Draft:Paulo Tauiliili-Pelesasa

Paulo Tauiliili-Pelesasa (born 2005-02-08) is an Australian rugby union player who plays as a lock or number 8 for Section Paloise in the Top 14 competition. He made his EPCR Challenge Cup debut with his club on 14 January 2024.

Early career
Paulo Tauiliili-Pelesasa is an Australian rugby union player specializing in the lock position. Born on 2005-02-08, he stands at an height of 1.96m.

Tauiliili-Pelesasa began his rugby journey at Trinity Grammar School in New South Wales. In 2019, he earned a spot on the U15 Gen Blue squad at the Waratahs, marking a pivotal moment in his rugby union journey. This opportunity granted him access to elite coaching, exposure to higher levels of competition, and a clear pathway for advancement in the sport.

Professional Career
In 2022, he signed a contract with Section Paloise, a renowned rugby club based in Pau, France, and joined them for the latter part of the 2021–22 season in the Top 14 league.

In January 2024, during the 2023–24 season, Paulo Tauiliili-Pelesasa made his professional debut for Section Paloise in an EPCR Challenge Cup pool match against the Cheetahs in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Initially, he entered the game as a substitute for another talented player from the club's academy, Mehdi Tlili, a French U20 international. Later on, he earned his first start in a match against Zebre at stade du Hameau, marking a significant step forward in his professional rugby career.

At the end of the 2023–24 Top 14 season, manager Sébastien Piqueronies confirmed that Tauiliili-Pelesasa is among the five young talents from the academy who will be integrated full-time into the professional team. The others include Mehdi Tlili (flanker), Hugo Parrou (prop), Fabien Brau-Boirie (center), and Grégoire Arfeuil (winger).

Personal life
Paulo Tauiliili-Pelesasa was born in Australia and moved to Pau, France in 2022.