PLAYER PROFILE
Ruahei Demant
First Five-Eight
KEY STATS
BIOGRAPHY
RUAHEI DEMANT has overcome more setbacks than most to achieve her rugby goals.
The five-eighths endured no less than three knee reconstructions after her 2013 debut for the Auckland Storm. But she bounced back to crack the Black Ferns for the first time in 2018, following in the footsteps of younger sister Kiritapu, who wore the black jersey in 2015.
Demant brings versatility to any team, and can play in either the 10, 12 or 13 jerseys. She was, however, the preferred No 10 in all six Black Ferns Tests in 2019, scoring two tries against Australia in the Laurie O’Reilly Memorial Trophy series. She is a sparky attacking footballer, with a good running and passing game to ignite her outsides.
As of the end of the 2020 Farah Palmer Cup season, she has 43 games for Auckland to her credit, and 169 points, as she is also useful off the tee.
In 2019, she was accorded the honour of playing for the UK Barbarians team against Wales in Cardiff.
Demant’s time management skills are also finely honed as, along with her training and match commitments for her College Rifles club, the Storm and the Black Ferns, she is a fully qualified lawyer.
Demant grew up in Bay of Plenty and Warkworth, attending Mahurangi College, alma mater of the Brooke brothers.
In 2022, she was named as captain for the Pacific Four Series in New Zealand and led the Black Ferns to Rugby World Cup glory in the same year.
IWI: Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa