Kutarere 16-year-old Ruru Tuari-Hape was tired but happy when the Ōpōtiki News caught up with her at the Whakatāne Heads on Monday.

The former Te Kura o Te Paroa student was nursing injuries picked up during a creditable performance playing for Poroporo Women in the Bay of Plenty Women’s Sevens championships at Katikati over the weekend.

Ruru’s team was third overall, winning the shield, but she took some knocks playing a key role in the team’s podium finish.

The fast halfback was accidentally kicked in the face during the first game, receiving a black eye. In the semi-final she hurt her knee.  

“Then in the final I played again and really hurt it. It’s getting better but still swollen, so right now I’m on my way to my GP,” Ruru said.

Injuries are a small price to pay in high-performance teenage sport, it seems.

Last week, Ruru and two fellow Trident High School students Lysahn Collier and Arliyah Matchitt learned they were selected for the Bay of Plenty Under-18 touch team.

Ruru, who plays one of two middles in her touch team, is hard pressed to decide which code she enjoys most of all – but having played rugby for eight years she does know rugby is her sport.

The teenager, who is aiming for a career in sports medicine, said being a teen athlete made for a busy life.

There was fitness training on Wednesdays, ball skills on alternate days, games on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and whenever possible, extra training in her own time, this comprising mainly sprints and stairs work.  

“It’s not that bad, you just have to get out of bed and get going.

“Training actually helps me focus on my schoolwork,” Ruru said.

Interests outside of schoolwork and rugby have been in short supply, though away from the pitch, Ruru does enjoy visiting her uncle’s Wainui farm to ride her gelding named “Thunder”.

Earlier this month Ruru was awarded a rugby scholarship to attend Aranmore Catholic College in Perth, where she will finish her last year of high school.  

As she is not native to Australia, she was not awarded the full scholarship, but instead offered 35 percent of the full amount.  

How does the youngster feel about being so far from home?

“Well, of course a little nervous, but mainly excited.

“In fact, I’m really looking forward to it,” Ruru said.

“I am grateful to my village for the support and the opportunities I have been given.”