Former Motueka sevens star off to Argentina
As she bides her time with the Black Ferns, Tasman’s Risaleaana Pouri-Lane has been given a golden opportunity to unleash her sevens skills on global opposition.
Barely six months out of school, the former Motueka High student and Tasman player has been named in a 12-strong women’s Under-18 sevens squad to attend the Youth Olympics in Argentina.
The third edition of the summer Games will take place in Buenos Aires from October 6-18. A team of approximately 70 athletes will represent New Zealand.
The women’s Under-18 team qualified for the Games after winning the Oceania Under18 Sevens Championship earlier this year, with the New Zealand Olympic Committee confirming their inclusion this week.
Pouri-Lane said she relished any chance to play at international level, as well as playing alongside many team-mates who had been opponents until now.
‘‘It’s really an awesome opportunity to experience that kind of level – especially being the first NZ sevens team to go over there – I reckon it’ll be a pretty crazy experience,’’ she said.
‘‘As long as we’re working hard for each other and being the best we can be, then everything else will fall into place.’’
The teenager’s rise through the national sevens ranks has been as swift as the pace she has shown on the field.
In 2017, she went to three overseas tournaments with the New Zealand development team, before becoming the youngest Black Ferns sevens player to earn a fulltime contract for 2018.
Now based in Hamilton and just days past her 18th birthday, Pouri-Lane has already travelled with the Black Ferns Sevens to the Canadian leg of this year’s World Series and was a late addition to the Kiwi bench as the team took Commonwealth Games gold medal on the Gold Coast.
Following a warm-up injury to vice-captain Tyla Nathan-Wong, she joined the team just five minutes before the final against hosts Australia.
‘‘The Commonwealth Games were a pretty surreal experience. If someone had told me that while I was in school I’d experience all these different opportunities then I probably wouldn’t have believed them,’’ Pouri-Lane said.
While slotting comfortably into the Black Ferns training schedule and team environment, she said the help and support from her Motueka upbringing was something she would always be grateful for.
‘‘I miss the little old town – I’ll be going back there in August so, hopefully, we’ll catch up with everyone.’’
Beyond Buenos Aires, PouriLane’s next goal is a simple one – to finally make her debut for the Black Ferns.
‘‘I’m just being patient and learning off the girls – I’ll just keep training hard and give it time.’’
While she still enjoyed 15-a-side rugby, Pouri-Lane said her focus had shifted to the abbreviated form of the game as she worked to fulfil her goals.