Ruby Tui isn’t someone who likes to watch from the sidelines. She prefers to be right in the thick of things, making life difficult for every opponent New Zealand face and making the most of every opportunity to wear the Black Ferns Sevens jersey she holds so dear.

However, that is exactly what the 26-year-old has had to do in recent weeks after she was forced to miss the Commonwealth Games and Kitakyushu round of the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series 2018 after contracting mumps.

Helping to soften the blow of missing out on these tournaments was seeing her team-mates claim the first-ever women’s gold medal at the Commonwealth Games after an incredible final with Australia and then successfully defend their Kitakyushu title a week later in Japan.

And her absence also gave her a rare opportunity to see tournaments from a different perspective, giving her some “crazy interesting” insights to share with her team-mates and the New Zealand coaching staff afterwards.

“When you’re assembled and on tour you are very focused, and you look at a lot of numbers and I try and study as much as I can,” explained Tui.

“But having the opportunity to sit back and look I saw a lot of trends and things that happen in general, not just with other teams but with ours as well.

Crazy interesting

“It was crazy interesting. As players we have a lot of input into our game plans and seeing how all that works was quite interesting as well.

“The coaches and players were really keen to have a chat to me afterwards. In our team we try and do what is not only best for us, but do the best for the game and those coming through.

“It’s been years since I have been at home watching a game. Then, I felt like I was the only one setting my alarm, getting up and watching the team on TV but for the Commonwealth Games and Kitakyushu I was getting called, stopped in the street … I couldn’t even go to work because so many people wanted to talk to me about the game and what had happened and who had scored.

“I was just completely overwhelmed about the growth of women’s sevens. They were not just talking about New Zealand sevens, they were talking about other teams as well.

“Internationally it’s got this hold on people around the world who are following the game. That really blew me away and I fed that back to the girls as well.

“All the hours we train and the hard work we put in is worth it and paying off in ways we couldn’t have imagined. That is probably the most special part.”

Happy memories of 2017

Tui, who was nominated for the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year 2017 award in association with HSBC, is understandably excited ahead of her return to the Black Ferns Sevens team at the HSBC Canada Women’s Sevens in Langford, where they will face pool matches with Fiji, England and Brazil.

New Zealand are the defending champions after they edged their hosts Canada 17-7 in a thrilling final last May, despite missing the likes of captain Sarah Goss, Portia Woodman and Kelly Brazier who had switched their focus to 15s after the Kitakyushu round the previous month to prepare for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 in Ireland, a tournament the Black Ferns won in Ireland.

“That (Langford) was a really big tournament for our team in particular. Three-quarters of our starters had gone to 15s, so we really had to put the work in back home,” recalled Tui, who was named HSBC Player of the Final that day at the Westhills Stadium.

“I just remember being so, so proud of the girls and Canada, especially, gave it to us in the final and we won right at the end of the game in the last second, so it was a huge tournament and one I’ll never forget it. I will always be grateful to the Langford Sevens for sure.

“There were a few key moments along the way but, for me, it was special seeing all the younger players step up that wouldn’t have got that opportunity had the others been there. It was pretty special for us that have been there a while to see Alena Saili, who had come straight out of high school the year before, score in the last second. The growth in the team was huge that year.

“We had a lot of people doubting us, saying that we wouldn’t be able to hold our own (with those players missing), but I believe that the coaches have created an environment where it shouldn’t matter who is on the field.

Going through the roof

“We all know what is going on and what is required of that black jersey and it is something we don’t take lightly. It is a huge honour to wear it and the message really got through to the players just how important it is. To prove it at the end was awesome, I’ll never forget that tournament.”

New Zealand’s last month, which has seen them close to within six points of Australia at the top of the series standings, means they arrive in Langford this year as favourites to retain their title … but as is the case with any team that wears the famous black jersey, doubt them at your peril.

“We seem to turn anything into motivation! We’ve been thrown a few curveballs and it always seems to fire us up,” joked Tui. “We’ve learnt not to get complacent and to take each game and each step as it comes, and I think the end result has been a culture that everyone wants to be a part of.

“No-one in this team can take their position for granted because there is always going to be someone who wants to be here (in your place) as I know myself.

“Also if you’ve watched the sevens world series over the years and seen it progress, there is absolutely no doubt that this game is going through the roof at the moment.

“Every tournament we go to, we have to really respect every team; you can’t take anyone for granted and it is just getting more and more like that. You can’t afford to slip up because teams like Spain, Japan, China and Fiji will pounce.”