Utility back Ruahei Demant has been named as the captain of the Black Ferns squad to play the Pacific Four Series next month.
Demant, (Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa) made her debut for the Black Ferns in 2018 and has become a mainstay in the team since then.
Despite being a permanent figure in the squad, she admitted to being surprised by new coach Wayne Smith choosing her to lead the team for the first time.
"I thought it was a joke because I was in complete disbelief," she said at today's squad announcement.
"Thankfully I've had a lot of time to come to terms with the fact that I have the honour of captaining this team with this legacy and so much mana."
She says previous captains, such as Farah Palmer, Fi'iao Faamausili and Les Elder will be her inspiration as she prepares to lead her country for the first time.
"I don't know really know if I've quite reached the pinnacle or the esteem that I hold them in, so it's a massive challenge, aA challenge I'm willing to take."
Talking about Demant, the new Black Ferns coach and Director of Rugby, Wayne Smith said she has the support of the playing and coaching staff.
"She is a clear, specific communicator and we see this as a great opportunity to grow her leadership,” Smith said.
Demant struggled to say what her leadership style is but eventually said she liked to lead with her actions and expected to continue that in next month's series against Australia, the USA and Canada.
"I don't really like to say too much. I'm hoping I can empower the players around me to put their body on the line for each other and enjoy the rugby that we're about to play. It's not every day we can pull on a black jersey and represent our country," Demant said.
Her elevation to the captaincy comes at the expense of Elder (Maniapoto), who has been left out of the 31-person squad, as has vice-captain Eloise Blackwell (Ngāti Wai) and Renee Wickliffe (Ngāti Tamaterā).
Smith, who took over the reins of the Black Ferns last month, said it was important to make sure all players could put their best foot forward when wearing the black jersey.
“These are players who have had a significant impact on the Black Ferns team for a long time. We want them to be in the best possible condition to be selected for the Rugby World Cup.”
The squad features seven debutantes, including Natalie Delamare, who played for Matatū in Super Rugby Aupiki before crossing the Tasman and linking up with the Waratahs, scoring three tries in the Super Rugby Women final. Teenage star Kaipo Olsen-Baker, who turns 20 later this week, has also been selected after successive standout seasons with Manawatū and the Hurricanes Poua this year.
"These players really showed up in Aupiki. They are young, eager and really deserve the chance to have a crack," Smith said.
"I'm really excited for our debutantes that they get to debut in New Zealand in front of their families, the proud new captain said. "For a lot of us, our games are overseas and we rely on whānau waking up in the middle of the night to support us from afar, and that means a lot. But our debutantes have that rare opportunity to debut at home, some of them in their home cities, in front of many members of their whānau."