Paula Balekana

Paula Balekana (born 18 May 1993) is a Fijian rugby union player who currently plays as a wing for the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for the Houston SaberCats in MLR.^[1]

Paula Balekana

Date of birth	(1993-05-18) 18 May 1993 (age 32)
Place of birth	Suva, Fiji
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	90 kg (14 st 2 lb; 198 lb)
School	Kelston Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing Current team New England Free Jacks Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2016−2017 Gordon 29 (120) 2017 Sydney Rays 3 (15) 2018–2020 Zebre 25 (20) 2021 Houston SaberCats 16 (30) 2022− New England Free Jacks 58 (202) 2023 Hawke's Bay 7 (0) Correct as of 1 August 2024

Playing career

Balekana was named in the Sydney Rays squad for the 2017 National Rugby Championship season after having played for Gordon RFC in the Shute Shield.^[2] He made 29 appearances for the club, scoring 120 points. Afterwards, he played for Zebre during the 2018-19 Pro14 and 2019-20 Pro14 seasons.^{[3] [4]}

In 2021 he was named to the MLR all second team,^[5] after scoring 6 tries in 16 matches.

After playing one year for Houston, he signed with the New England Free Jacks, scoring 6 tries in 12 matches during the 2022 season. The following year, during the 2023 season, Balekana led the MLR in tries, with 15, scoring 75 total points. He helped lead the Free Jacks to their first championship.

He finished out the year playing for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.^[6]

Balekana rejoined the Free Jacks in 2024 and helped the team win another title, scoring 4 tries in 15 appearances. In the 2025 season, he had a tremendous campaign, thriving on both sides of the ball. He had 70 tackles and led the MLR in tries for a second time, with 15, including 2 in the MLR championship game, helping the Free Jacks win a third straight MLR title in the process. He also claimed his 50th cap for the club on April 5 vs Houston.^[7] At the end of the season, Balekana was named the 2025 Major League Rugby player of the year, and was selected to the all MLR first team.^[8]

Free Jacks' general manager Tom Kindley summed up Balekana's season by stating, "This season, his impact was immense—he consistently came up with game-changing moments on both sides of the ball, drawing on his experience and dogged drive to succeed."^[9]

Honours

New England Free Jacks

• Major League Rugby Championship: 3x (2023, 2024, 2025)
• Major League Rugby player of the year: 2025
• All Major League Rugby first team (2025)

Houston SaberCats

• All Major League Rugby second team: (2021)

Personal life

Balekana overcame adversity in his childhood: one of his brothers died unexpectedly when he was young, and his father became too sick to work. This would lead to his sister having to work at a young age. Balekana found rugby as an escape, playing frequently and dreaming of becoming a pro. This hard work led to him getting a scholarship offer to play at Kelston Boys' High Schoo, and ultimately led to him becoming a pro.^[10]

Balekana is married to his wife, Setaita. The couple have two children together.^[9]