Black Ferns right wing Ruby Tui fends off Wallaroos lock Grace Kemp during New Zealand’s 41–17 victory over Australia at Eden Park, Auckland on the opening day of Rugby World Cup 2021, which was delayed until 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Black Ferns left wing Portia Woodman and her marker Bienne Terita await developments.

The effervescent Tui starred as a prop in the Black Ferns Sevens teams which won silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and gold at Tokyo 2020. Named as an outside back in the 2021 World Cup fifteens squad, she played in the final, in which New Zealand edged favourites England 34–31.

Tui’s memoir, Straight up, released just before Rugby World Cup 2021, received positive reviews and became an instant best-seller. In November 2022 she was named Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards.