Ruby Tui ‘amping’ for Aupiki return, but weighing up World Cup defence
Saturday, 2 March 2024
Ruby Tui returns to Super Rugby Aupiki, after commentating on the competition last year.
Her Chiefs Manawa side kick off the season against the Hurricanes Poua in Hamilton on Saturday.
She is undecided on whether she wants to be part of next year’s Black Ferns World Cup defence.
Super Rugby Aupiki, Rd 1: Chiefs Manawa v Hurricanes Poua. Where: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton. When: Saturday, 2.05pm. Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, live updates on Stuff from 1.50pm.
Ruby Tui is “absolutely amping” for her Super Rugby Aupiki return, but the superstar Black Ferns winger is undecided on whether she wants to be part of next year’s World Cup defence.
The 31-year-old will line up for the Chiefs Manawa in Saturday’s competition opener against the Hurricanes Poua in Hamilton on Saturday, having spent last season commentating on the competition for Sky TV.
That came during a break from the sport following the momentous 2022 home World Cup win as Tui decided on her future, in what turned out to be drawn-out negotiations with New Zealand Rugby.
Having last April re-signed with the national body for two years, through till the end of 2024, starting with a sabbatical playing sevens in the United States, Tui was back in the black jersey in October in the WXV1 competition.
The former Black Ferns Sevens rep is in line to add to her 13 tests this year, but beyond that − most notably the World Cup in England next August-September − remains up in the air.
“I haven’t let that take up too much space in my mind, especially during this Super campaign, I really want to do a good job here,” she told Stuff, when asked of a potential re-signing for 2025.
“I talk to Bunts [Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting] regularly, and we’ve still got management to finalise, we haven’t even got that all sorted, so I’ll just see how this year goes and make sure the girls are all good and Bunts is all good.
“They [NZR] really were pushing for me to continue on for bloody years and years, but I don’t work like that. I just need to make sure I’m happy, make sure I’m performing with purpose, and giving the team my best. So those conversations will happen when they come.”
In the meantime, the return of Tui − one of the most recognisable, and marketable, figures in the world game − to Aupiki will be a major shot in the arm for a competition which has semi-expanded (now double round robin) this year, though still carries concerns about its sustainability.
“No competition’s perfect,” Tui noted. “You can ask a couple of the boys about Super Pacific, there’s always things we can learn and grow from, I just take that attitude into everything.”
Indeed, that ‘learning’ and ‘growth’ is what drives an already highly-driven woman.
It’s what inspired her to team for several months with conditioning coach Sunz Singh − a man who has trained the likes of Quade Cooper and Sonny Bill Williams, as well as UFC athletes Israel Adesanya and Kai Kara-France, and who is now fulltime with the All Whites.
“When you come off contract you kind of have the freedom to do whatever kind of training you want to do,” Tui said.
“When you’re in a team you’ve kind of got to cover all bases, but I kind of had the freedom to go, ‘Don’t want to do that, don’t want to do that, I just want to smash this and this’. It was a really cool feeling.”
With specifics around her speed the major work-on, Tui is now out to tear it up with the Manawa, having been behind the microphone for the last campaign, which ended in heartbreak in a last-gasp home final defeat to Matatū.
“Oh it’s definitely easier playing [as opposed to commentating],” she declared. “Because if you’re the one who mucks it up [you can make amends], whereas if you’re watching… it was really tough.”
Tui, who got a full 80 minutes under her belt − 40 on each wing − in last Friday’s 50-24 pre-season win over the Blues, said revenge hadn’t been a motivator for the team this season. Instead, it was about embracing the enjoyment factor, under second-year coach Crystal Kaua, who has this year former Chiefs men’s and women’s reps Dwayne Sweeney (attack) and Carla Hohepa (mostly defence) on as assistants.
“Our focus is just to try something new, have fun and have the courage to kind of just play what’s in front, which is really exciting.
“It might sound like what every team does, but the reality’s not like that, some teams are really tight on structure. But Sweens has just given us a really cool licence, and I think that’s what’s excited me the most.
“I’m just absolutely amping to get out there and have some fun and express ourselves.”
Chiefs Manawa: Renee Holmes, Mererangi Paul, Azalleyah Maaka, Grace Steinmetz, Ruby Tui, Chelsea Semple, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Seina Saito, Keendy Simon (capt), Mia Anderson, Chelsea Bremner, Charmaine Smith, Tanya Kalounivale, Luka Connor, Kate Henwood. Reserves: Victoria Edmonds, Krystal Murray, Claudia Hobbs, Chyna Hohepa, Grace Kukutai, Ariana Bayler, Merania Paraone, Apii Nicholls.
Hurricanes Poua: Isabella Waterman, Rangimarie Sturmey, Shakira Baker, Monica Tagoai, Harmony Kautai, Hannah King, Paige Lush, Layla Sae, Rhiarna Ferris, Elinor-Plum King, Jackie Patea-Fereti (capt), Rachael Rakatau, Leilani Perese, Cristo Taufua, Denise Aiolupotea. Reserves: Marilyn Fanoga, Tamia Edwards, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook, Cilia-Marie Po’e Tofaeono, Sam Taylor, Kelsyn McCook, Kahurangi Sturmey, Leilani Hakiwai.