Honey Hireme

Arneta Honey Hireme-Smiler MNZM (born 3 May 1981) is a former New Zealand rugby football player who has represented her country in rugby league, rugby sevens and rugby union. Due to her multi-sport career, Hireme-Smiler has been referred to as Honey Bill Williams, in reference to her New Zealand male counterpart Sonny Bill Williams.^[1][2]

Honey Hireme-Smiler MNZM

Hireme in 2021
Personal information
Born	(1981-05-03) 3 May 1981 (age 44)
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Weight	82 kg (12 st 13 lb)
Playing information
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Papakura 2018 St George Illawarra 3 4 Total 3 0 0 0 4 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2008–2020 New Zealand 32 0
Rugby union career
Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2001–2016 Waikato 36 (160) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014–2017 New Zealand 18 (75) National sevens team Years Team Comps 2013 New Zealand 7s

Rugby league career

From Putāruru, South Waikato, Hireme-Smiler played rugby league for Putaruru Dragons from 5 years old and then onto the senior women's grades playing for the Papakura Sea Eagles club in the Auckland Rugby League women's competition. She has represented Counties Manukau, Bay of plenty, Waikato and Waicoa Bay in the New Zealand Rugby League's women's competition over her 20-year career at representative level.^[3]

Hireme-Smiler has played in four Rugby League World Cups, she played for the Kiwiferns in the 2003 Women's world cup 2008 and 2013 World Cups.^[3] She captained the team in 2013.^[4] She was named in the world women's rugby league in all 4 world cup tournaments, and also awarded player of the Tournament in 2013.^{[citation needed]}

She played in the 2017 Rugby League world cup representing the kiwiferns finishing the tournament as the highest try scorer and finalist for player of the tournament.^{[citation needed]}

In June 2018, Hireme-Smiler joined the St. George Illawarra Dragons ahead of the inaugural NRL Women's Premiership commencing in September 2018.^[5] She co-captained the New Zealand women's rugby league team, with Laura Mariu, between the pair they had over 36 years of experience at international level. She was awarded New Zealand women's rugby league player of the year in 2018, her third time winning top honours. She was also a finalist in 2018 for the International Women's Golden boot award.^{[citation needed]}

Rugby union career

XVs

In rugby union, she plays and coaches Melville women's Premier rugby team and represents Waikato in the women's provincial championship.^[3][6]

She made her New Zealand rugby union debut at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup, where she was named to the World Cup Dream Team and the World XV team.^[4][7]

She competed in the Women's Rugby Super Series in 2015 and 2019.

Hireme-Smiler appeared for the Black Ferns in the 2016 Laurie O'Reilly Cup against the Wallaroos, scoring tries in both test matches.^[8][9][10]

Sevens

Hireme-Smiler has played for the New Zealand women's national rugby sevens team in the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup in Moscow.^[4] She has also played for New Zealand on the IRB Women's Sevens World Series and represented New Zealand Māori in sevens.^[11][12]

In 2014, she also became one of New Zealand's first contracted sevens players.^[4]

Honours and awards

She was:

• the New Zealand Rugby League's women's player of the year in 2007, 2012 and 2017.^[3]
• Gallagher Waikato sportswomen of the year in 2013 and 2014
• Player of the Tournament in the 2013 Women's Rugby League World Cup.
• Waikato women's rugby player of the year in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
• Top try scorer and player of the tournament finalist for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
• Appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby league in the 2020 New Year Honours.^[13]