Rule heads into her second Rugby World Cup
Exeter Chiefs’ recently signed tighthead prop Amy Rule will play in her second Rugby World Cup after being selected for the Black Ferns.
The 25-year-old is already a World Cup winner having helped her home team to victory in the 2021 tournament and will be making her way to England next month to try to retain the title.
The 33-strong squad of Black Ferns will play in a competitive pool C along with Ireland, Japan and Spain.
Rule will get the chance to savour the support at Sandy Park when the Black Ferns play Japan on Sunday, August 31 (KO 14:00). This is game is part of a double-header that will also see France play Brazil at 16:45. Tickets are available here.
If results go their way, the Black Ferns could also return to Sandy Park for the quarter-finals on the weekend of September 13/14.
Rule said: "I'm absolutely stoked to make the squad. It’s always a honour to be selected for the Black Ferns, let alone being selected for a World Cup squad. It’s our pinnacle event in rugby and showcasing the best of the best in the world. It’s a challenge that I’m excited to face head on
"I'm also stoked to spend some time in my soon-to-be hometown and potentially strap on the boots and have a run around at Sandy Park!"
Exeter Chiefs Women's head coach Steve Salvin said: "Well done to Amy. She will go into this World Cup as one of the most experienced forward for the Black Ferns. I am excited for our fans who will get to see her in action at Sandy Park before she comes back to us to play in the PWR when the World Cup is over. I hope Amy is ready for the Sandy Park welcome she will receive on August 31!"
Black Ferns director of performance Allan Bunting said: "We are really excited about this group and truly believe they can take us to the next level. We’ve got vast experience across our squad, with more than half of our players having competed at pinnacle events.
“The level of depth and internal competition we have seen from our wider squad made the selection process very difficult, however this speaks to the growth and exciting future of women’s rugby in Aotearoa.”
Black Ferns’ Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards
*Kate Henwood (36, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 10 tests)
Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (27, Blues, Waikato, 7 tests)
*Chryss Viliko (24, Blues, Auckland, 13 tests)
*Atlanta Lolohea (22, Blues, Canterbury, 7 tests)
*Vici-Rose Green (22, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 2 tests)
Georgia Ponsonby (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 31 tests)
Tanya Kalounivale (26, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 22 tests)
*Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (20, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 1 test)
Amy Rule (25, Matatū, Canterbury, Exeter Chiefs, 30 tests)
*Laura Bayfield (26, Matatū, Canterbury, 1 test)
Alana Bremner (28, Matatū, Canterbury, 29 tests)
Chelsea Bremner (30, Matatū, Canterbury, 22 tests)
Maiakawanakaulani Roos (23, Blues, Auckland, 33 tests)
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (23, Blues, Auckland, 29 tests)
*Jorja Miller (21, Black Ferns Sevens, Canterbury, 2 tests)
*Kaipo Olsen-Baker (23, Matatū, Manawatū, 12 tests)
*Layla Sae (24, Hurricanes Poua, Manawatū, 14 tests)
Kennedy Tukuafu (28, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 30 tests)
Backs
*Iritana Hohaia (25, Hurricanes Poua, Taranaki, 17 tests)
*Maia Joseph (23, Matatū, Otago, 11 tests)
*Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (25, Black Ferns Sevens, Tasman, 2 tests)
Kelly Brazier (35, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 43 tests)
Ruahei Demant (30, Blues, Auckland, 45 tests)
Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (21, Blues, Auckland, 25 tests)
Amy du Plessis (26, Matatū, Canterbury, 21 tests)
Theresa Setefano (30, Blues, Auckland, 19 tests)
Stacey Waaka (29, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 27 tests)
Renee Holmes (25, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 23 tests)
Ayesha Leti-I’iga (26, Hurricanes Poua, Wellington, 26 tests)
*Braxton Sorensen-McGee (18, Blues, Auckland, 3 tests)
*Katelyn Vahaakolo (25, Blues, Auckland, 17 tests)
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (34, Blues, Northland, 27 tests)
*denotes first World Cup