MARK TELE’A

Position
Wing

Blues debut
2020 v Chiefs

Blues caps
67

Blues points
175

Born
06/12/96

Height
185cm

Weight
98kg

Mark Tele’a hails from West Auckland, rising to prominence out of Massey Rugby Club, who have produced notable Blues players Rudi Wolf, Anthony Tuitavake, Viliami Ma’afu and Gerard Cowley-Tuioti.  

Tele’a made his provincial debut for North Harbour in 2016 against Counties Manukau before switching to the Tasman Mako for the 2020 season. 

Mark’s debut season at the Blues in 2020 saw a meteoric rise in the public consciousness, beating defenders and breaking tackles seemingly at will. Touted as a bolter to play representative rugby at season’s end, Covid-19 popped up to put a halt to Mark’s outstanding debut season. 

Not to be dissuaded, Tele’a continued his fine scoring form in Super Rugby Aotearoa and was selected in the ‘North’ squad in the revived ‘North v South’ clash. 

Following on from a championship winning Mitre 10 Cup campaign with the Tasman Mako in 2020, Mark returned to the Blues squad in 2021 well and truly on the radar of opposition defences. 

He once again proved a handful during our 2021 campaign. With opposition no longer caught unawares by his uncanny footwork, he developed a skilful kicking game and safe pair of hands under the high-ball. His willingness to do the mahi, saw him cement his place on the wing for the Blues during Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, scoring valuable tries throughout, including the first try of the Grand-Final. 

2022 was another strong season for the evasive wing both for the Blues and for North Harbour, his ability to find the line in tight spots a feature of his game. He was rewarded with selection in the All Blacks XV team for an end of year tour, coached by Leon MacDonald.  

It’s fair to say 2023 was the year when Mark Tele’a truly announced himself on the world stage. A dominant Super Rugby Pacific campaign as the Blues top try scorer saw him selected in the All Blacks where he continued to evade defences and finish strongly. He went on to play a major part in the RWC campaign in France and was rewarded by being named World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year to go alongside his Blues Player of the Year gong in 2023.  

Tele’a didn’t slow down in the Blues 2024 championship season. He scored nine tries and led the team in the carries and defenders beaten stat lines. Alongside fellow wing Caleb Clarke, Tele’a was instrumental in getting the team on the front foot, buying into the team’s forward dominated game plan and carrying close to the ruck and often in high traffic areas. Off the back of a successful 2024 Super season, Tele’a was once again rewarded with All Blacks selection and it appears the sky is the limit for the slippery wing known as ‘Mamba’. 

Mark is contracted with the Blues through until the end of the 2025 season.