New Zealand’s Shiray Kaka reveals price of ‘embarrassing’ TikTok fame

With more than 100 thousand TikTok followers and 3.5 million likes to match, Black Ferns Sevens’ Shiray Kaka has emerged as one of New Zealand’s leading sports personalities.

Kaka, who returned to the SVNS Series in Vancouver after missing out on the squad for last month’s event in Perth, is everywhere on the platform. But there’s a problem.

The New Zealander may be an Olympic gold medallist, who has also made the podium at the Rugby Sevens World Cup and Commonwealth Games, but people don’t know she plays on the SVNS Series.

Instead, as Kaka reflected with a smile on her face, the Kiwi is known by many as “the girl off TikTok.” But Kaka, half-jokingly, looked ahead to changing that in the future.

“It’s actually a little bit embarrassing,” Kaka told RugbyPass. “People don’t even know I play rugby, they’re just like, ‘That’s the girl off TikTok.’ It’s so sad.

“I would never, well I won’t say ever – I don’t like putting my own highlights and stuff on rugby and I feel like that’s the only way I’d get likes.

“Maybe you post it for me and then it won’t seem like it’s from me. But I’ve noticed that’s on record now. Okay, it’s out there. If anyone wants to make me a highlight reel please go for it.”

Back in the mix with the Black Ferns Sevens at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium, Kaka has taken the opportunity with both hands during New Zealand’s two big wins on Day One.

Kaka, 28, scored a first-half double during New Zealand’s dominant 40-7 win over Brazil in their opening match and backed that up with another try against South Africa.

With the women in black now two from two going into the second day, they won’t want to get ahead of themselves but there’s an elephant in the room.

Their season hasn’t gone to plan so far. With three tournaments and no Cup final triumphs, they’ll be eager to change that at the Canadian venue this weekend.

“Not the greatest, you can say it, you can say it. We’ve lost every tournament. That’s what’s happened,” Kaka said.

“We just go back to playing rugby for fun and remembering your ‘why’ and all that kind of thing. Just coming together, recuperating and just remembering the pinnacle event is the Olympics.

“We keep grinding.”

The Black Ferns Sevens will look to make it three from three in pool play when they come up against the Ireland women’s side – who won the Cup final in Perth – on Saturday.