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Black Ferns star Ruby Tui blows young fan away with incredible act
By Finn Morton
Black Ferns wing Ruby Tui continues to show that rugby is about more than just the results on the field after sharing a special moment with a young fan in the stands at Sky Stadium.
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Tui, who helped the Black Ferns capture the hearts of a rugby-mad nation during last year’s successful World Cup, embodies the best of what it means to be a professional athlete in New Zealand.
Following New Zealand’s heartbreaking 18-17 loss to France at the Wellington venue late last month, Tui lived up to a promise that she’d made with a fan at an opening training session.
Paper, scissors, rock champ 📄✂️🪨
Any boots left for this weekend @rubytui ?#LikeABlackFern | #WXV1 pic.twitter.com/3YjzVYBdFT
— Black Ferns (@BlackFerns) October 26, 2023
Young Black Ferns supporter Izzy was holding up a sign that read “scissors, paper, rock for your boots,” and Tui certainly held up her “end of the bargain.”
Tui offered rock to Izzy’s paper, and as we all know, paper beats rock. With a smile on her face, Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern Tui signed her boots and passed them over.
“So this is Izzy, and she came to one our open trainings and we made a deal – paper, scissors, rock, I was going to give her my boots,” Tui said in a video on the Black Ferns’ Instagram.
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“So keeping my end of the bargain,” Tui said as she walked up to Izzy.
“Got to keep your end of the bargain, and win’s a win. Deal’s a deal.
“Nothing’s better than fans that just follow us but then turn up to every game and that’s Izzy and Anahira, so here you go guys.”
Following New Zealand’s momentous Rugby World Cup triumph at Eden Park last year, Tui gracefully gifted her winners medal to an aspiring Black Fern at a parade in Auckland.
Tui had become arguably the most recognisable rugby player in New Zealand. The Olympic gold medallist was featured on the front cover of Rugby News shortly after, and took things one step further to promote the growth of the women’s game.
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Tui started signing the magazine, before later questioning whether it was “legal.”
“You know, they say apparently if there is a woman on the cover of a rugby magazine, that the magazine won’t sell,” Tui said in a video on Twitter.
“So, if you are looking for a last-minute gift or you just want to be a good sort and support a good cause, make sure you go and grab a rugby magazine with a woman’s rugby player on the front.
“And hey, if you’re lucky, you might even get a signed one.”
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The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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