1
Injured Black Ferns Sevens star Shiray Kaka reveals ‘Olympic dream is over’
Black Ferns Sevens ace Shiray Kaka has confirmed in an emotional video that her Paris Olympics dream is over after she suffered a devastating knee injury in Singapore last weekend.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kaka, who helped New Zealand win a gold medal at the postponed Tokyo Games, was seen crying on the field after her teammates secured the Series League title with a win over Australia.
Earlier in the SVNS tournament at Singapore’s National Stadium, Kaka had been carried off the field with what looked like a significant leg injury during the quarter-final win over Great Britain.
Coach Cory Sweeney told RugbyPass the next day that the team were still waiting on scans to determine the severity of Kaka’s injury, while the team had also lost Tyla King for the weekend.
While Kaka was all smiles every time the broadcast camera panned to her and King on Sunday, the tears the SVNS veteran shed after New Zealand’s 31-21 Cup final win suggested the worst.
View this post on Instagram
After returning to New Zealand, Kaka took to social media to share the devastating update that the upcoming Paris Games just weren’t meant to be.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Thought it was time to let you guys know, my Olympic dream is over,” Kaka wrote on Instagram. “Apparently 3 surgeries wasn’t enough, God thought I needed one more.
“Really thought it was finally my time to show the world what I could do. After all the trainings, all the set backs, all the missed family events… the Olympics was going to make it all worth it. But it just wasn’t meant to be.
“Still got so much to be thankful for… my family, my animals, my mates and my BUTTER!
“Life goes on, rugby goes on – and so will I! So please keep supporting me, I’m gonna need it in the healing phase of the injury! Who knows – might be time for @gillies.kaka and I to start our YouTube channel!
“But anyway, thank you for believing in me everyone, it mean the world to me!!!!”
ADVERTISEMENT
At the time of writing, there hasn’t been an update from New Zealand Sevens about the injury status of reigning World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, Tyla King, before SVNS Madrid.
Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano, which is the home of Spanish football giants Atletico Madrid, will host the inaugural SVNS Series Grand Final from May 31 to June 2.
King was ruled out of the final day at SVNS Singapore with swelling around her ankle, but it’s unclear as to whether that injury will rule the dual international out of the Grand Final.
But New Zealand, to their credit, showed depth and resilience in Singapore as they rallied to take out the Cup final and secure the League title without two of their more established players.
“We’ve got two special people that our ladies witnessed go down yesterday and that’s always hard to watch. There’s always an emotional connection to that straightaway,” coach Corey Sweney told RugbyPass in Singapore.
“The girls, they showed up today and showed up for those two that got injured and took their opportunity as well.
“That’s what we really ask of this team and they did a good job.”
See the HSBC SVNS champions crowned in Madrid, 31 May-2 June. Tickets from €10 available to purchase HERE.
Comments on RugbyPass
No doubt Razor will want to kick the 2024 campaign off with a decisive selection of the top match fit players to insure his selection as the appointed coach has maximum impact. We the supporters and critics will settle for nothing less because historically it is what we have become ingrained and accustomed to. With that in mind and the distinct fall from grace of his beloved crusaders we will expect him to stamp his mark in the same way he left his old post.
9 Go to commentsI would've expected a better turn around in response to the changes within the team and its management. Lacking in my opinion is the skill sets that once was and now seemingly vacant within the squads regular front runners. Furthermore there seems to be no set game plan, the accuracy that once was is no more, the quality off the bench were poor matchups and frankly I feel a lot has to do with the coaching. Never thought i’d be critising the sadas to this degree.
5 Go to commentsAverage AB captain by recent standards. Speaks to the wider issue
9 Go to commentsWholesome lad, but no longer test level. At all
9 Go to commentsThis game was always going to be close, Canada have such a dominant pack and the Black Ferns have come unstuck in that area against teams like France and England in the past.
2 Go to commentsA distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
2 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
5 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
8 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
5 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
8 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to comments