Annetta-Claudia Nuuasala joined her older brother, 15-Test Kiwi Frank-Paul, in becoming a regular in the New Zealand team.
The Marist tyro received her first big break in 2016, when the 21-year-old was part of the Kiwi Ferns’ squad at the NRL Auckland Nines. Three months later Nuuausala was lining up in the second-row against the Jillaroos on Test debut, racking up 127 metres in a 26-16 victory.
Nuuausala scored a try in a 38-0 shutout of Papua New Guinea and came off the bench in a 52-4 semi-final rout of England at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, but she did not play in the final. After performing a big-hitting role in the Warriors’ historic win over Sydney Roosters in the first-ever NRLW match in 2018, she returned to the Kiwi Ferns’ starting pack.
The bruising forward scored a try in a standout interchange appearance as New Zealand went down 26-24 to Australia in Auckland.
Nuuausala turned out in Richmond Roses’ 2019 Auckland grand final loss before featuring at prop in the Kiwi Ferns’ 46-8 mid-season win over Samoa. She subsequently played all three games of the Warriors’ NRLW campaign, averaging over 90 metres a game.
The 24-year-old retained her front-row position for the post-season Test against the Jillaroos, making 95 metres and 18 tackles in a wholehearted display.
