Ruby Tui: 'Just let me put the boots on and see how it all goes'

Ruby Tui joked that Saturday’s outing for the Barbarians will not be her first game of rugby in almost 12 months. The 2021 Rugby World Cup winner instead insisted that she has played “on the low and in private”, although the 24/7 nature of social media has made it difficult to keep all her lowkey appearances a total secret.

Instead, the 34-year-old brands the Allianz Stadium outing as her first “public appearance” in almost a year. That ‘last’ match came last July when Tui scored a try from the bench for the Black Ferns in a 37-12 win against the Wallaroos in the second Laurie O’Reilly Cup clash of the season.

Fast-forward 13 days later and Allan Bunting named his squad for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. Tui was not included.

In the months since the wing has been seen on television screens working as a pundit for BBC Sport and TNT Sports, where she has showcased her expertise to offer insights on Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, Guinness Women’s Six Nations and Premiership Women’s Rugby fixtures. And, perhaps most importantly, using her Communications and Media degree from the University of Canterbury.

Tui is by no means retired, though. Her start on the wing for Susie Appleby’s Barbarians against Wales this Saturday afternoon is indicative of that.

But what happens after Saturday? Could she sign for a PWR club? What exactly comes next for the Olympic gold medallist?

“Every interview I’ve had this week have asked that, and I’ve said the same thing,” Tui told RugbyPass, “I can’t comment on that until I run out there and see what it’s like, you know?

“I’m kind of like, just let me put the boots on and see how it all goes. I’m looking forward to the next chapter. Let’s see what happens.”

Barbarians fixtures have a long history of players saying goodbye to the game. It is hard to forget the hulking frame of George Kruis slotting back-heel conversion against an England XV team at Allianz Stadium. Or Bakkies Botha’s over-the-top build-up to a conversion, only for the South African’s kick to miss the mark by a mile.

In the men’s squad George North will lineup for the Baa Baas against Wales in the final match of his career.

In the women’s fixture, which forms part of a doubleheader in West London, all of Laura Delgado, Christine Belisle, Rachel Lund and Celia Quansah will have their last moments on the pitch. And the idea of Tui calling time on her career has clearly been on her mind for some time.

“I talked to a lot of mentors,” Tui said. “Lots of great All Blacks and stuff. They were all like, just don’t rush your decision. There’s no need to rush it. Heaps of them – they’re very wise.

“For a woman as well, it’s a pretty new thing a female professional rugby player retiring. I’m talking to a lot of my friends about it. One of my best mates, Portia [Woodman-Wickliffe], did it about three times. I’m not about to do that.

“They [Tui’s mentors] just said to take time with it – to take six, 12 months and see how I feel. Yeah, to see what feels right in your heart. That’s just what I did.”

You can safely say that Tui has made the most of her decision-making year. Shortly after her Women’s Rugby World Cup omission, the BBC got in touch and the 34-year-old was doing pitchside punditry at the biggest edition of the tournament to date. Including at a record-shattering final.

“I just came over here and I was like, man there’s so many people that give a damn here,” she said. “[That] want women’s sport and women’s rugby to genuinely succeed.

“I had no idea about the success of the Lionesses back home and the momentum that women’s sport has, especially in England.

“I thought maybe I could stick around and help out. Then the BBC got in touch about the Six Nations. I was meant to go home after that, but there was just always something on. I love home, and I’ll settle down there, but it’s pretty chill.

“If someone wants to do something big, it’s a real big effort. Over here, all they do is really big things. I went to this fundraising dinner and there were 1,500 rugby players there. 1,500 people at a dinner. I don’t even know anywhere in New Zealand that could host 1,500 people to eat at the same time.

“It [being in England] has just been a chance to give on a whole other level and help grow the support. I don’t know… everything happens for a reason and I said, ‘why not?’ to a lot of stuff.”

During her time in England, Tui has been prolific on social media and posted regularly about being a New Zealander living in London. The wing admits that she is still on the hunt for a good fish and chips, and she is still constantly learning about new British foods.

 

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“Oh actually, Scaz [Emily Scarratt], we were at Ascot the other week,” she smiled, “and I picked up this – I thought it was a croissant or a piece of bread – and I buttered it, and she was like, ‘Ruby, that is a scone and we don’t have it like that’.

“She sat me down and taught me what a British scone was with cream and jam. That was probably the top British thing I’ve had. Back home, scones don’t look like that.”

This weekend Tui will play for a Barbarians team that has 21 Test capped players in its matchday 23. Sean Lynn’s Wales squad, by contrast, will give five players their first taste of senior international rugby in the uncapped fixture.

RugbyPass’ interview with Tui is conducted to the backdrop of her latest set of teammates singing and laughter at Wasps FC’s Twyford Avenue home.

Eventually a barrage of water balloons made were sent the way of the Black Fern. Which, on a week of record June temperatures across the United Kingdom, was welcomed.

Tui even took breaks to commentate on what her teammates were up to.

“Sorry, [Claudia] Peña just broke a water balloon over the coach’s head.”

There has even been a reunion. Exeter Chiefs fly-half Liv McGoverne was coached by Tui as a 13-year-old, although Tui did request the playmaker keep that fact to herself.

Come kick-off on Saturday, all the 34-year-old wants to do is enjoy herself and strut her stuff on the Allianz Stadium turf.

“I want to have a good time for some really good people,” Tui said. “We’ve clicked throughout this week. It seems like this group is really good at just being open and vulnerable from the get-go.

“We’ve actually got to know each other really quickly, which is really nice. We’ve had some good fun with some good people. Honestly, I want to go to Twickenham and just put on a show for all these beautiful people that bought tickets.

“The first time I played Twickenham was London Sevens. It was sold-out. You couldn’t hear. What a beautiful place to play a game and do something you love, you know?”

Of course, the Barbarians’ Saturday afternoon clash with Wales is not the only bit of women’s rugby entertainment taking place this weekend. Sunday afternoon will see Saracens take on Trailfinders Women in an all-London PWR Final at the Twickenham Stoop.

When the fixture is mentioned, Tui’s eyes lit up. The notion of some of the world’s best going to-to-toe excited the 34-year-old, who has watched the league regularly since its 2017 inception.

This year has seen Tui pay a particular interest, with a number of current Black Ferns join the competition. On Sunday Alana Borland and Georgia Ponsonby will represent New Zealand in a Trailfinders jersey as Barney Maddison’s team look to spoil Marlie Packer’s North London leaving party.

While the multiple SVNS Series winner can wax lyrical about the attacking talents of both sides, her friends in the Trailfinders pack or how Kévin Rouet has got Saracens playing the kind of rugby that knocked the Black Ferns out of the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals last September, at the end of the day for Tui, getting to watch some of the world’s best battle it out for the opportunity to be champions of England is the reward.

“I’ve done a couple of things in rugby, but first and foremost I’m such a fan,” Tui said. “I love rugby so much. It feels like such a privilege that I can even buy a plane ticket, come over here and watch these games. As someone who’s gotten everything from rugby, it feels really special to be here watching the best competition in the world.”