Ruby Tui Photo: Alex Leech / www.photosport.nz
Black Ferns and Counties Manukau Heat winger Ruby Tui has signed with the Chiefs Manawa for the 2024 Super Rugby Aupiki season.
An Olympic gold and silver medalist, Tui began her career in sevens, debuting for the Black Ferns Sevens in 2012. She later shifted to 15s and was awarded World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year following the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
Chiefs Manawa head coach Crystal Kaua stated that Ruby is a superstar of the game.
"Not just on the field but off it. She lives her values every day, through the highs and the lows of high performance sport, she doesn't waver.
"I see the Ruby Tui that stays behind two hours after games when everyone else is in the shed and she is signing autographs, not wanting to leave any little girl or boy behind. She genuinely wants to give back to the game, change the game, and is driving a better world for women in sports and rugby."
"I believe Ruby is the best winger in the world, she is world class in her approach to everything; skill, culture, tactics, and learning," continued Kaua. "Not to mention she gives people permission to be themselves just by being herself for our team."
Tui last played for Chiefs Manawa when they lifted the trophy for the inaugural Sky Super Rugby Aupiki season. For the 2023 season, she took a sabbatical and joined the Premier Rugby Sevens in the United States following which she returned to New Zealand for Farah Palmer Cup.
Tui said: "After travelling and playing abroad I have seen first hand how important Sky Super Rugby Aupiki is to the success of the Black Ferns. So I'm super excited to re-enter this competition at a time where women's rugby is growing at a furious pace.
"There are some pretty good offers floating around out there now. But when I looked at my life right now and why I play - there was no other team. Manawa is in my heart now."
The full 2024 Chiefs Manawa squad will be named later this month.