SISTER ACT FEATURE IN nib BLUES WOMEN’S SQUAD
Twelve fresh faces and a wealth of Black Ferns experience headline the nib Blues women Super Rugby Aupiki squad for the upcoming 2023 season.
Black Ferns Captain and World Rugby Player of the Year, Ruahei Demant, will be playing alongside her sister, Kiritapu Demant, a former Black Ferns player who in recent years has returned to top level rugby after a break from the game in 2018.
“I can’t wait to run out alongside my sister,” said Kiritapu Demant.
“I was filled with pride watching her lead the Black Ferns over the past couple of months, so to be strapping the boots on and doing the mahi with her for the Blues this season is something pretty special.”
Following on from their World Cup success, fans will be familiar with Black Ferns Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Charmaine McMenamin, Sylvia Brunt and Ariana Bayler who form the experienced core of the nib Blues squad.
Roos, has recently been nominated for the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award, while Bayler joins the nib Blues from Chiefs Manawā to form an international eight-nine-ten combination.
A new face of note is Northland eighteen-year-old, Tara Turner, who joins the nib Blues off the back of a strong Farah Palmer Cup campaign. Turner has also come through the Tania Dalton Foundation programme that recognises and supports promising talent in the sporting arena.
Katelyn Vahaakolo joins the squad after representing the Kiwi Ferns at the Rugby League World Cup while seasoned campaigner Eloise Blackwell returns for her second Aupiki campaign bringing a wealth of experience and grit to the forward pack.
nib Blues Head Coach, Willie Walker, said the balance of youth and experience in the squad was an exciting prospect for the season ahead.
“For someone like halfback Ariana Bayler, this season presents a real opportunity to develop her combination with both number eight Liana Mikaele-Tu'u and first-five Ruahei Demant.
“I’m very excited by the youngsters we have coming in this season - if we can harness their youthful exuberance and align them with our more experienced heads, we’ll have the recipe for a successful season.
“While Ariana joins us from down the road, a key focus for this squad was to invest in players from our Blues region and to ensure we are growing and nurturing the talent from within.
“It’s great to have the likes of Tara Turner from Northland and Holly Williams from North Harbour as examples of this regional growth and development.
“We all saw the Rugby World Cup and the impact it had on the country. It's great we have several leaders from that team in our nib Blues setup for 2023,” said Walker.
The nib Blues open their Super Rugby Aupiki campaign against Matatū in Dunedin on February 25.
nib Blues Squad
Forwards:
Eloise Blackwell, Dajian Brown, Joanna Fanene Lolo, Sophie Fisher, Grace Gago, Tafito Lafaele, Letelemalanuola Lavea, Shannon Leota, Charmaine McMenamin, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Alakoka Po’oi, Cheyenne Tuli-Fale, Maama Vaipulu, Chryss Viliko
Backs:
Ariana Bayler, Sylvia Brunt, Krysten Cottrell, Kiritapu Demant, Ruahei Demant, Jaymie Kolose, Patricia Maliepo, Melanie Puckett, Tara Turner, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Holly Williams
*Two players to be added