Black Ferns Sevens gold medallist Sarah Hirini will captain the Hurricanes in the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Black Ferns Sevens star Sarah Hirini will captain the Hurricanes women. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2021 www.photosport.nz
One of the leading Sevens players in the world, Hirini has an impressive list of accolades to her name, recently collecting three major prizes at the 2021 New Zealand Rugby Awards, including the supreme Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year.
As well as being recognised as New Zealand's outstanding overall player in 2021, Hirini was also named as the Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year and became a two-time winner of the Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year Award.
The Manawatū loose forward led the Black Ferns Sevens to Olympic gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, was Sevens World Champion in 2013 and 2018, is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and six-time World Series winner.
In 2019, Hirini became the first female player to bring up 200 matches on the World Series.
Hirini said she was thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the inaugural Hurricanes Poua.
"It's a huge honour to be named captain of the Hurricanes Poua. I'm so grateful to play for the region I grew up in and the club I've supported for a very long time, alongside some really talented women."
"For us, playing for the Hurricanes Poua is a dream come true. We get to represent our provinces and our wider region of the Hurricanes, so we would love for the region to get behind us, to back us, to support us."
Hurricanes Poua Head Coach Wes Clarke said it was wonderful to have a player of Hirini's calibre leading his side in Super Rugby Aupiki.
"Sarah comes with a wide range of skills and a long history of being a fantastic leader in New Zealand."
"I wanted to see how she went in our environment first before offering her the captaincy. And as expected she has gone outstandingly. The players have really warmed to her, and the players really look up to her."
"Her greatest strengths are that she is really humble, she relates to everyone around her at their level, which is fantastic to see. She is cool and calm under pressure, which I love about her. When things get difficult, she stays calm and sticks with process."
"She is physically and mentally extremely tough herself, so she always leads from the front. And she is highly intelligent, which helps. She picks up things really quickly, not only in game-plan but in what's happening in around her in the environment as well."
"Lastly, she has the respect of the players already."
The Hurricanes Poua kick-off their Sky Super Rugby Aupiki campaign against Matatū on March 6 in Christchurch.