Esther Faiaoga-Tilo

Esther Faiaoga-Tilo

Date of birth	(1994-09-26) 26 September 1994 (age 30)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2018– Waikato 29 (20) Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2022 Hurricanes Poua 2 (0) 2023 Blues Women 2 (0) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2023  New Zealand 1 (0)

Esther Faiaoga-Tilo (born 26 September 1994) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for the Blues Women in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.

Rugby career

Faiaoga-Tilo played for Hurricanes Poua in the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki in 2022.^[1] She then moved up north after she was released by Hurricanes Poua to try-out for the Blues.^[1] The Blues initially overlooked her, but after encouragement from some of her former teammates she decided to attend an open training session for the Blues where she impressed enough to receive a mid-season callup for 2023.^[1]

Faiaoga-Tilo was named in the Black Ferns 30-player squad as an injury cover to compete in the Pacific Four Series and O’Reilly Cup.^[2][3] She started in her international debut against the United States on 14 July 2023, at Ottawa.^[4][5]

On 23 September 2023, she was named in the Black Ferns XV's team to play the Manusina XV's side at the Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe.^[6] She scored a try in the match as her side won 38–12.^[7]

References

1. Foote, Stephen; Payne, Natasha (12 June 2023). "Rugby: How an email to coach Allan Bunting led to life-changing opportunity for Black Ferns newcomer Esther Faiaoga-Tilo". Newshub. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
2. "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
3. "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
4. "PREVIEW: Black Ferns v USA (Ottawa)". allblacks.com. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
5. "Live updates: Pacific Four - Black Ferns v USA at Ottawa's TD Place Stadium". Newshub. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
6. "Black Ferns XV named to face Manusina XV". NZ Rugby. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
7. Julian, Adam (23 September 2023). "Black Ferns XV overcome Manusina XV in the wet". allblacks.com. Retrieved 23 September 2023.