Aquinas rugby star Grace Kahle is making a splash on the world stage, winning selection to a Women’s World Barbarian team and currently playing rugby in Hong Kong.

After a stellar 2022 season, Grace is on a four-month rugby contract in Hong Kong where she is playing for the Kowloon Rugby Football Club’s Premier Women’s team.

She’s just been offered another contract by Kowloon for the 2023/24 season and will take to the field for an invitational Barbarian side of international players based in Hong Kong. They will play the Hong Kong Women’s team on April 15.

It’s been a rapid ascent for the teenager who last season went from club rugby to the Volcanix side to the NZ Māori U18 Ngā Mareikura Women’s rugby team.

Grace was offered the Hong Kong contract when a Kowloon Rugby Club contact saw her play for a Waikato Women’s invitational team celebrating the Waikato vs South Africa centenary in November.

Although the youngest in the team, she has adapted to the lifestyle and culture well and has been coaching netball, rugby and touch as well as working part-time as a teacher aide and helping run an after-school programme. She’s loving the overseas experience.

The style of rugby is different to NZ though — faster and less physical and played on turf, not grass. This has required her to adapt her tackling and physical style of play to reduce the number of turf burns during games.

An incredible opportunity Grace! Your Aquinas whānau wishes you all the best.