Straight Up

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It is a story of personal and systemic metamorphosis, which has ultimately led us to a new, women-led era for sport at large in Aotearoa. She has such a positive outlook of life, her epencierencaes and how we should all treat people with kindness because we don’t know what they are going through behind closed doors or in their head. And another: “It’s not your skin colour, your salary or any of that stuff that makes you great; it’s your fight, it’s your work ethic.

If you go to a rugby tournament [overseas] and sing ‘Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi…’, about six people in the crowd turn around and go ‘Aue! And this is reflected throughout the book: there are conversations about love, about the ways the women had to change their own game and stand up to inequities in the system, about a huge shift in the team culture that led to their ultimate successes personally and on the field. That’s been really, really huge and it matters … you’ve got to go out of your way for things you actually believe in.The present tense switches out very quickly and reminds us that adult Ruby Tui is right there with us, surveying her life with clear and open appraisal.

Moral of the story don’t pretend you’re well and don’t need help just because you would prefer to be well and not need help. That day with Lesh, it still stands as one of the best days of my whole life — like God had heard me and gifted me this new best friend.There's nothing as inspiring as seeing your mum get out of a bad relationship and organise and reach out and get help.