Manaia Nuku

Manaia Nuku is a New Zealand rugby sevens player.

Nuku attended Hamilton Girls' High School and made her debut for Waikato in the Farah Palmer Cup in 2020. She was given a full-time rugby sevens contract with the Black Ferns Sevens in 2021.

Nuku played for the Black Ferns Pango team at the 2022 Oceania Sevens at Pukekohe. She was named as a non-travelling reserve for the Black Ferns Sevens squad for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Nuku expanded her international playing career in 2023 when she signed with the New York Locals of Premier Rugby Sevens.

2023 Premier Rugby Sevens
In May of 2023, Nuku announced that she was going to play in the United States of America for Premier Rugby Sevens. Nuku signed with the New York Locals, playing alongside Black Ferns teammates Stacey Waaka and Tenika Willison.

Nuku fit in with the Locals right off the bat, totaling 14 points, two trys, 4 ball carries, and three tackles in the first tournament of the season. Nuku aided the team to a 1-1 finish at the Eastern Conference Kickoff at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Tx., topping the Texas Team, 31-17 and then falling to the Southern Headliners, 21-12 in the tournament final.

The Locals and Nuku found similar results in the Eastern Conference Finals at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. ending 1-1. The Locals defeated the Pittsburgh Steeltoes, 22-14 to then fall to the Headliners once again in the final. At the Eastern Conference Finals, Nuku tallied two trys, 12 points, three carries, six tackles, and one steal.

New York advanced to the Premier Rugby Sevens Championship at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. where Nuku and the Locals finally got revenge over the Headliners. The Locals defeated the Headliners 17-14, advancing to the Championship match. The Locals ended the season taking second place after falling, 21-10 to the Northern Loonies in the title game. At the Championship Tournament, Nuku ended with one try, seven points, four carries, eight tackles, and one steal.

Nuku ended her first PR7s season with 33 points, five trys, 17 tackles, 11 carries, and two steals. At the end of the year, Nuku was named the 2023 Premier Rugby Sevens Defensive Player of the Year.

On 20 June 2024 it was announced that she had been selected as a member of the New Zealand Women’s Rugby Sevens team for the Paris Olympics.