Sharni Smale Biography: Parents, Height, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Awards, Team, Stats, Boyfriend  

Sharni Maree Smale, also known as Sharni Smale, is a trailblazing Australian rugby union and sevens icon with an openly lesbian identity, revered for her unyielding leadership and contributions to women’s rugby, including co-captaining the inaugural Olympic gold in 2016 while donning rainbow headgear as a beacon for LGBTQ+ visibility.

Sharni Smale
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Sharni Maree Smale
Stage Name:	Sharni Smale
Born:	March 2, 1988 (age 38 years old)
Place of Birth:	Batlow, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality:	Australian
Height:	165 cm
Religion:	Christianity
Parents:	Mr. and Mrs. Williams
Spouse:	Mel Smale
Relationship:	Married
Occupation:	Rugby Union Player, Rugby Sevens Player, Rugby League Player
Net Worth:	$500,000 to $1 Million

Early Life And Education

Sharni Maree Smale, née Williams, was born on March 2, 1988, in Batlow, New South Wales, Australia, under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Williams, amid the pastoral expanse of a small rural town.

Scholastic details remain undisclosed, supplanted by vocational training as a qualified motor mechanic—undertaken with Toyota and NRMA—prioritizing hands-on proficiency over formal academia. However, she navigated early sports via local hockey before rugby’s gravitational pull at age 20 eclipsed prior pursuits.

Career

Smale’s odyssey commenced at 20 with the ACT Brumbies and Canberra Royals (2008–2012), debuting for the Wallaroos against New Zealand in 2008 and scoring prolifically at the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup, yielding bronze.

Transitioning to sevens in 2011, she anchored every Women’s Sevens World Series leg from 2012, co-captaining Australia’s inaugural Olympic gold at Rio 2016 post-injury.

Returning to 15s for the 2017 World Cup (fifth place) and 2022 edition, she amassed accolades across formats.

In sevens, triumphs encompass the 2022 World Series, Commonwealth Games gold (2022), and Sevens World Cup (2022, player of the match).

Post-Paris 2024 retirement from sevens, she pivoted to NRLW with Cronulla Sharks in August 2024, debuting as a versatile centre/lock amid the league’s ascent, while eyeing the 2025 15s World Cup.

Awards & Nominations

• Olympic Gold Medal, Rugby Sevens (Rio 2016)
• Commonwealth Games Gold Medal, Rugby Sevens (Birmingham 2022)
• Rugby Sevens World Cup Winner (Cape Town 2022); Player of the Match, Final
• World Rugby Sevens Series Champion (2022)
• Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM, 2017), Services to Sport
• Australian Women’s Rugby Player of the Year (2010)
• ACT Rugby Rookie of the Year (2008)
• LGBTQ Out Role Model Award, Pride in Sport Awards (2023)
• World Series Dream Team Nomination (Los Angeles 2024)

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @sharni2388
• Facebook: Sharni Williams

Personal Life

Sharni Smale cherishes matrimony with Mel Smale, solemnized in February 2023 after a 2015 encounter in Mackay, Queensland, with Mel—of Kiwi descent—serving as steadfast confidante through triumphs and tribulations, including Rio’s injury-riddled prelude.

Her 165 cm frame embodies gladiatorial tenacity, complemented by post-retirement aspirations in community enterprise and family reclamation in Batlow.

Net Worth

Sharni Smale’s affluence, estimated at $500,000 to $1 million in 2025, derives from Rugby Australia and NRLW stipends—averaging AUD $100,000 annually—Olympic/Commonwealth bonuses, endorsements via apparel brands, and mechanic adjuncts, reflective of her pioneering odyssey in women’s sport.

Filmography

• Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Self, Rugby Sevens, 2016)
• Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Self, Rugby Sevens, 2021)
• Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Self, Rugby Sevens, 2024)
• Women’s Rugby World Cup (Self, 2010, 2017, 2022)
• NRLW Highlights (Self, Cronulla Sharks, 2024–present)

What People Ask