Sene Naoupu (''née'': Fanene) is an Ireland women's rugby union international. Naoupu was a member of the Ireland team that won the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship. She also represented Ireland at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. She is also an Ireland women's rugby sevens international. Naoupu is a

Samoan New Zealander Samoan New Zealanders are Samoan immigrants in New Zealand, their descendants, and New Zealanders of Samoan ethnic descent. They constitute one of New Zealand's most sizeable ethnic minorities. In the 2018 census, 182,721 New Zealanders identi ...

who originally emigrated to Ireland in 2009 with her former husband, George Naoupu, the former Highlanders, Harlequins and Connacht rugby union player. Naoupu is also a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer and operates her own business, Senshaper. In 2016, Naoupu was listed by ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'' as one of the thirty most influential women in Ireland.

Early life

Naoupu was born into a

family and raised in

Oamaru Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the ra ...

by her single mother, Toeafiafi Taiti. She started playing sport from a very young age in her back yard with her brother and cousins. By the age of five or six, she was playing

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

and

touch rugby Touch rugby refers to games derived from rugby football in which players do not tackle each other but instead touch their opponents using their hands on any part of the body, clothing, or the ball. A formal, competitive variety, known as Touc ...

Playing career

Early years

Naoupu started playing women's rugby union at 13 and in her youth played for

North Otago North Otago in New Zealand covers the area of Otago between Shag Point and the Waitaki River, and extends inland to the west as far as the village of Omarama (which has experienced rapid growth as a developing centre for astronomy and for g ...

and

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region ...

. She attended the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

on a basketball scholarship before switching sports and concentrating on rugby union. In September 2003 she was included in a

New Zealand women's national rugby union team The New Zealand women's rugby union team, called the Black Ferns, represents New Zealand in women's international rugby union, which is regarded as the country's national sport. The team has won six out of nine Women's Rugby World Cup tourname ...

training squad along with Farah Palmer and Anna Richards. She attended further trials for the Black Ferns but failed to make the team. After developing an

eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating ...

and depression, she took a break from playing rugby union. She was also diagnosed with

anorexia Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...

by her university doctor. In 2008 she made a comeback, playing club rugby union with Whitestone 45ers.

Clubs

In 2008, while working as a co-host on a sports radio show in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

, Sene met George Naoupu, who at the time was playing for the Highlanders. In 2011 they were married in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

. Her subsequent playing career has mirrored that of her husband's. Sene and George Naoupu first moved to Ireland in 2009 when the latter began playing for Connacht. They then spent a year in Japan where George played for the

Kobelco Steelers The Kobelco Kobe Steelers are a Japanese rugby union team owned by Kobe Steel, and based in Kobe. They were the first ever Top League champions when the League started in the 2003-2004 season. The team rebranded as Kobelco Kobe Steelers ahead of ...

and Sene coached rugby union to children. In 2011 they returned to Ireland when George rejoined Connacht. Sene subsequently played for Galwegians where her coaches included George. In 2016 when George joined Harlequins, Sene played for Aylesford Bulls Ladies and then Harlequins Ladies. In July 2017 George retired as a professional rugby union player and took up a player/coaching role with

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...

. At the same time, Sene began playing for

Old Belvedere Old Belvedere R.F.C. is a senior Irish rugby union club based on Anglesea Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland. Old Belvedere was originally founded in 1918–19 by former pupils of Belvedere College. Old Belvedere enters senior men's teams in th ...

Provincial level

In New Zealand when she was at the

, Naoupu played for Otago Spirit in the Women's Provincial Championship. Her sister, Sini Fanene, also played for Otago Spirit. In Ireland, Naoupu has represented both Connacht and

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

in the IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series. She made her debut for Leinster on 3 December

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

against

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label=Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

Ireland international

Having lived in Ireland since 2009, Naoupu became eligible to represent the

Ireland women's national rugby union team The Ireland women's national rugby union team represents Ireland in international women's rugby union competitions such as the Women's Six Nations Championship and the Women's Rugby World Cup. They have also represented Ireland in the FIRA ...

. On 6 February 2015 she made her debut for Ireland in the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship against

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. On 27 November 2016 when she made her 14th appearance for Ireland against

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

, Naoupu was asked by head coach, Tom Tierney, to present the Ireland jerseys to her teammates. She also represented Ireland at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. Naoupu has also played for the

Ireland women's national rugby sevens team The Ireland women's national rugby sevens team participates in international competitions such as the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens, the Rugby Europe Women's Sevens and Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics. Unlike t ...

in the

World Rugby Women's Sevens Series The World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby sevens tournaments for women's national teams run by World Rugby. The inaugural series was held in 2012–13 as the successor to the IRB Women's Sevens Challenge Cup he ...

. In February 2017 Naoupu, together with Alison Miller and Hannah Tyrrell, was controversially withdrawn from Ireland's 2017 Women's Six Nations Championship squad in order to represent the Ireland Sevens in the 2017 USA Women's Sevens. This was because Ireland's Sevens were chasing a top eight finish in the

2016–17 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series The 2016–17 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series was the fifth edition of the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series (formerly the IRB Women's Sevens World Series), an annual series of tournaments organised by World Rugby for women's national teams ...

in order to qualify for the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens. In April 2017 Naoupu scored three tries as she helped Ireland win the Challenge Trophy at the

2017 Japan Women's Sevens The 2017 Japan Women's Sevens is the fourth tournament of the 2016–17 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series and the inaugural edition of the Japan Women's Sevens. It is scheduled for the 22–23 April 2017 at the Honjo Athletic Stadium in Kitakyus ...

. Naoupu has lined out for Ireland in the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Women's Six Nations and has scored 30 points. She had a serious health scare in early 2020. A routine scan on a neck injury she got in the Six Nations game against England found a tumour. She had surgery to remove it and had to work with a speech therapist to recover her vocal strengt

But the COVID-19 pandemic, Covid-enforced rescheduling of the second half of the 2020 Women's Six Nations meant she was back in time to start in Ireland's defeat of Italy in October. In October 2020 Naoupu became a member of World Rugby's Women’s Advisory Council.

Businesswomen

Naoupu is a lifestyle coach and fitness trainer. She has a company which partners with national governing bodies to facilitate player pathways and is an outspoken supporter of girls and women in sport. She is a board director for the national charity BodyWhys for those with eating disorders, something she suffered from herself in her '20s. In 2017 the Irish Times named her among Irelands' 30 Most Influential Women' and, in 2020, the Irish Examiner named her the 10th Most Influential Women in Irish Spor

Honours

; Ireland women's national rugby union team, Ireland * Women's Six Nations Championship **''Winners'':

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * T ...

**''Winners'':

; Ireland Sevens * Japan Women's Sevens Challenge Trophy **''Winners'':

;Individual *Rugby Writers of Ireland Women's Player of the Year **''Winners'': 2016

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naoupu, Sene Living people 1984 births New Zealand female rugby union players New Zealand female rugby sevens players Otago rugby union players North Otago rugby union players Rugby union players from Dunedin University of Otago alumni New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent Irish female rugby union players Ireland women's international rugby union players Ireland international women's rugby sevens players Galwegians RFC players Old Belvedere R.F.C. players Leinster Rugby women's players Connacht Rugby women's players Rugby union centres Rugby union fly-halves Irish women in business Irish people of New Zealand descent Irish people of Samoan descent Rugby union players' wives and girlfriends