Georgia Broughton in action for Mount Maunganui. Photo / Rick Moran
Siblings will be representing the Bay of Plenty in men’s and women’s rugby for what is believed to be the first time this NPC season.
Georgia Broughton was named in the 2025 Bay of Plenty Volcanix squad last month, joining her younger brother Nikora in the blue and yellow.
Nikora has been part of the Steamers set-up since 2021 and has also played for the Highlanders. He has one Māori All Blacks appearance to his name.
“We are both loosies so there’s a bit of competition between us,” said Georgia, a teacher aide at Te Puke Intermediate School.
She is in her second season back in the game after a three-year break.
In 2024, she turned out for the newly formed Te Puke Sports women’s team but transferred her allegiance to the Mount Marlins in 2025.
She was brought up playing the game in Wellington but didn’t play for three years after moving to the Bay of Plenty after a knee injury.
Georgia said she decided to give the game another go socially with Te Puke Sports.
“I loved it and then decided, ‘no, I actually want to have a real crack at this this year and win’,” she said.
The move to the Mount didn’t bring club success.
The Marlins dipped out of the Baywide competition at the semifinal stage to eventual champions Rangatua, a team that featured fellow Volcanix debutant Te Puke High School student Taylor Kingi.
While Taylor was at Te Puke Intermediate School, she was a member of the Te Puke girls’ Tai Mitchell side managed by Georgia.
“It was really cool to get to play against her a couple of times [in the Baywide competition] after managing her when she was at intermediate,” said Georgia.
Georgia was playing rugby at the earliest possible age at Marist St Pats in Wellington, the club she would eventually represent in open-age rugby.
“I remember being the only girl in my team and hating it just because I wanted another girl. It’s really cool to see that some clubs have a full girls’ team now.
“I think it would have been so different growing up with a bunch of girls in my team.”
Her first experience in an all-girls team was playing sevens for Wellington East Girls’ College.
Although she set out to play rugby seriously in 2025, she had no ambitions to play at provincial level.
“I just wanted to go in and enjoy rugby and maybe win something this year.
“But after hurting my knee and taking a break, I was really worried that I wouldn’t like it – for anyone who’s had a serious injury, it’s so difficult to return and also to get back to a level where you feel confident and then enjoy the sport.
“That was probably my priority at the start and I did really enjoy it.”
Coach Zar Lawrence suggested she put her hand up for Volcanix selection if she was keen.
“I thought, ‘oh, I don’t know’, but I’m grateful to be in that environment now.”
It was Volcanix’ forwards coach Marty Stevenson who called her to let her know she had been selected for the squad.
“During the season at the club, we had a couple of injuries in the backs so I’d been playing the majority of the season in the backs, and I was a bit worried that they couldn’t see me in the forwards, so it was a surprise when I got the call,” said Georgia.
“It felt pretty good, exciting, but I was nervous because now I feel there’s a bit more pressure on me – especially with my brother already being in the team, in that environment, for a couple of years.”
The Volcanix play their first Farah Palmer Cup game today away to Counties Manukau, with the first home game against Manawatū part of a double-header with the Steamers playing Canterbury at Tauranga Domain on August 16.
There will be a second double-header at the same venue on September 13 with both teams taking on Hawke’s Bay.
Georgia said she was unsure about how much game time she would get.
“No matter what, if I start, if I bench or don’t get named, I’m just grateful to be in this environment to soak up anything from anyone else.”
She said the squad was made up of a mixture ranging from young players through to Black Ferns.
“Anything I can learn to better myself is just an awesome opportunity for me, but first and foremost I want to enjoy it and just have fun and not put pressure on myself to do anything, but I do want to play my hardest and if anything comes from that, that would be amazing.”