Super Rugby Aupiki: Chiefs Manawa welcome Grace Steinmetz

Canterbury's Grace Steinmetz will join the Chiefs Manawa. Photo / Photosport

Black Fern #222 and uncapped Kihikihi Rugby Sports Club rep Grace Steinmetz, 25, has signed with the Chiefs Manawa for the 2024 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki season.

“Stacking the roster. Welcome to the whānau, Grace,” read a post on the Gallagher Chiefs’ Facebook page.

A niece of former All Black Paul Steinmetz, the Paraparaumu-born outside back was due to make her Kihikihi debut during Waikato Club Rugby this year but withdrew due to injury.

A 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki champion with Matatū, Steinmetz will join her fiance Rameka Poihipi in Chiefs colours next season. Both represent Canterbury at the provincial level.

Steinmetz has played 25 times for Canterbury since 2018, scoring 16 tries.

She has scored two tries in her six Super Rugby Aupiki appearances for Matatū over 2022-2023, now has two tests and a tour match under her belt since her 2020 Black Ferns debut and has also spent time with the Wellington and Black Ferns Sevens sides.

In 2020, Steinmetz spent six months living in Japan and played rugby sevens fulltime before becoming stuck due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She is also a lawyer, having studied Law and Commerce at the University of Canterbury.

This announcement comes three days after the Chiefs Manawa announced the signing of Black Ferns and Counties Manukau Heat winger Ruby Tui for 2024.

Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined the Te Awamutu Courier and NZME in 2020.

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