Abigail Paton is soaring.
The nuggety Otago halfback has spread her wings this season after getting the call-up to play for the United States during the recent Pacific Four series campaign.
She was a bundle of energy off the bench in the Eagles’ opening two tests and started against Canada at the weekend.
Paton is a proud East Otago girl, having grown up on the family farm in Green Valley, near Palmerston, but was actually born in Fort Collins, Colorado, the home town of her mother, Traci.
Her mother did an exchange at Lincoln University — coincidentally where Paton now studies and trains most weeks — where she met her husband, Paul, who comes from East Otago.
They headed to the United States, where they worked at Harvest Farm, an agricultural drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, before returning home to run the family farm on the Pigroot and raise their children.
Paton and her three siblings, Hannah, Luke and Samuel, attended East Otago High School, where they were all head prefects and were awarded Otago Daily Times Class Act awards.
The Paton clan went on holiday to Colorado in December 2025, where the halfback met United States assistant coach Sarah Chabot, who was looking for people to train with in Denver.
Chabot then invited Paton to a domestic camp in January, and she met United States head coach Jack Hanratty.
Before the camp, Paton had no idea she would soon be pulling on the Eagles jersey, thinking it was purely a long-term option if things did not work out in New Zealand.
“I was like, man, I’m 90% sure I probably won’t end up playing for the States,” Paton said.
“But I went over to the domestic camp … and there were these awesome coaches, and these awesome girls, and I was like, actually there’s something here that maybe I want to be a part of.
“Obviously that was January and it’s only April, so it’s all happened pretty quick, to be fair.”
Faith also played a big part in Paton’s decision.
“To lots of people that I talked to it didn’t seem logical that at the beginning of my career I chose to go over to the US.
“I’ve been on the pathway and the trajectory to be part of the Black Ferns, so it was all to do with this is where God wanted me to be and go.
“Faith has definitely directed my rugby journey in a lot of ways.”
Debuting against the Black Ferns was a surreal moment for the 20-year-old.
Ahead of her first test, Paton’s younger brother pulled together a video of “some people who are really special in my life”, including her first rugby coach and former teacher, Johnny Herewini, doing a haka for her.
“It brought me to tears. Just because I felt so much love from that,” Paton said.
Any pre-game nerves were quickly dispelled after sharing a laugh and a hug with many of her Matutū and New Zealand under-20 team-mates, including Laura Bayfield, Hannah King and Justine McGregor, in the tunnel.
“It wasn’t necessarily daunting — it was just exciting.”
While she mentally prepared ahead of the national anthems, Paton could not help herself and sang both.
“I know that I’m playing for the States, but I also know that there are so many people in New Zealand who have grown me into being the athlete and person that I am, so I was proud to sing both.
“Even thought I’m 100% for this team, I totally acknowledged that I wouldn’t be the player I am without the people that bought into me from New Zealand.”
The US finished third in the Pacific Four series after a win over the Wallaroos and losses to the Black Ferns and Canada.
They were entering a new era under Hanratty, who wanted to play a different style from what the Eagles were used to, Paton said.
“It makes me excited. It’s a very fast game of rugby.
“It’s a very free-flowing, expressive, dynamic game — and I love to play fast. I love having a licence to use all the skills in the toolbox.
“I think that’s a little bit of what I offer … so I think I’ve really lined up with what Jack is trying to do.”
Thanks to the innovative heads of Otago Spirit head coach Matt Direen and assistant Marty Hurring, Paton has not found the transition too difficult.
“When I chose to come home to the Otago Spirit, Doors [Direen] and Marty love a fast game,” Paton said.
“That style of rugby is very similar to what the USA are trying to play. It’s just a couple of [steps] up.
“It kind of felt like everything slotted into place to just build up that style of rugby.”
Paton, who previously played for Canterbury in 2024, returns to New Zealand this week as she prepares for the Super Rugby Aupiki preseason.
She hopes to get some game time for Matutū, where Otago and Black Ferns halfback Maia Joseph has held the No 9 jersey.
“Even if I don’t, it’s a great team environment,” Paton said.
“I love the team and I know it’ll grow me … and I’d love to offer whatever I can to that group.”
Paton, who was named Spirit back of the year in 2025, said she felt “ripped off” when the Spirit were denied promotion after winning the Farah Palmer Cup Championship last year.
She was unsure if she could play for the Spirit this year as the United States had a WXV window during that campaign.
“I do love the team down there. I kind of have to see where everything is at the end of the rugby season.
“Definitely a big part of my heart is down there in Otago, for sure.”