Fijian-born Black Fern Tanya Kalounivale steps away from rugby to be with family

Black Ferns prop Tanya Kalounivale has stepped away from rugby, putting her international career on hold after deciding to move to Australia to be closer to whānau.

The 29-test forward, who was born in Fiji and worked her way through New Zealand rugby, said in a media statement that the decision to step back was driven by family first.

“I’ll absolutely miss my teammates and the Black Ferns environment, but family comes first, so it was an easy decision in the end to move to Australia.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and won’t be giving up on my rugby ambitions, but for now that’s not going to be possible in New Zealand.”

The 27-year-old’s journey has been a Pacific rugby story at its core. Born in Fiji, she moved to Aotearoa to chase her rugby dream and rose through the domestic game before making her Black Ferns debut in 2022.

Tanya Kalounivale of the New Zealand Black Ferns playing against the Australian Wallaroos. Photo/John Davidson/Photosport

Since then, she has become a key part of the New Zealand women’s rugby squad, helping drive the forward pack with her strength and work rate.

At the provincial level, Kalounivale has represented Waikato Women in the Farah Palmer Cup since 2017 and also featured for Chiefs Manawa in the Super Rugby Aupiki since 2021.

Hannah Porter, head of women’s high performance at NZ Rugby, said the organisation would have liked to keep Kalounivale but fully understood her choice.

“From a rugby point of view, we would have loved for Tanya to have extended her contract with New Zealand Rugby, but we fully understand her decision to move to Australia and support her family.

“We wish her all the best and hope to see her back on a rugby field soon.”

New Black Ferns coach Whitney Hansen echoed similar sentiments after coaching Kalounivale during this year’s Pacific Four Series in April.

“We are fully supportive and understanding of Tanya’s situation,” Hansen said in a statement. “She is a talented and valued member of our Black Ferns whanau and will be missed as a player and a presence in the Black Ferns environment.

“We are incredibly grateful for the contribution she has made so far to not just the Black Ferns, but also New Zealand Rugby, and are looking forward to seeing what is next for her.”

Kalounivale finishes her Black Ferns career to date with a 75 per cent win rate and 15 points scored.

For now though, her focus shifts away from the field and back to family life in Australia. It closes this chapter of a career built through hard work, Pacific roots, and a steady rise through the New Zealand game.