Auckland women's Grace Kukutai at National Sevens 2019 Photo: John Cowpland / www.photosport.nz
Grace Kukutai began her professional sports career as a netballer until rugby sevens came calling in 2019. Now she has picked up her first Super Rugby Aupiki contract with the Chiefs Manawa.
Her next step is securing a black jersey, something she thinks is easier done when she's playing right in front of the selectors.
Kukutai was in the stands at Eden Park when the Black Ferns lifted the Rugby World Cup title in 2022 and she says it made her realise she "wanted to be a part of that one day".
Professional 15-a-side wasn't an option when rugby came on to Kukutai's radar so she took the sevens route.
Grace Kukutai playing for the Northern Mystics in 2018. Photo: Photosport
Playing in the Japan Rugby Sevens competition and the Premier Rugby Sevens in the United States as well as in Dubai and South Africa Kukutai says has given her a good grounding in rugby skills.
Having not played rugby as a school girl it wasn't until she was 21 years old that she decided to give it a go.
"I found the transition from netball to sevens not so bad, a little bit more of a simpler version of rugby I'd say sevens is, but then when you come into 15s it's a lot more tactical so I feel like that transition from netball to sevens to 15s is actually a really good gradual change into it almost like baby feeding me the rugby game."
Sevens allowed Kukutai to travel the world but now she wants to leave an impression at home.
"There's nothing like playing at home and playing for your country that is definitely still a goal of mine is to be back and playing for New Zealand one day.
"Being back home you almost feel like you're in front of the coaches a little bit more and it gives you a little bit more of an opportunity.
"For me, going overseas, it probably fast-tracked my learning of the game but you're also out of sight, out of mind a little bit. You might play really well or develop your skills but unless you're back home playing in front of people who matter like the selectors and the coaches you sort of put yourself on the back foot a little bit."
Getting to represent Chiefs Manawa in Super Rugby Aupiki is special for Kukutai whose family hails from the Waikato.
Kukutai has been impressed with the professionalism of the Manawa environment.
"For the women's game to move forward we need to have that level of professionalism, it's really hard to demand a lot from women who are having to work full time jobs or study full time, have lives outside of rugby and then also have the same expectations of a men's professional rugby team.
Grace Kukutai playing Farah Palmer Cup for Auckland. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
"I can't speak for the years before this year, but this year definitely you can see the level of rugby in New Zealand slowly rising for women and it's pretty cool to come back from being in an overseas professional environment and coming back to New Zealand to see that we're starting to level up in that space for women."
Super Rugby Aupiki could be a springboard for Kukutai to meet her representative goals but she doesn't mind whether that comes on sevens or 15s.
"I did sort of put all my eggs in one basket with sevens probably for the last few years and that was just that opportunities at the time where there for me in sevens professionally. I was involved with the New Zealand Sevens squad for a couple of tours which was pretty cool, but now that I'm a little bit more comfortable with my contact area and the game of rugby in general I am definitely just open for whatever I've learnt as I've gotten a little bit older, maybe wiser, just to take whatever opportunities are in front of me and not plan too far ahead."
