Franklin Pele Poutasi (born 18 December 2000) is a New Zealand professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

and

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

footballer who plays as a for

RC Narbonne Racing Club de Narbonne Méditerannée (also known as RCNM) is a French rugby union club that play in the third-level Nationale. They are based in Narbonne in the Aude '' département'' of Occitania. They were founded in 1907. They play at P ...

in the

Championnat Fédéral Nationale The Championnat Fédéral Nationale, also known simply as the Nationale, is the third tier of rugby union club competition division in France. Introduced in 2020, it is operated by the French Rugby Federation (FFR). Season structure There is r ...

. He previously played for the

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the Sutherland Shire of Southern Sydney, Southern Sydney, New South Wales. Cronulla compete in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australasia's premier rugb ...

in the

NRL The National Rugby League (also known as the NRL Telstra Premiership for sponsorship reasons) is a professional rugby league competition in Oceania which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria (state), Victoria, the Austral ...

and for

Hull F.C. Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull F.C., is a professional rugby league club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Hull play their home games at the MKM Stadium and compete in Super League, the ...

in the

Super League Super League (also known as the Betfred Super League for sponsorship reasons, and legally Super League Europe Ltd.) is a professional rugby league competition, and the highest level of the British rugby league system, which consists of twelve t ...

Background

Pele was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and is of Samoan and American Samoan descent. When Franklin was the age of seven, his family moved from South Auckland to settle in Sydney, Australia. He played junior rugby league for the Otahuhu Leopards in Auckland, and St Patrick's Sutherland and the Gymea Gorillas in Sydney. He attended Endeavour Sports High School and played for the Australian Schoolboys in 2018.

Playing career

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

In round 12 of the 2021 NRL season, Pele made his debut for Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Cronulla-Sutherland against the Gold Coast Titans, Gold Coast. He was later sidelined for 9–12 weeks after undergoing surgery for an injury sustained in a reserve grade game, effectively ending his debut season.

Canterbury Bulldogs

In 2023, Pele joined Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Canterbury. He made his club debut in round 1 of the 2023 NRL season against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Manly at Brookvale Oval. Pele made a total of six appearances for the club. On 6 September 2023, Pele signed a two-year deal with English side Hull FC.

Hull F.C.

In round 1 of the 2024 Super League season, Pele made his club debut for Hull F.C. against arch-rivals Hull Kingston Rovers but was sent off in the 39th minute for a deliberate high tackle. On 20 February 2024, Pele was suspended for three matches in relation to the tackle and fined £750. In round 5 of the 2024 Super League season, Pele was given a yellow card for a dangerous high tackle during the Hull's 54-4 defeat against Leigh Leopards, Leigh. Pele was later suspended for one game. In round 7 of the season, Pele scored his first try for Hull in their 56–22 loss to Huddersfield.

York Knights (loan)

On 16 May 2024 it was reported that he had signed for York Knights, York RLFC in the RFL Championship on a two-week loan. York won both matches during his loan period and Pele scored a try in the match against Swinton Lions.

Bradford Bulls

On 19 June 2024, it was reported that he had signed for Bradford Bulls, Bradford in the RFL Championship for the remainder of the 2024 season after being released by

. On 10 May 2025, it was reported that he had left Bradford Bulls to join a, as yet unnamed, 3rd tier French rugby union club, leaving Bradford considering whether to launch legal action against the contracted player.

RC Narbonne

On 13 June 2025 it was announced that he would switch codes to play

for French side

Statistics

NRL/Super League

: ''Statistics are correct as of the middle of the 2025 season''

References

External links

Hull FC profileCronulla Sharks profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pele, Franklin 2000 births Living people 21st-century New Zealand sportsmen Bradford Bulls players Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players Hull F.C. players New Zealand rugby league players New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand emigrants to Australia New Zealand people of American Samoan descent New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent RC Narbonne players Rugby league players from Auckland Rugby league props Rugby union players from Auckland York Knights players