupiki-final-after-chiefs-manawa-miss-two-late-kicks |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Stuff |language=en}} She played for the Western Force in the 2023 Super W season.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Brittany |date=2023-03-22 |title=Everything you need to know ahead of Super W 2023 |url=https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/35916431/everything-need-know-ahead-super-w-2023 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Pitts |first=Cameron |date=2023-04-11 |title=Billionaire's riches stir rugby's sleeping giant |url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/rugby/super-w-2023-western-force-break-drought-against-melbourne-rebels-stan-sport-exclusive/18e5a999-88d0-4c1c-899f-1d175652c4bd |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=wwos.nine.com.au |language=en}} In July 2023, she was awarded the Rebecca Clough Medal at the Western Force awards night.{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Nathan |date=2023-07-09 |title=Spink, Mataele take top honours on Force Awards night |url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/spink-mataele-take-top-honours-on-force-awards-night-202376 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=www.rugby.com.au |language=en}}
Mataele was named in the Black Ferns 30 player squad that will compete in their final O'Reilly Cup test in September and in the inaugural WXV1 tournament in October.{{Cite web |last=Voerman |first=Andrew |date=2023-09-12 |title=The Waikato Times |url=https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/a/sport/350070891/black-ferns-coach-allan-bunting-glad-have-ruby-tui-back-provide-some-honest |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=www.waikatotimes.co.nz}} She scored a try in her test debut on 30 September against the Wallaroos at Hamilton.{{Cite web |last=Knuckey |first=Brodyn |date=2023-09-30 |title=Black Ferns win big over Wallaroos despite stunted second half |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/30/black-ferns-win-big-over-wallaroos-despite-stunted-second-half/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=1 News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Pearson |first=Joseph |date=2023-09-30 |title=Black Ferns toil to another big victory against Australia in first home test since World Cup win |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/black-ferns/133037437/black-ferns-toil-to-another-big-victory-against-australia-in-first-home-test-since-world-cup-win |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
In 2025, she joined Chiefs Manawa's squad in Round 2 as an injury replacement.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-06 |title=Manawa name five new faces for Blues clash |url=https://chiefs.co.nz/news-item/manawa-name-five-new-faces-for-blues-clash/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=chiefs.co.nz}}
Personal life
In August 2021, she married former Crusaders and Western Force winger, Manasa Mataele.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-26 |title=The Mataele's devotion to rugby, Perth, and each other |url=https://westernforce.rugby/news/the-mataeles-devotion-to-rugby-perth-and-each-other-2023426 |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=westernforce.rugby |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.matatu.co.nz/martha-mataele Matatū Profile]
- [http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/Profile_bf.asp?BFID=5257 Black Ferns Profile]
{{Chiefs Manawa squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mataele, Martha}}
Category:New Zealand female rugby union players
Category:New Zealand women's international rugby union players