Rugby is a sport where family connections run deep.
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From fathers and mothers passing on their knowledge in the back garden, in the hopes to see their children following them into the professional game, there is something uniquely compelling about seeing the next generation pick up where their parents left off.
But inheriting a famous surname does not always guarantee success. The players on this list are beginning to make names for themselves, whether that is on the international stage, in Premiership Women’s Rugby, through age-grade rugby or by establishing themselves in some of the world’s leading domestic competitions.
There are World Cup winners, international prospects and teenagers who could have very bright futures ahead of them. Whilst some have followed fathers who were household names in the men’s game, others come from families with multiple Test caps.
From the daughter of All Blacks cult hero Jerry Collins to that of former England, Samoa, Ireland and Tonga internationals, these are 10 daughters of famous rugby players who are making waves in their own right.
10 Daughters of Famous Rugby Players Making Waves in their Own Careers
10. ELLA BUCKLEY
Daughter of former Ireland and Munster prop Tony Buckley
Ella Buckley is following in the footsteps of her father Tony, the former Ireland and Munster prop, and has begun making her own impression in the Irish women’s game. A product of the Irish age-grade pathway, Buckley has represented Ireland at Under-18 level and remains part of the country’s development system.
In 2026, she was named in Ireland’s Under-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival squad, having already represented the side at the same level the previous year. Her father’s career took him from Connacht and Munster to Saracens, while Ella is forging a very different path as the women’s game continues to professionalise upon the Emerald Isle.
For a player carrying a rugby surname with considerable Irish pedigree, the challenge is to ensure that her performances ultimately do the talking. At this stage of her career, Buckley remains one to watch, but her progression through Ireland’s development system makes her an intriguing name for the future.
DID YOU KNOW? Ella’s rugby story can be traced back to Kanturk Rugby Club in County Cork which was founded in 1927.
9. HAINEALA LUTUI
Daughter of former Tonga captain Aleki Lutui
Haineala Lutui has wasted little time establishing herself as one of the most exciting young forwards in Premiership Women’s Rugby. The Loughborough Lightning No.8 enjoyed a remarkable first season, making such an impact that she was called into the Red Roses’ first training camp of 2026. She subsequently made her senior England debut against Ireland in the opening round of the 2026 Women’s Six Nations.
There is plenty of rugby pedigree behind her, too. Her father Aleki Lutui was a long-serving Tonga international and captain who enjoyed a lengthy professional career in England. Lutui captained Tonga during the 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign and had previously captained the side against Fiji in 2004.
Lutui has spoken about her father’s influence on her rugby, with the former Tonga hooker providing guidance as she developed her own game. At just 19, she has already progressed from England age-grade rugby to the senior international stage.
DID YOU KNOW? Lutui was named Premiership Women’s Rugby Breakthrough Player of the 2025/26 Season for her incredible form with Loughborough Lightning.
8. KEIRA SNYMAN
Daughter of former Springbok André Snyman
Keira Snyman has inherited an impressive rugby pedigree from her father, former Springbok centre André Snyman. The 18-year-old has grown up in Denver, Colorado, but made the decision to pursue her South African rugby heritage in 2026. She was selected for the Junior Springbok Women and featured on the wing against the USA Under-20 side in Stellenbosch in July.
Her father won 38 Tests for South Africa and scored 10 international tries, establishing himself as a respected centre during the 1990s. Keira’s story is particularly interesting because she is now exploring a South African pathway despite being raised in the United States. She is still at the beginning of her journey, but the decision to follow in her father’s footsteps has already taken her onto an international age-grade stage.
DID YOU KNOW? Kiera Snyman is a versatile back-line player. She is equally dependable at her father’s former position in the centres, whilst also proving herself as a lethal winger.
7. MAKARITA BALEINADOGO
Daughter of former Fiji international Dan Baleinadogo
Makarita Baleinadogo has another one of the more interesting rugby journeys on this list. Born in Fiji, she moved to France in 2010 and began playing rugby at AS Mâcon, where her father Daniele had played. She subsequently developed through CS Annonay and FC Grenoble before joining Stade Bordelais in 2024.
That progression has taken her all the way to the French national team. Baleinadogo was called into France’s 2025 Rugby World Cup squad as a late replacement and made her Test debut in the 84-5 hammering against Brazil during the pool stage. She was also part of Stade Bordelais’ championship-winning side in 2025.
Her story is a fascinating example of how rugby’s increasingly global nature can shape sporting families. Her father’s Fiji connection and her own development in France have combined to produce a player capable of representing one of Europe’s leading women’s rugby nations.
DID YOU KNOW? Makarita was first called up to the French squad to help in preparation the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where she was apart of the training group. She has since become the first Fijian-born French women’s international.
