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Mikaele-Tu'u: ‘I will treat every game in this tournament like a final'
By Adam Julian at York Community Stadium, York
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u has unfinished business. The Black Ferns’ loose forward missed the 2022 Rugby World Cup final against England due to injury.
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In the thrilling semi-final against France, which the Black Ferns won 25–24, she sprained her thumb in the last minute of the first half.
“I was heartbroken by that injury. I still think about it,” Mikaele-Tu’u told RugbyPass.
“Being so young and eager, I didn’t appreciate its impact on the team. I had to learn to be a better teammate off the field, dare to reach out for support, and find ways to contribute positively even when I wasn’t playing.
“I empathise more with other injured players now. I will treat every game in this tournament like a final.”
The Black Ferns opened their 2025 Rugby World Cup campaign with a resounding 54–8 victory over hearty Spain at the York Community Stadium.
Mikaele-Tu’u delivered on her promise to perform wholeheartedly, officially acknowledged as player of the match. The No. 8 scored a try to go with six offloads, six tackles, and a game-high 18 carries for 76 metres gained.
“That was a really tough game, so I’m actually really surprised by those stats,” Mikaele-Tu’u said on the pitch after the final whistle.
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“Amazing performance by Spain. We knew that this is more than a World Cup to them, so we didn’t take this game lightly.
“It’s amazing how big this World Cup is becoming. I heard the other day that over 300,000 tickets have been sold. That means Spain and every country in this tournament have the chance to inspire their nation in front of a big audience. Spain prepared and brought it physically.”
With 30 Tests under her belt, Mikaele-Tu’u has matured into a vital cog in the Black Ferns. Fast-forward to 2022, and she was exceptional in wins over Australia (41–17) and Scotland (57–0) at the Rugby World Cup.
In 2023, she was named the Black Ferns Player of the Year and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association Black Ferns Player of the Year.
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She featured in all eight Black Ferns Tests in 2024. In the Pacific Four series, she was immense against the USA, making 15 tackles, and topped the carry count with 18 against Canada. Against Australia, she scored a try in a record 67–19 victory.
Despite two defeats against England, she delivered punchy performances, and in a narrow 29–27 loss to Ireland, she topped the tackle count with 16.
Mikaele-Tu’u has played in four of five Tests in 2025, including recent drubbings of the USA (79–14) and Australia (37–12).
“One of the biggest realisations I’m having is that I’m not that young, fresh player anymore. I have a role in this team: to play my own game, and by doing that, I can naturally influence others,” Mikaele-Tu’u said.
That includes those she competes with. With Alana Bremner, Jorja Miller, Layla Sae, Laura Bayfield, Kennedy Tukuafu, and Kaipo Olsen-Baker, the Black Ferns’ depth in the loose forward department is formidable. How do they work together as a cohesive unit?
“It’s a privilege to train alongside the best loose forwards in the world every day. If we’re challenged individually, it helps us all improve,” Mikaele-Tu’u responded.
“We want to help each other get better, and that means understanding our roles and being open and honest with each other.”
Jorja Miller showed her class against Spain with two first-half tries, as did Layla Sae with 145 metres gained and five line breaks from 18 carries. Laura Bayfield was busy with nine tackles from the bench. Cruelly, however, Kaipo Olsen-Baker was stretchered off in the 53rd minute.
The Black Ferns arrived in England after an emotional farewell ceremony at Manurewa Intermediate on August 14. They spent a couple of days acclimatising and sightseeing before resuming full-contact training on Tuesday.
Interestingly, Spanish prop Laura Delgado, who has played 51 Tests, is affectionately known as Bimba, a Spanish onomatopoeia for a huge crush or hit. She played for Hawke’s Bay, where Mikaele-Tu’u hails from, in the 2022 Farah Palmer Cup. Mikaele-Tu’u was moved by a speech Delgado gave about her rugby experiences, which include eight European Championship victories and two English Premiership titles with Gloucester-Hartpury.
Black Ferns, past and present, have been rocked by the recent stage 4 bowel cancer diagnosis of Cheryl Waaka, Black Fern #80. The 55-year-old mother of two from Northland was an uncompromising loose forward, winning 19 of her 20 Test matches, including World Cup finals in 1998 and 2002. She scored a try in the 19–9 Rugby World Cup final win against England in 2002.
Four years earlier, the Black Ferns won a World Cup quarter-final against Spain 46–3 in Amsterdam. Waaka scored two tries. As a coach, Waaka has mentored both senior men and women, including Black Ferns Krystal Murray and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
“We talk about legacy a lot in this team, and if it weren’t for women like Cheryl, we wouldn’t be here today,” Mikaele-Tu’u said.
“She was ripping it before I was even born. We have donated some jerseys to help fundraise for her treatment. As a group, we were eager to show our love for Cheryl and this jersey with a strong start against Spain.”
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