Kiwis Ferns captain with the World Cup in 2020. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
After nearly a decade at the top level Krystal Rota is calling time on her international rugby league career.
Rota a former Kiwi Ferns captain has won seven NZRL National Championship titles with the Counties Manukau Stingrays.
Rota earned her Kiwi Ferns call-up in 2015 for the Kiwi Ferns v Jillaroos 9s match before later debuting off the bench in the ANZAC test.
Rota earned a promotion to the No. 9 jersey for the corresponding ANZAC test in 2016, then retained her spot for the following 2017 clash.
By then, the dynamic dummy half had cemented her place in the Kiwi Ferns, soon joining the 2017 Rugby League World Cup team.
After being crowned ARL Player of the Year in 2017, Rota featured in the 2018, 2019, and 2022 NRLW seasons for the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights, earning an NRL Dally M nomination for Women's Player of the Year in 2018.
Rota playing against Samoa at Mt Smart stadium. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
She was part of the 2019 World Cup Nines campaign, where the Kiwi Ferns beat Australia in the final, 17-15.
Rota also also captained Māori All-Stars against the Indigenous All-Stars in 2019 and 2020 and led the Kiwi Ferns' side against Fetū Samoa in 2020
Most recently, Krystal led New Zealand in last year's test against Tonga and was among the Kiwi Ferns' most experienced campaigners at the England World Cup later that year playing all five matches to finish her international career with 15 Test caps.
NZRL's high peroformance general manager Motu Tony said Rota's "retirement from the Kiwi Ferns marks the end of an era."
"Her dedication and talent have inspired many players, particularly our young up-and-coming female participants."
-RNZ