Ruby Tui is at a crossroads – in both her rugby career and her personal life away from the game that has given her so much.
The Black Ferns icon and Olympic gold medallist may not be sure what her sporting future will look like. However, she knows she wants to, in some way, be part of the defence of the Rugby World Cup title in England next year.
The 32-year-old crowd favourite wants to find the best way she can to give back, especially to the rugby community. A project that “will allow me to be the best kind of human I can be” should do the trick. That might be through study, charity work or a new business venture, Ruby says.
But she also wants to find a place to finally settle down and make a home with her much-loved tabby cat Manawa. Ruby cutely named her cat after the Chiefs Manawa team she plays for in Super Rugby Aupiki.
After a year of highs and lows, of disappointment and personal discovery, Ruby hopes 2025 will be her best year yet, both on and off the field – and the Rugby World Cup features large in her plans.
“Winning it three times in a row would be huge for New Zealand,” says Ruby. The star made an indelible mark on the 2021 tournament played here in Aotearoa. “It would put a stamp on rugby as a whole.
“We’re in a really exciting space – a massive moment to put a stamp on rugby history. Some people want to leave their mark, but others leave an imprint. This is the moment for the Black Ferns to do that. Any way possible that I can help the team achieve that would be a massive honour.”
Off the field, Ruby is trying to find the right place – geographically – to make her mark. “I’ve figured out Auckland is a bit busy for me,” she laughs after getting stuck in the city’s infamous traffic just before sitting down to chat with Woman’s Day. “But my hometown, Greymouth, is too far away for me.
“My mum’s in Nelson and I like to go down there sometimes to get away. But I’ve really loved my time playing for Counties Manukau, so I’m looking to base myself somewhere between Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland.”
It means she can visit her Black Ferns Sevens “sisters” based at Mount Maunganui, like Shiray Kaka. She’ll also be able to train with the Chiefs Manawa in the Waikato for the upcoming Super Rugby Aupiki season. “I want to set up a house and really make it my home. A bit of land would be nice,” tells Ruby.
While she pours all her affection into her feline – “I’m trying to teach the cat some new tricks,” she grins. Ruby would also love to own a dog. “Obviously, I’d call him Chief!”
But she’s also aware of the time constraints while she’s playing professional sport and travelling the globe. At the end of last year, Ruby returned home from a three-month trip overseas.
“We did a full lap of the globe with the Black Ferns,” recalls the star athlete and author of bestselling memoir Straight Up. “It was the longest campaign I’ve ever been on – even longer than an Olympics.”
It began with a training camp in Wellington, before Ruby flew with the team to London. There, the Black Ferns’ end-of-season tour kicked off at England’s home of rugby, Twickenham, in front of 40,000 fans.
“It’s a pretty special place and it brought back memories of playing on the sevens circuit there. Back then, there were men’s and women’s teams, and the crowds were watching but also having a party.
“This time, the crowd was there for a standalone women’s rugby union game and they were the most beautiful bunch of people who are just so supportive – even the ones in English jerseys! They’re so invested in the women’s game and they just get it.”
Another highlight for Ruby was visiting Buckingham Palace to meet with the King, who famously broke with tradition by accepting a group hug from the Black Ferns. Ruby also made headlines when she greeted the 75-year-old monarch with, “Cheers, mate. Sup, G? How are ya?”
Laughing, she admits, “It was pretty unreal. We were taught how to bow and curtsy in 10 seconds flat. Of all the briefings I’ve ever had, that was probably the most important one – and I’d only just learned how to pōwhiri properly. He was really nice to chat to, just kind of like a dude.”
They also talked about his own rugby career – he played lock at school – and whether Charles could host the Rugby World Cup on the sprawling palace lawns.
The Black Ferns ended their season in Vancouver at the WXV tournament, featuring the top six nations of the women’s rugby world. After a bruising series, where they won just one game to finish fourth, Ruby and some of her teammates tagged on visits to Alaska and the Grand Canyon.
“I’ve always loved travel,” shares Ruby, who’s also an ambassador for accommodation giant Accor’s Live Limitless loyalty programme. She has focused on her personal development over the past 12 months.
“I’m always trying to upskill and check all the boxes – study, career, financial,” she explains. “It’s really important as a professional rugby player to prepare for the rest of your life. I always believe you have to have an element of service in your life, for your holistic and mental health.”
Having recently worked with organisations such as KidsCan and Women’s Refuge, Ruby adds, “I’d love to get into business, especially in a project that helps rugby. I’d like to choose something that allows me to give back – and rugby has given me so much.”
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