Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'We're ready to go to war': Leti-I'iga returns to the Black Ferns

Ayesha Leti-I'iga of New Zealand scores a try during the Rugby World Cup 2021 Final match between New Zealand and England at Eden Park on November 12, 2022 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

The last time Ayesha Leti-I’iga played for the Black Ferns she scored the winning try in the Rugby World Cup final against England.

ADVERTISEMENT

Since that meritorious night on November 12, 2022, Leti-I’iga has battled a long-term injury and watched the Black Ferns struggle.

By contrast, the Red Roses have won 15 consecutive internationals, halfway to their own world record, which was snapped in the heartbreaking 34-31 defeat against New Zealand at Eden Park.

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

Video Spacer

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – One year to go until the Women’s Rugby World Cup

With exactly one year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 kicks off
in Sunderland, excitement is sweeping across the host nation in anticipation of what
will be the biggest and most accessible celebration of women’s rugby ever.

Register now for the ticket presale

“It’s crazy to think how long I was injured,” Leti-I’iga told RugbyPass.

“When I first got injured, I had a lot of negative thoughts. I was at the peak of my rugby and got injured. I’d never been injured!

“Honestly, I’ve learned so much about myself. It’s the break I didn’t know I needed.

“I’ve been on the go since I was 16. I learned how to look after my body better. I never thought I could be a coach, but I helped my club Ories, and loved it.

“I was more present at home and spent precious time with family and friends. I’ve even got a new fur baby, Maddix, a French Mastiff.”

In July 2023, Leti-I’iga ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in one of her knees during training for the Pacific Four Series.

ADVERTISEMENT

She’s been recalled to the Black Ferns for the one-off test against England at Twickenham on September 14 and for the WXV 1 series that follows.

The Black Ferns were third in WXV 1 last October and November following rare home defeats to France (17-18) and England (12-33). In May the Black Ferns were beaten for the first time in 17 internationals by WXV 1 hosts Canada in Christchurch.

Related

There were days when Performance coach Joel Marshall had to haul Leti-I’iga out of bed to rehab, but the 25-year-old Leti-I’iga insists she will recapture the magic of Rugby World Cup 2022.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Oh man, what a tour to return for. England at Twickenham will be massive. I feel like we’ve had a strong connection camp and prepared visually and physically for the challenge,” Leti-I’iga said.

“I’m excited by the challenge of getting my place back and proving I can compete at the highest level again.

“There’s a lot of competition on the wings. That’s exciting. Everyone brings different strengths. You can’t be complacent, we’re only caretakers for the jersey.”

With 73 tries in 76 first-class appearances, including 13 tries in 21 tests, it was inevitable Leti-I’iga would be recalled for national duties as soon as possible Still, she was keen to prove her salt.

Despite reservations from Black Ferns selectors, Leti-I’iga played three club games for Ories boosting her try-scoring tally to a staggering 194 in 80 appearances.

In the Tia Passi Memorial Cup final against unbeaten Petone, Leti-I’iga scored three tries, her 31st hat-trick for Ories.

“I pushed to play club, I love Ories and wanted to help my club while testing my knee,” Leti-I’iga said.

“I had limited minutes in the semi and felt alight. The final went for 100 minutes. Well, mine went for 90 because I got yellow-carded. We drew 24-24 with Petone. Man, what a game. We’d be still going I reckon.”

Leti-I’iga scored two solo tries from past halfway but was riled up by the tenacious villagers.

“I got punched in the ruck when the ref wasn’t looking. I was like, ‘Hey you can do that,’ and punched back. I shouldn’t have done that. Of course, I got caught, I’m a Black Fern,” Leti-I’iga roared with laughter.

Eruptions of laughter are common around Leti-I’iga, a stark contrast with the almost mute silence of the past. The humble Leti-I’iga really found her voice under Sir Wayne Smith at the Rugby World Cup.

“Smithy said the biggest difference between boys and girls is that girls have to feel good to play good; boys have to play good to feel good.

“On the bus to games, we blast our music and have fun. The boys are different. They’re silent. Smithy said he’d take his car to the games we’re so loud but he had to adapt to us.

“I’m someone who likes to have fun. I struggle when everything is a bit too serious.

“I haven’t been in the new environment for long but the connection with the girls is strong and we’re ready to go to war.”

Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 tickets

The Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 is coming to England. Click here to buy tickets.

ADVERTISEMENT

HSBC SVNS Singapore 2025 | Day Two Men's Highlights

HSBC SVNS Singapore 2025 | Day Two Women's Highlights

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

Kobelco Kobe Steelers vs Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
Andrea Irvine 1 hour ago
Lyon rejoint le Racing 92 en quart de finale de la Challenge Cup

I can rewire a human brain, course through the most sensitive neural pathways, and restore life with steady hands and a sharp scalpel. But it would appear none of those prepared me for the horror of a hardware wallet that had decided it wanted to self-destruct. It had been years since my Ledger device had sat comfortably in my drawer, unvexed and pristine, like a relic from my earlier Bitcoin investment days. Then came the fateful evening when I decided to switch it on just to check on my stash. That is when I was greeted by an error message so incomprehensible that it could as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. At first, I kept calm. I had been in life-and-death situations before, so surely, I could troubleshoot a problem with my wallet. Rebooting? Nothing. Firmware reset? Even worse. With every attempt, my precious $680,000 worth of Bitcoin seemed to slip further from my grasp. The real panic set in when I realized that I had stored my recovery phrase somewhere "safe"-so safe that even I couldn't remember where it was. Hours of frantic searching, multiple YouTube tutorials, and a last-ditch effort to reach out to Ledger support resulted in one grim conclusion: "Your funds may be irretrievable." As a neurosurgeon, I’m used to bad news—but this? Unacceptable. That is when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. A little skeptical I was- if they couldn't help me, a manufacturer of the device, then how would anyone else? I had nothing to lose. The moment I reached out to them, I knew I had done the right thing: I was professional, transparent, and confident that they could recover my lost Bitcoin. They performed some kind of digital wallet emergency surgery, getting everything back in six days. Through what can only be described as magic, by way of forensic techniques, they bypassed corruption and extracted my private keys and every Satoshi, to boot. If it stopped there, that would've been great; then they walked me through how to properly secure my assets going forward more "too safe to find" backups. I may be the expert in the operating room, but when it comes to resuscitating a dead crypto wallet, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY is your team on call. Cold storage has failed; don't try to self-operate, just get the pros in before your Bitcoin flatlines. VISIT THEM ONEMAIL: Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.comTELEGRAM: @TECHCYBERFORCWhatsApp: +1 561 726 36 97

0 Go to comments
A
Andrea Irvine 4 hours ago
Ulster go down fighting in Champions Cup defeat to Bordeaux

I can rewire a human brain, course through the most sensitive neural pathways, and restore life with steady hands and a sharp scalpel. But it would appear none of those prepared me for the horror of a hardware wallet that had decided it wanted to self-destruct. It had been years since my Ledger device had sat comfortably in my drawer, unvexed and pristine, like a relic from my earlier Bitcoin investment days. Then came the fateful evening when I decided to switch it on just to check on my stash. That is when I was greeted by an error message so incomprehensible that it could as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. At first, I kept calm. I had been in life-and-death situations before, so surely, I could troubleshoot a problem with my wallet. Rebooting? Nothing. Firmware reset? Even worse. With every attempt, my precious $680,000 worth of Bitcoin seemed to slip further from my grasp. The real panic set in when I realized that I had stored my recovery phrase somewhere "safe"-so safe that even I couldn't remember where it was. Hours of frantic searching, multiple YouTube tutorials, and a last-ditch effort to reach out to Ledger support resulted in one grim conclusion: "Your funds may be irretrievable." As a neurosurgeon, I’m used to bad news—but this? Unacceptable. That is when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. A little skeptical I was- if they couldn't help me, a manufacturer of the device, then how would anyone else? I had nothing to lose. The moment I reached out to them, I knew I had done the right thing: I was professional, transparent, and confident that they could recover my lost Bitcoin. They performed some kind of digital wallet emergency surgery, getting everything back in six days. Through what can only be described as magic, by way of forensic techniques, they bypassed corruption and extracted my private keys and every Satoshi, to boot. If it stopped there, that would've been great; then they walked me through how to properly secure my assets going forward more "too safe to find" backups. I may be the expert in the operating room, but when it comes to resuscitating a dead crypto wallet, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY is your team on call. Cold storage has failed; don't try to self-operate, just get the pros in before your Bitcoin flatlines. VISIT THEM ONEMAIL: Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.comTELEGRAM: @TECHCYBERFORCWhatsApp: +1 561 726 36 97

0 Go to comments
A
Andrea Irvine 4 hours ago
Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

I can rewire a human brain, course through the most sensitive neural pathways, and restore life with steady hands and a sharp scalpel. But it would appear none of those prepared me for the horror of a hardware wallet that had decided it wanted to self-destruct. It had been years since my Ledger device had sat comfortably in my drawer, unvexed and pristine, like a relic from my earlier Bitcoin investment days. Then came the fateful evening when I decided to switch it on just to check on my stash. That is when I was greeted by an error message so incomprehensible that it could as well have been written in ancient hieroglyphics. At first, I kept calm. I had been in life-and-death situations before, so surely, I could troubleshoot a problem with my wallet. Rebooting? Nothing. Firmware reset? Even worse. With every attempt, my precious $680,000 worth of Bitcoin seemed to slip further from my grasp. The real panic set in when I realized that I had stored my recovery phrase somewhere "safe"-so safe that even I couldn't remember where it was. Hours of frantic searching, multiple YouTube tutorials, and a last-ditch effort to reach out to Ledger support resulted in one grim conclusion: "Your funds may be irretrievable." As a neurosurgeon, I’m used to bad news—but this? Unacceptable. That is when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY. A little skeptical I was- if they couldn't help me, a manufacturer of the device, then how would anyone else? I had nothing to lose. The moment I reached out to them, I knew I had done the right thing: I was professional, transparent, and confident that they could recover my lost Bitcoin. They performed some kind of digital wallet emergency surgery, getting everything back in six days. Through what can only be described as magic, by way of forensic techniques, they bypassed corruption and extracted my private keys and every Satoshi, to boot. If it stopped there, that would've been great; then they walked me through how to properly secure my assets going forward more "too safe to find" backups. I may be the expert in the operating room, but when it comes to resuscitating a dead crypto wallet, TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY is your team on call. Cold storage has failed; don't try to self-operate, just get the pros in before your Bitcoin flatlines. VISIT THEM ONEMAIL: Techcybersforcerecovery@cyberservices.comTELEGRAM: @TECHCYBERFORCWhatsApp: +1 561 726 36 97

4 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Munster-ROG reunion a ‘love story’ but no return likely for La Rochelle boss Munster-ROG reunion a ‘love story’ but no return likely for La Rochelle boss
Search