| Born | (1998-08-02)2 August 1998 (age 27) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 86 kg (13 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Lock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 28 September 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pia Tapsell (born 2 August 1998) is a New Zealand formerrugby union & currentrugby league player. She played as aLoose forward for theBlack Ferns and forChiefs Manawa in theSuper Rugby Aupiki competition. She played for theWestern Force Women in theSuper Rugby Women's competition.
Tapsell was born inMelbourne,Australia due to her parents being posted there by theRoyal New Zealand Navy, but was raised inNew Zealand asNgāti Whakauae andTe Arawaiwi.
Tapsell made hertest debut forNew Zealand againstCanada at the2019 Women's Rugby Super Series on 28 June atSan Diego.[1][2] She started in all of theBlack Ferns sixtest matches of 2019.[1] She later appeared for the New Zealand Development XV inFiji for theOceania Rugby Women's Championship.[3]
She played for the Possibles in a Black Ferns trial match in 2020[4][5] and then featured for the Black Ferns against theNew Zealand Barbarians.[6] She previously played forNorth Harbour before representingBay of Plenty at the2020 Farah Palmer Cup.
In 2021 she was named in theChiefs squad for their historic clash with theBlues. It was the first-ever women'sSuper Rugby match to be played in New Zealand.[7][8] Later that year she signed a contract with the Chiefs for the inaugural season ofSuper Rugby Aupiki.[9][10]
Tapsell was ruled out for the2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season due to anACL injury.[11][12] In 2025, she joined theWestern Force Women in theSuper Rugby Women's competition.[13][14]
On 6 February 2024 it was reported that she had signed forCronulla-Sutherland Sharks in theNRLW[15]
On 5th July 2025 Pia made her NRLW debut forSt. George Illawarra Dragons in theNRLW in Round 1 against the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium. The Dragons won the game 36-14.[16]
