Martha Mataele

Martha Mataele (née Lolohea; born 9 July 1999) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and represents Canterbury at Provincial level.

Martha Mataele

Date of birth	(1999-07-09) 9 July 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Auckland
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing Flanker Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2019–2023 Canterbury 30 (145) Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2022–2024 Matatū 13 (20) 2023 Western Force 3 (20) 2025– Chiefs Manawa 3 (0) International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2023 New Zealand 2 (5)

Rugby career

Mataele is of Tongan descent, she was born in Auckland and was raised in Christchurch.^[1] She first attended Villa Maria College before switching to Christchurch Girls’ High School in 2017.^[1]

Mataele made her debut for Canterbury in 2021 and then debuted for Matatū a year later in Super Rugby Aupiki's inaugural season.^[2][3]

Mataele and her sister, Atlanta Lolohea, were part of Matatū's squad that won the 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki season.^[2] She scored a try in her sides win against the Chiefs Manawa.^[4] She played for the Western Force in the 2023 Super W season.^[5][6] In July 2023, she was awarded the Rebecca Clough Medal at the Western Force awards night.^[7]

Mataele was named in the Black Ferns 30 player squad that will compete in their final O'Reilly Cup test in September and in the inaugural WXV1 tournament in October.^[2][8] She scored a try in her test debut on 30 September against the Wallaroos at Hamilton.^[9][10]

In 2025, she joined Chiefs Manawa's squad in Round 2 as an injury replacement.^[11]

Personal life

In August 2021, she married former Crusaders and Western Force winger, Manasa Mataele.^[12][1]