Semisi Paea

Semisi Paea (born 17 April 1999) is a Tongan professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Major League Rugby club New England Free Jacks and the Tonga national team.^[1]

Semisi Paea

Date of birth	(1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Tofoa, Tonga
Height	1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	114 kg (251 lb; 17 st 13 lb)
School	Rotorua Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, Flanker Current team Bay of Plenty, New England Free Jacks Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2021– Bay of Plenty 8 (5) 2023– New England Free Jacks 13 (5) Correct as of 28 August 2023 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2021– Tonga 4 (0) Correct as of 28 August 2023

Early life

Paea was born in Tonga^[2] but grew up and lives in Rotorua in New Zealand, where he represents Ngongotaha Rugby Club.^[3]

Club career

Paea was named in the Bay of Plenty squad for the 2021 Bunnings NPC.^[4] At the end of the 2021 season, he was selected for the New Zealand Barbarians.^[5] In 2023, he joined the New England Free Jacks for the 2023 Major League Rugby season.^[6]

Paea made his debut for Tonga in 2021 against the Cook Islands.^[7] He made further appearances for Tonga in the 2022 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.^[8]