Ruby Tui has a club again. After a year without a contract and a fortnight of deliberately cryptic social media posts, the Black Ferns wing has signed for Ealing Trailfinders, the beaten finalists of last season's Premiership Women's Rugby.
The BBC reported the deal is understood to run for a year. Tui is 34, and her CV is close to unmatched in the women's game: a gold medal with the Black Ferns Sevens at the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, silver at Rio in 2016, and a try in New Zealand's 34-31 win over England in the final of the 2021 Rugby World Cup, played at home in 2022 and widely regarded as one of the great matches of the modern era.
What she has not had recently is regular rugby. Tui played for Chiefs Manawa in last year's Super Rugby Aupiki season but missed selection for the Black Ferns squad that travelled to the World Cup in England, working as a commentator at the tournament instead. Her only 15-a-side appearance in almost a year came for the Barbarians against Wales at Allianz Stadium in June.
That gap very nearly became permanent. In an interview with The Telegraph, Tui said it took intervention from two of her contemporaries to keep her playing.
"My friends Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Meg Jones helped me, they really had a massive input on making the decision," Tui said. "They probably don't know that, but I wanted to reference them in the videos on purpose because I think Portia is the greatest rugby player that has ever played the game and Meg is currently the best player in the world, so two people to listen to."
Trailfinders head coach Barney Maddison framed the signing around what Tui brings beyond the wing.
"Ruby is one of the most respected figures in the women's game," Maddison said. "Her experience of winning at the very highest level, combined with the energy and leadership she brings on and off the pitch, will be an enormous asset to the squad as we push on from last season. We're thrilled to welcome her to the club."
The club's own statement leaned on the same theme, describing Tui as "one of the sport's most influential ambassadors, known for her infectious energy, leadership and her openness in using her platform to speak about resilience, community and the growth of women's sport worldwide."
Tui, for her part, sounded like someone who has already made peace with the move. She said she was "fizzing to sign with Trailfinders" and pointed to the competition itself as the draw.
"I feel like I've seen a lot of women's rugby and it's the biggest and best women's comp in the world right now. The whole Trailfinders team have been so welcoming since I got here, and watching them all last season had me fizzed about how they're playing the game."
She will not be short of familiar accents. Alana Borland is already at the Ealing club, and Tanya Kalounivale, Georgia Ponsonby and Maia Roos have all had stints there.
"It obviously helps having a Kiwi presence here already with Lans, Tans, Georgia and Maia already making their presence felt in the Trailfinders jersey. They all said it wasn't too bad here, aye, so here we are," Tui said. "I can't wait to meet the fans properly. I'm ready to get stuck in and serve the team in whatever way I can."
The recruitment matters for Trailfinders, who reached a Premiership final for the first time in June and lost it heavily to Saracens. Whether Tui displaces any of their established wings is a fair question - the squad is already well stocked in the back three - but a club trying to convert one good season into a habit has just signed one of the most recognisable faces in the sport.
