In what has to be one of the most dramatic World Cup finals of all time, the Red Roses went down to 14 players when Lydia Thompson was shown a red card in the 18th minute and led for most of the game. She also points to WXV, which aims to give more women’s teams Test opportunities, as a marker of progress. “I was very excited at the concept, the fact that it’s not the top nations who get to jam and have this competition. It’s a real blessing for our sport.”

Exclusive interview: Five months after the Rugby World Cup victory, that famous singalong and a best-selling book, Ruby Tui is emerging as a powerhouse off the field. She talks over lunch with editor-at-large Shayne Currie about living life with purpose, her future plans - and children. After her jaunt in the US, would she ever be tempted to play in England’s top division, Premiership Women’s Rugby? “I talked to ‘Scaz’ [Emily Scarratt] at the World Rugby Awards last year, chatting about money and that,” Tui says cryptically. “England crossed my mind. It sounds fun.”This interview with Ruby Tui is tremendous, haha, what an absolute legend. #bbcolympics— Leeroy Genkins (@ironsoffthetee) July 30, 2021 The World Cup success catapulted women’s rugby into the spotlight in New Zealand like never before. Tui, who was later crowned World Rugby’s Women’s Breakthrough Player of 2022, was inundated with “lucrative” offers to play overseas and signed to play in the Premier Rugby Sevens competition in the United States, for which men and women are paid equally. Ruby is such an inspiration lady and a central reason why the world fell in love with her and her fellow sevens sisters. They are breaking down so may glass ceilings on the old boys rugby, not just in New Zealand but in the world. She is key player who said refused to let the old boys club tell her that women’s ruby doesn’t matter, that they would never win any tournaments, medal or world cups and especially she wasn’t not listening when they told her that women’s rugby wouldn’t sell out Eden Park. I mean she only wrote the books because she went to a bookstore and saw that there was only ONE book about a sportswomen (and none from a Samoan I bet). She doesn’t like to be told she can’t do something because of her gender or ethnicity and I love that. Yeah, OK. You’re kiwi, you know, I thought that was low key out the gate. Because I felt like we were just having a chat,” said Tui.

Of course, Dad’s an alcoholic, and she was young, so how we bonded was through drinking. I didn’t have the skills to say to her, I don’t need to do this. Honestly, I loved her so much, we could have just sat in a room doing nothing and I would have been happy. But I guess Dad and her were also trying to figure out their relationship, and so drinking was what we all ended up doing. She definitely wants to have children. “But I mean, like when, eh? But, yeah, definitely. Don’t we all want kids?” Growing up, Ruby felt simultaneously a "bit brown' for her mother's Pakeha family and "a bit white" for her father's Samoan family. She now realises the sense of belonging is an inside job. It's a direct investment in these people who just want to do good by you. I just want people to connect how significant that support is."Even though things weren’t perfect when I was little, I love both my mum and my dad dearly. They are such different people, and for a little while I was a bit sour at them for various reasons. But then I grew up a bit, I worked on my empathy and now I am just so thankful to both of them. Ruby on her 18th birthday with her Mum.

One fan posted on social media: “Men’s rugby can learn a lot from Ruby Tui. Her enthusiasm and originality is f***ing infectious … legend.” I cried a lot while reading this book, but there’s a passage early on in Straight Up about reading and the value of books, that gets me every time: “Every single night [Mum] buried herself in a book when she got into bed, and it made me look up to reading, and that’s the reason I am still a reader. I got Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone one Christmas, and it was just the best to have my very own novel to read.” I can imagine many a lonely child, adults too, thinking of Tui’s’ book in the same way. What a gift.

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As a child, Ruby was exposed to a lot of drug and alcohol abuse and later had a period of "chaotic lubrication" herself.

I think it’s being in tune with yourself, looking after your mental health, and asking yourself honest questions every day and not being afraid to do that.” I'll just finish with a You tube clip that shows why Kiwis (even rugby haters like me!) love Ruby Tui. I’ve got a surprise for you, Dad said one day. I was 11 years-old. We were driving around in his van, and I just looked at him. OK . . . And he dropped a bombshell. Her father’s battle with the bottle. Her mother lived for a time – a long time – with that abusive new partner.So later that day me and Dad waited for her outside KFC. Dad had a van at the time, so we all had to squash up together on the front seat — Dad, me in the middle and then my sister, Lesh, on the side. Squashed between my dad and my sister: it was the best feeling in the world. Adults had told me it was impossible to get an older sibling, but here she was. My older sister. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t say a word I was so nervous, but inside I was wearing the biggest smile. Then Dad said, Do you want to hang out with her without me? Of course! And so therefore, I do feel a responsibility that the next choice I make is in support of people who see that and understand that.” Relentlessly competitive on the field, away from the game, she puts people at the centre of her universe. You’re at ease immediately. Hence the hug. While she’s had a nomadic existence around New Zealand, her roots are firmly, proudly, planted and shared in her Samoan heritage on Dad’s side, and in her mother’s palagi – European – side.