Paenga-Morgan was born in
Hamilton and first attended
Gisborne Boys' High School before attending
St Paul's Collegiate School, where he earned selection for the Chiefs junior sides. At school, he was a successful paddler, winning gold in the W1 paddling. After representing the Chiefs at junior level, he moved to represent the Crusaders at U20 level in 2023. He represented the New Zealand Heartland XV in 2024. ==Professional career==