Omaio’s Ruahei Demant is heading for a change of scenery for four months.

The Black Ferns’ first five eighth and captain has signed a contract with the Bristol Bears women’s side.

Demant, who was one of the best players at the recent Rugby World Cup in England, sees it as a perfect opportunity to grow her game and learn from some of the best players in the world.

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to represent Bristol Bears in a world-leading competition like PWR (Premiership Women’s Rugby).

“I can’t wait to meet the girls, the management and the fans all while growing as a person and a player. I’m extremely grateful NZR have allowed me to explore this opportunity and will return refreshed and ready for PAC4 in April.”

Her sister, Kiritapu, spent some seasons playing abroad, so Demant won’t have to look far for inspiration or advice.

She’s also got some teammates she will line up against with Alana Bremner and Amy Rule currently part of the competition.

It’s a four-month contract and during that time Demant hopes to learn plenty as a player.

She heads to England this month, which will include a collaborative approach between New Zealand Rugby and Bristol to training and load management, with oversight from the Black Ferns coaching staff.

New Zealand Rugby’s head of high-performance, Hannah Porter, said it was a great opportunity for Demant.

“This is a great development opportunity for Ruahei to spend time in a different environment and experience a different competition and style of play.

“We believe it will be highly beneficial to her, both as a player and person, and look forward to seeing those benefits when she returns to New Zealand for international duty with the Black Ferns in April and Super Rugby Aupiki in June.”