From development squad to World Series: Teenager earns Black Ferns Sevens contract

At just 19 years old, Danii Mafoe is already living out a dream she never planned for, earning a full-time contract with the Black Ferns Sevens and stepping onto the world stage of elite rugby union.

Mafoe joined the Black Ferns Sevens squad ahead of the opening leg of the HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai last November, where she made her international debut after progressing through a development contract.

“I didn’t really have any expectations,” she says. “After training… they told me I’d be part of the 12 travelling to Dubai, Cape Town, and we’re also going to be offering you a full contract. I just stood there, honestly couldn’t believe it.”

Her rise has been swift. Mafoe has already represented New Zealand in secondary school sevens and was part of the NIB Auckland Blues side that claimed the 2025 Super Rugby Aupike title.

But her pathway into rugby was far from traditional. Coming from a rugby league-dominant family, Mafoe did not grow up playing sport. She only discovered her competitive edge later in her teenage years while attending Mount Albert Grammar School.

“I never took sports seriously until I obviously got a bit older and realised that maybe there could be potential… as a kid, I was just like ew, mud, and grass yuck. But I think what got me into Sevens specifically was MAGS. Coming from MAGS which is a big rugby school, I feel like that guided me towards sevens journey and Rugby journey."

Now preparing for the third leg of the World Series in Singapore this weekend, Mafoe credits her family, particularly her father and personal trainer, Ming Mafoe, for helping shape her transition smoothly into the high-performance environment.

“I feel like everything he taught me and all the times I’ve trained with him growing up have taught me a lot coming into high performance,” she says. “Like the fundamentals of lifting and running, it’s helped me a lot moving into these higher spaces where I feel like I’ve already gotten a head start in a way.”

Mafoe has been named in the 13-player Black Ferns Sevens squad for the Singapore tournament, which runs from 31 January to 1 February. New Zealand will open their campaign against Great Britain, while the New Zealand men face France.

The Singapore leg also features key match-ups for Oceania teams: the Fijiana take on Australia’s women, followed by Australia’s men facing Argentina, and Fiji’s men playing Great Britain.

For Mafoe, the focus remains on learning, growth, and making the most of an opportunity that arrived sooner than she ever imagined.

Still early in her career, the teenage forward is already proving she belongs on the world stage, and her journey with the Black Ferns Sevens is only just the beginning.

For more information on fixtures and results, click here.

Black Ferns Sevens squad: Forwards: Danii Mafoe, Jorja Miller, Alena Saili, Kelsey Teneti, Stacey Waaka, Olive Watherson. Backs: Maia Davis, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Jaymie Kolose, Mahina Paul, Risi Pouri-Lane, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Katelyn Vahaakolo.