Sevens legend Sarah Hirini to return to rugby
Rugby legend Sarah Hirini has re-signed with the Black Ferns Sevens, extending her contract through to the end of 2028.
Her return comes just four months after the birth of her son, Masaru, and less than a year after stepping away from rugby to become a first-time mother.
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Hirini’s new contract extends her professional career into a 16th season to make her NZR’s longest-serving current professional women’s rugby player as she looks towards a potential fourth Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The 33-year-old said her ambition and drive remained as strong as it was when she debuted for Manawatū as a 20-year-old in 2013.
“I’m very grateful to have this opportunity to continue my career with NZ Rugby. I am so proud to be from New Zealand; representing our country and wearing the black jersey is a privilege I’ll never take for granted and I’ll always give everything I have for it.
“I’m excited to be returning to our team that has continued to grow and evolve and that has set the standards for high-performance women’s rugby around the world. I still feel that we are only scratching the surface and I can’t wait to see what other things we can accomplish as a team.
”Becoming a mum has been the most amazing life experience and I hope that other first-time mums feel that it’s possible to continue their careers, sporting or otherwise, and know that motherhood doesn’t have to be a competing life choice. I am very lucky to have the support of my husband Conor, our whānau and NZ Rugby to help me to continue to live the dream that I first had as a young 13-year-old girl living in Manawatū.”
Hirini’s remarkable CV has swelled since her first NZR contract in 2013. She has captained the Black Ferns Sevens to three Olympic medals, including back-to-back golds in Tokyo in 2020 and Paris in 2024, and won two Rugby World Cups in fifteens as a loose forward with the Black Ferns in 2017 and 2021.
In total, she has five medals across Olympic and Commonwealth Games, including gold on the Gold Coast in 2018, and has played 283 matches for the Black Ferns Sevens, becoming the first female international to reach the 200 milestone. She has also won two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles, while managing 17 test caps for the Black Ferns in fifteens.
Beyond her on-field achievements, she has been recognised for her leadership, receiving the prestigious Sport New Zealand leadership award and being named a finalist for 2025 New Zealander of the Year. In 2019, she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby.
