The Western Force are thrilled to confirm the signings of Numi Tupaea and Dallys Tini as well as the re-signing of Ariana Ruru-Hinaki for the 2024 Super Rugby Women’s season.
Winger Tupaea, who played for Wanneroo in last year’s Fortescue Premier Grade Grand Final loss to Kalamunda, joins the Force having previously been a squad member with WA netball club West Coast Fever. The 28-year-old, who’ll play for Cottesloe in 2024, scored a team-high 12 tries for Wanneroo in the 2023 season after switching to union from netball.
Aranmore graduate Tini, 22, returns to the Force after a few years in rugby league where she was vice-captain for WA. Prior to that midfielder Tini played seven Super W games for the Force in 2019 and 2020.
Pocket rocket winger Ruru-Hinaki, 21, has re-signed with the Force having been part of the program for the past few years, playing two games. RugbyWA local Ruru-Hinaki played full-back for Kalamunda in last year’s triumphant Fortescue Premier Grade Grand Final.
Force head coach Dylan Parsons said: “Numi is another player we’ve been able to get from another code, coming from West Coast Fever. She’s started focusing on rugby now and impressed in her first full season at Wanneroo last year (Cottesloe this year).
“She’s still new to the game but she does bring attention to detail to how she prepares. She’s a really hard worker and brings a level of professionalism from where she’s been in a high performance environment with netball. Her high standards and good behaviours mean she’s a good mentor for the girls who’ve not experienced that before.
“We’ve been able to get Dallys back from rugby league. She’s another Aranmore product and came through the junior WA pathways so has played with a lot of our squad and has really good connections with many members in our squad.
“She’s a familiar face who’s played Super W in the past. She’s already had a few games when she was a teenager, so it’s been good to be able to get her back after being away from a number of years.”
“Ari has been around for a few seasons now. It’s great to have that connection to how we do things, as well as the playing group.
“She’s got fast feet, has played Super W a number of times before, so she’s got experience around what the competition demands. She’s one of those local girls who’s come through the pathway as well is yet another Aranmore product.”
The Force open their Super W campaign on Friday March 15 from 4:30pm against the Melbourne Rebels at HBF Park.
Prior to that, the Force women will face Japanese club Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix in two pre-season trial games from Friday 23 February from 4:30pm prior to the Force men’s Super Rugby season opener at HBF Park. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.
2024 Western Force Super W squad: Sara Cline, Kendra Fell, Zoe Gillard, Haylee Hifo, Sheree Hume, Tamika Jones, Natsuki Kashiwagi, Saelua Leaula, Nicole Ledington, Michaela Leonard, Keira MacAskill, Rosie McGehan, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Hinata Komaki, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Trilleen Pomare, Ariana Ruru-Hinaki, Anneka Stephens, Pia Tapsell, Libya Teepa, Harono Te Iringa, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Dallys Tini, Alanis Toia, Numi Tupaea, Braxton Walker, Aiysha Wigley, Samantha Wood - Seneti Kilisimasi, Siutiti Ma’ake (PacificAus Sports scholarships)
