Bailyn Sullivan

Bailyn Sullivan (born 3 September 1998) is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a midfield back or wing for Waikato in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship[1] and for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby.[2]

Bailyn Sullivan
Date of birth (1998-09-03) 3 September 1998
Place of birthNapier, New Zealand
Height187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight93 kg (205 lb; 14 st 9 lb)
SchoolKing's College
Napier Boys' High School
Notable relative(s)Zarn Sullivan (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Current team Waikato, Hurricanes
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017– Waikato 60 (90)
2018–2021 Chiefs 8 (5)
2022– Hurricanes 17 (30)
Correct as of 24 September 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018 New Zealand U20 5 (15)
2022 Māori All Blacks 2 (0)
2022 All Blacks XV 2 (5)
Correct as of 9 July 2023


Early career

Sullivan was born in Napier in Hawke's Bay, where he attended Napier Boys' High School for four years. He was first selected in the school's First XV team in 2013, as a Year 10 student, and played two years for the team.[2][3]

In 2015, he moved to Auckland to attend King's College for his final two years of secondary school.[4] He played for the school's First XV team, but unfortunately his second year in the team was cut short due to a season-ending knee injury that required surgery.

Sullivan moved to Hamilton after finishing high school, where the Chiefs – via their development team – helped him with his recovery from his knee injury. He played for Hamilton Marist in the Waikato club rugby competition.[5]

Senior career

Sullivan was – for the first time – named in the Waikato squad for the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup season.[6] He made his NPC debut for Waikato on 19 August 2017 against Taranaki, starting at centre.[7] He scored his first try for the province on 25 August 2017 against Counties Manukau.[5]

In 2018, Sullivan was a member of the Chiefs Taua Development squad and made his debut for the senior side – via the bench – in the Chiefs' game against the Sunwolves on 24 March 2018 in Tokyo.[8] Later that year, he was named in the Chiefs squad for the 2019 Super Rugby season.[9] He scored his first Super Rugby try for the Chiefs on 29 May 2021 against the Reds.[10]

In the three years that Sullivan was part of the Chiefs squad, he made 8 appearances for the franchise. On 6 September 2021, the Chiefs – via their social media – announced that they had released Sullivan.[11] That same day, the Hurricanes announced that he would join the franchise for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.[12]

2021 was a successful year for Sullivan with Waikato. The province won the 2021 Bunnings NPC Premiership title after beating Tasman 23 – 20 in the Final. Sullivan scored Waikato's two only tries in that game; both were intercept tries.[13] During the provincial union's end-of-season awards function, Sullivan was named the NPC Back of the Year.[14]

Sullivan made his Hurricanes debut – via the bench – on 19 February 2022 against the Crusaders and scored a try on debut.[15][16] He went on to make 12 appearances and score 5 tries for his new franchise during the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.

International career

After his first year at King's College, in 2015, Sullivan was named in the New Zealand Barbarians Schools' squad for a game against the New Zealand Secondary Schools team.[17] However, due to multiple injuries in the New Zealand Secondary Schools squad, he trained with and played for that team against New Zealand Barbarians Schools. He didn't travel with the New Zealand Secondary Schools team to Australia for that year's three-match international series.[18]

The following year, he missed out on a spot in the New Zealand Secondary Schools team due to the knee injury he suffered while playing for King's College.[19]

Sullivan was a member of the New Zealand Under-20 side that competed in the 2018 Oceania Rugby Under 20 Championship[20] and the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[21]

In June 2022, Sullivan – who is of Ngāti Kahungunu descent – was named in the Māori All Blacks squad to take on Ireland during their 2022 tour of New Zealand.[22] He made his debut for the side on 29 June 2022, when the Māori All Blacks beat Ireland 32–17 in Hamilton.[23][24]

On 10 October 2022, Sullivan was named in the All Blacks XV squad for two matches against Ireland A and the Barbarians during their Northern Tour.[25] He made his debut for the side – via the bench – on 13 November 2022 against the Barbarians[26] and scored a try on debut.[27]

Career honours

Waikato

Reference list
  1. "2023 Waikato National Provincial Championship Squad Announced". Waikato Rugby (Press release). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. "Bailyn Sullivan Hurricanes Player Profile". Hurricanes. 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  3. "Napier have a new coach and all the confidence a change of face brings". NZ Rugby World. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  4. "Bailyn Sullivan ready to take game to new level". Te Ao Māori News. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  5. "'Schoolboy star' Bailyn Sullivan finding his feet with Waikato after horror knee injury". Stuff New Zealand. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  6. "2017 Waikato Squad". Waikato Rugby Union. 2017. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  7. "This Week's Team". Waikato Rugby Union. 17 August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  8. "Gallagher Chiefs team named to take on Sunwolves in first-ever Tokyo clash". Chiefs (Press release). 22 March 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  9. "2019 Gallagher Chiefs squad announced". Chiefs (Press release). 30 October 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  10. "Reds withstand dramatic late Chiefs fightback to pick up first win". SANZAAR. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  11. @chiefsrugby (6 September 2021). "The Gallagher Chiefs have released Bailyn Sullivan ahead of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. We wish Bailyn all the best, go well!". Retrieved 8 June 2022 – via Instagram.
  12. "Bailyn Sullivan signs with the Hurricanes for 2022". Hurricanes (Press release). 6 September 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  13. "Match Report NPC: Waikato 23 Tasman 20 Bunnings NPC Premiership Final". Waikato Rugby Union. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  14. "Gallagher 2021 Waikato Rugby Awards Evening". Waikato Rugby Union. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  15. "Hurricanes team named for highly anticipated rd1 clash against the Crusaders". Hurricanes (Press release). 17 February 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  16. "Match centre: Crusaders v Hurricanes". SANZAAR. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  17. "NZ Schools and Barbarians Schools teams named for international games". Te Ao Māori News. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  18. "NZ Schools and Barbarians Schools teams named". allblacks.com (Press release). 18 September 2015. Archived from the original on 10 September 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  19. "New Zealand Schools 2016 squad announced". allblacks.com (Press release). 6 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  20. "Under 20 squad named for Oceania Rugby Championship" (Press release). All Blacks. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  21. "New Zealand Under 20 squad named for World Rugby Championship" (Press release). All Blacks. 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  22. "Māori All Blacks squad named for two-match Ireland series". allblacks.com (Press release). 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  23. "Māori All Blacks team named to play Ireland in Hamilton". allblacks.com (Press release). 27 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  24. "Strong first half propels Māori All Blacks to victory". allblacks.com (Press release). 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  25. "Patrick Tuipulotu to lead All Blacks XV on Northern Tour". allblacks.com (Press release). 10 October 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  26. "All Blacks XV team named for clash with Barbarians". allblacks.com (Press release). 11 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  27. "All Blacks XV fall short against the Barbarians". allblacks.com (Press release). 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
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