Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against the Black Ferns will be extra special for one French player, who returns to the country where she achieved high school rugby glory with an old mate and current Black Fern.
Hailing from The Wallis and Futuna Islands, Manae Feleu has returned to New Zealand for the first time since her high school days where she went to school in Hawke's Bay and won a 1A rugby championship with Karamu College.
On that same team was current Black Ferns prop Awhina Tangen-Wainohu. Feleu says “it’s crazy” to now have the chance to play against her in a World Cup match.
Manae Feleu has returned to New Zealand for the first time since her high school days where she won a rugby championship with Karamu College in Hastings. (Source: 1News)
Starting her rugby in the islands, Feleu played 7s and it wasn’t until she arrived in New Zealand in year 10 that she began playing the 15-a-side game.
Following her stint in Aotearoa, Feleu went on to study at University in France before she signed with Grenoble’s Amazones.
She says she enjoyed her time in New Zealand and learned a lot from it.
“I miss all my friends that I made here and I miss the culture. New Zealand has a really lovely culture with rugby and the Māori culture is awesome,” Feleu said.
France are going into the semi-final match having defeated the Black Ferns on the last four occasions.
But the 22-year-old says her team aren’t taking their opponents lightly with their aim to combat the challenge with their tough defence.
“We see them as a big threat. They’re five-time World Cup winners. The Black Ferns are a team we always love to play. We’re going to give it our best because that’s the best way we can show them all our respect and I think they’re going to do the same,” Feleu said.
“I don't think we see ourselves as favourites because we know there’s been a lot of change in the Black Ferns in the last few months. There have been changes in our team. I think we’re on a clean slate now and we’re just going to give it our best.”
While here for the World Cup, Feleu says her team has loved exploring the country, particularly Whangārei where they’ve visited some of the beaches.
SHARE ME