SQUAD DETAILS

without a New Zealand Rugby mention?

When she fronted journalists, Taurua said there wasn’t much between the likes of Rore and those who did make the cut at the defensive end.

‘‘Just because someone’s named in the Silver Ferns, it doesn’t mean they’re any better than anybody else, or vice versa.

‘‘It means at this moment in time you’re able to put more consistent performances out there, both on and off the court, and you’re able to do your job, not one day, but all the days.’’

The door remained open, she said, as coaches do.

Problem was, NNZ left a void between its press release, and Taurua explaining herself. And into that information void flooded rumour and speculation.

What Rore deserved was accolades, praise, a pedestal, heartfelt thanks, and she did get some of those.

But riding shotgun with the praise was rumour, speculation, waves of calls from journalists, a bad day made much, much worse by a thoughtless – or heartless – employer.

Compare her past actions with those of NNZ.

In August, she said she was ‘‘totally fine’’ with relinquishing her hold on the captaincy, after then coach Janine Southby quit.

‘‘I’m all about the growth of others and moving forward and just wanting to be the best for that black dress,’’ she said.

Go back to the Commonwealth Games, where Rore was the weeping public face of the Silver Ferns as they crashed to a series of defeats – one an unthinkable one to Malawi – and failed to medal.

Being told by TV’s Jenny-May Clarkson ‘‘a lot of people back home are saying that there doesn’t seem to be any pride in the black dress’’, would have been a dagger to the heart of any international athlete.

Tearfully, Rore took that bullet for NNZ. And how has she been thanked for that, and so much more she has done?

With. Not. One. Word.

D2