1
'Just keep getting up': Stacey Waaka opens up about 'tough' injury
By Finn Morton
Stacey Waaka has opened up about her “tough” transition back to sevens after picking up an injury during last year’s Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park.
Playing in front of a sold-out crowd at the famous venue, the Black Ferns etched their names into rugby history with a hard-fought win over the Red Roses.
Waaka was one of the players of the final, having set-up a World Cup-winning try inside the final 10 minutes.
But that’s when disaster struck.
With a smile on her face, Waaka left the field with an ankle injury.
The talented Black Fern spent some time on the sidelines, before returning to international rugby earlier this year at the Hamilton Sevens.
Waaka, who scored a hat-trick during the Black Ferns Sevens’ big over Hong Kong China, has spoken with RugbyPass about her “hard” journey back to rugby.
“It was really tough, I was injured obviously from the World Cup,” Waaka told RugbyPass.
“Coming back, it’s hard but it’s motivating because we play a sport that we get paid for, we can travel the world (and) go to new places.
“I always keep that in the back of my head and why you’re passionate about it so you make it hard.
“No matter how hard it is and how hard those trainings are, you just keep getting up.”
Waaka made history on an already momentous day at Hong Kong Stadium this week, having crossed for a hat-trick during their opening round 50-nil win in pool play.
Friday will go down in history as a significant day for women’s rugby. For the first time ever, the Women’s World Series made a stop in Hong Kong – a 46-year first.
“We know that this was a tournament before the World Series even started,” she added
“We know that we had a New Zealand team, a women’s team, competing in 2000. It was quite a long time ago.
“It’s cool because we share those moments and we honour the past and the legacy that those ladies played for us.
“Our men have been playing here for quite a few years and they say this was definitely one of their favourite tournaments.
“Absolutely significant and we’re just grateful that we get the opportunity to play here.
“I’m just grateful to be in an amazing team and that’s probably one special thing about it, anyone could score from anywhere.
“You’ve just got to have each other’s back no matter what.”
Waaka also scored a try in New Zealand’s emphatic 43-nil victory over Great Britain late on day one.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Leinster player ratings vs Sharks | 2024/25 URC
3
Fissler Confidential: Leicester Tigers set sights on Orlando Bailey
4
Wales given hands off message on rising star Kane James
5
Latest Comments
Credit to the Leinster development and to Cullen with the ‘grit’ of a Nienaber team starting to show. Deegan was immense, and Cian Healy was worth a little more in that front row than a 6.5 suggests. He controlled the pace of the scrums and communicated in conversation with the ref. Must have been a special win for him.
Gunne had a super debut. Its not an academy team, they have been blooded and are hardened from two previous SA tours and many Leinster caps between. Some inexperienced players but that wouldn’t count as the system makes that less relevant.
Leinster now have an experienced deep squad of 35-40 who each can come on and play without a big drop in standard. The team 2 years ago was academy in that sense. Not now.
All that said and as hard as Leinster made it, the Sharks should have been able to put them away. The reactions to some of the mistakes seemed to indicate that there is an ongoing issue of inaccuracy. Even at start of this season Sharks were blowing teams away and looked completely different.
Go to commentsExploring new cultures, meeting people, and experiencing the world has been a lifelong dream of mine. Last year, I decided to plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe. I spent months researching destinations, creating itineraries, and saving up $8000 for the adventure. When I came across a travel agency offering an unbeatable package deal, I thought I had struck gold. The website looked professional, the reviews seemed genuine, and the agent I spoke to was incredibly persuasive. I paid the full amount upfront, excited to finally make my dream trip a reality. However, as the departure date approached, I noticed red flags. My emails to the agency went unanswered, and when I tried calling, the number was disconnected. Panic set in as I realized I had been scammed. My dream trip was slipping away, and I had lost $8000.Devastated, I turned to Tech Cyber Force Recovery for help. I had heard about their success in tracing online fraud and recovering funds for victims like me. I provided them with all the details: the fake website, the transaction records, and the emails from the scammer. Tech Cyber Force Recovery team was incredibly understanding and assured me they would do everything possible to help. Using their expertise in digital forensics, they traced the scammer’s digital footprint and identified the offshore account to which my money had been transferred. They worked tirelessly with international authorities to freeze the account and recover the funds. Within a few weeks, they successfully returned the $8000 to me. The relief was indescribable. Not only did I get my money back, but I also learned valuable lessons about verifying online services and protecting myself from scams. Thanks to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, I was able to rebook my trip through a legitimate agency and finally embark on my dream adventure. They didn’t just recover my funds; they restored my faith in justice and gave me the chance to create unforgettable memories. Reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery Team for assistance TELEGRAM (At)techcyberforc EMAIL Tech cybers force recovery (At)cyber services(dot)com
Go to comments