Ruby Tui was the player everyone was talking about when New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup squad was announced last month but not for the reason fans may have expected. The 33-year-old had not made the squad but, as is her nature, Tui is determined to turn her omission into a positive. “I do want young players to know selection doesn’t get easy,” she says. “But also it is team first, always and 100% of the time, especially when it’s hard.”
The star of New Zealand’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad, who has also won Olympic gold and silver, and the Sevens World Cup, Tui was squeezed out by competition in the back three with Ayesha Leti-I’iga and Portia Woodman‑Wickliffe getting the nod. While acknowledging that being left out was difficult, Tui’s focus is firmly on supporting the Black Ferns.
