Tyla King – We Need To Continue Supporting Those Smaller Nations To Help Them Grow Around The World Because It’s Good For Our Game

“Kia Ora I am Tyla King from New Zealand” is how one of the most successful Women’s Sevens players to have played the game announced herself on the microphone check at the Singapore SVNS 2025 as we sat down to speak to Tyla King on hanging up the Sevens Rugby boots, the sport’s growth and development, and smashing down barriers.

Photo Credit-  Tyla King (at Singapore SVNS 2025)

With 7 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series titles, the first woman to score more than 1400 points in the World Series, played 50+ tournaments, and won a silver Olympic medal and two Olympic golds for rugby sevens as well as a number of other accolades – Tyla King hung up her Rugby Sevens boots post-Paris 2024 Olympics as the highest women points scorer in the history of the women Sevens Series.

She had played for more than a decade wearing the iconic Black Ferns 7s jersey but is still very active and has played in the NRL Women’s Premiership since 2023 and represented the New Zealand women’s national rugby league team.

She also was among the first women’s players to play both the Hong Kong and Singapore SVNS legs in 2024 before she retired and was back in both locations in 2025 as an Ambassador. We asked her how she had been enjoying the change of roles and if she had ‘struggled’ watching her former teammates go back to back at both events on the Asian leg.

“Honestly, I’m really loving it. I’m enjoying being on the other side of things in this ambassador role and being able to see the other side of how a tournament goes.

I’ve been doing behind-the-scenes tours with kids, and being able to see their faces light up when they see some of the teams and players walk past and some of the cool questions they get asked, as well as different coaching clinics I’ve done this week as well, has been good fun. Also, it’s good networking for me in Hong Kong and in Singapore.”

Photo Credit – World Rugby – Tyla King and other sports legends at Hong Kong 7s 2025

On retiring from the game, and she is still young having made her debut as a teenager for New Zealand, she explained, “I’ve had heaps of people ask me, ‘Oh, do you miss being out there and all that kind of stuff?’ I’m like, No! I was actually very content with my decision to retire and walk away and hang up the rugby 7s boots to go to something that I see as a new challenge for me. It has been a very exciting opportunity in the NRLW (Rugby League) space, and this year I will be with the Cronulla Sharks so I’m just excited about my next chapter.

I guess when you know you are content and happy with that kind of decision, it makes that transition so much easier. Maybe it’s because I’ve transitioned to another sport that’s not quite full-time yet, that’s made it a little bit less of a feeling of any loss that some players have when they have left the sport that they’ve played pretty much their entire life.”

Asked if she knew Paris was going to be her last dance wearing the Black Ferns 7s jersey, she said, “Yes, I already knew I was hanging up the boots well before I hung up the boots. I already knew maybe two years out, that it would be my last outing with the team and that Paris would be swansong. I was very happy and content with my choice. 

I had a little bit of a moment when we played our last World Series tournament in Madrid in 2024, and Portia (Woodman-Wickliffe) and I had a little bit of a cry before we ran out onto the field knowing that that was our last moment on the World Sevens Series. And I got a little bit emotional after Paris as well, knowing that, I spent 13 years, a majority of almost half my life playing the sport and for this team. 

You just have to have those moments and really embrace it. Looking back at that last year, one of the highlights was Paris obviously, and I literally finished on top of the world. You can’t get any better than where I finished and retired with gold at the Paris Olympics. My family, my whanau, and the crowd were able to cheer and support me throughout that whole process.”

Photo Credit – World Rugby -Tyla King retired from Rugby 7s with gold at the Paris Olympics

Another highlight was also being the last women’s team to win in Hong Kong at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium and we’ll forever hold that, as the final winners of the Hong Kong Sevens there. And then for the girls to get the very first Cup win at the new Kai Park Stadium as well was also history-making and special. 

One thing I think that just made my transition a lot easier too, was knowing that I literally had achieved everything in our sport that was possible from a team perspective, but also from an individual perspective as well,” said Tyla King.

What Has Made The NZ Black Ferns an Unstoppable Force 

Tyla King said of the conveyor belt of talent that has come through and the high standards the NZ Women’s team has set, “I think for New Zealand, we haven’t really had too much change in our team. Australia, compared to all the other women’s teams, hasn’t had too much change – maybe more for them across these last two tournaments because some of their players have looked to go to the Fifteens space for the Rugby World Cup and due to injuries.

I feel like New Zealand’s really held strong. We’ve only maybe got one new debutante that’s played this year, so they’ve probably been the only country or team that’s held their full-strength squad whereas you look at all the other women’s teams, it’s like, ‘who are some of these players? They’ve got so many new, young faces in their teams and in their environment. 

In the women’s space, you are seeing a massive regrowth of these countries and these teams, which is good for the sport. But at the moment, the women’s side is a two-horse race between Australia and New Zealand. I’d say New Zealand is definitely at the top of that. 

Whereas you compare that to the men’s and, wow, it’s like anyone’s game. Argentina are doing very well. They’re probably the most consistent, I would say. But still, it’s anyone’s game when it comes to the men’s side of the competition.

And I think in the women’s space, it’s due to the longevity of a lot of us as players like there were a few of us that had been there for 13 years, from the very start of our team forming again back in 2012 and having through three cycles of the Olympics.”

Photo Credit -World Rugby – Tyla King and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe – Singapore SVNS 2024

How Has The SVNS Series Changed and The Development Of New Teams – Tyla King

“It shows you when a team is able to stay and play consistently against the best teams, they’re gonna have growth,” said King of the development of teams like Japan, China, Brazil and others in the women’s game.

When they first came in, they did get a little bit of a hiding every now and then against the top teams. But the more they played alongside those top teams, they started growing and developing a lot more. And I guess when countries decide to actually centralise their programs or have players live together full time they have seen the benefits.

If you look at the men’s space that happened with the Spanish team, as soon as they went full-time and were all together, they’ve just seen massive growth and development. But it’s also because they’ve been able to stay together for a while, too. 

The longer you’re together, those combinations start to come together and form naturally. And it doesn’t take too much communication on the field – you can just read each other and your body language and know where a player is going to move and what their strengths and weaknesses are. 

“If you look at the women’s game; Japan made their first SVNS Cup semi-final a couple of tournaments ago, which was incredible to see. Like they’re actually a really good team, and their youth side are amazing. The U18s are GLobal Youth 7s champions. They beat Australia. They beat New Zealand. So if their U18s can stay in the Sevens program, I think we can see Japan win a tournament in the next few years.”

Photo Credit: Global Youth Sevens / JRFU – Japan Champions 2024

Japan is awesome and I’m excited to see their youth come through because that team is amazing. Their skill set, their physicality. If they can slowly integrate into that women’s team they’re just going to take it to another level, and I could see them winning a tournament.

I feel like now, because of how popular the women’s game is, especially since the Rio Olympics, it’s just growing and growing each Olympic cycle, and you’ve got young girls that are starting to play rugby at a younger age. For us, for example, Jorja Miller was playing since she was like a baby – like U6, whereas a lot of us didn’t start until we were in high school, if not older. 

So the earlier you get into the game, the more understanding you’ll have, and the more natural it becomes. You’re not as robotic as other countries have been in the past.”

Of the other SVNS Series Asian side this season, Tyla King explained, “The Chinese women too. Their skill set is insane. I think for them it’s just about finding consistency and not being afraid of these bigger teams. I do feel like at times they do look a little bit scared when they come up against New Zealand and try to play too perfectly and worry about making mistakes. I think they just kind of get stuck in their heads too much, and if they get past that they could topple some of these big teams.”

The other is Brazil, and they’ve been a little bit of a giant killer this year beating Australia for the first time too. Their coach, Crystal Kaua, who’s a Kiwi, it’s awesome to see her in that space. I got to train alongside them in Singapore this week and I think it unfortunate they didn’t crack the top eight this year, but they thoroughly deserve to be in their running to try and crack the top eight.

What makes an average team, a great team, is just the consistency of the skill set and being able to do the basics well. and when it comes to the crunch, just being able to stay in it.”

We talked of the challenges the Chinese Women’s coach has had in blooding new players this season but also trying to stay in the top 8 which has been challenging.

“It’s always a debate. Do we invest in the players or do we not?” said Tyla King. “You have to invest in something if you want to be able to get something from it. For some of these countries, these nations, to actually realise it, although from my point of view, it took some of them a bit too long, but it’s good to see it happening now, especially in the women’s space.

Photo Credit -World Rugby – China Women Finished 8th at Perth SVNS 2025

The games are more competitive, the athletes are getting faster and more physical. The teams that do go full-time and train with each other are reaping their rewards at the end of the day. I love how these countries would come from the Challenger Series up into the World Series stage and push other countries in the women’s game. I’d love to see it continue to grow over these next four years, and see these young players now come in and start testing Australia and New Zealand a bit more.”

We, and the neutral fans, would tend to agree as every single SVNS leg this season except one had NZ and Australia in the Cup Final but they are there because they deserve to be. Everyone else to catch up.

“100%. We’ve worked hard and Australia’s worked hard to be where they are. So everyone else needs to step up their game if they want to be there. It’ll be good to see that and this next four-year cycle is going to be very exciting to see if these teams can close that gap.”

Players Are The Best Ambassadors For Growing The Game

Tyla told us on the future of Rugby Sevens, “One of the reasons why we play is because you want to inspire that next generation coming through to give our sport a go. It’s going to be them who are going to be taking over the mantle when we eventually retire and move on. If we want to continue to see the growth of our game, we need to be able to continue to build it and grow it worldwide and get the next generation and youth excited and interested in our sport.”

Photo Credit – Mike Lee/ World Rugby – Tyla King with fans on SVNS Series 2024

We’re not just competing against other sports. There are other interests, like music and different entertainment, and some technology that we’re competing against.

So if we’re able to get kids involved in our sport, and I know some parents see our sport as too physical, which it can be – I’m not gonna lie it’s a physical game, but also it’s a brilliant game. It teaches you so much about respect, about respecting not only your teammates but your opponents. It teaches you how to be physically aggressive, but then how to control your temper at the same time. You make lifelong friends and teammates, you build trust.

I love seeing these local and regional countries that aren’t in the World Series play in front of home fans, which is really exciting. The Hong Kong Sevens, watching the Hong Kong China team play, the crowd were going insane and cheering for them which was amazing to see and to hear. For those players to get to experience what it’s like, and potentially to be in the World Series – but they can see it, watch it, and then hopefully one day, if the team’s good enough, they can qualify for it as well. 

In Singapore, I bumped into the Singapore team when they came off the field and just the excitement of seeing me, someone that they’ve probably watched on TV or watched here last year, is cool. 

Obviously for me, being part Chinese, inspiring the Asian community is massive on my end as well. Especially on the Asian side, where contact sports, such as rugby, are not big. It’s not something that our parents want their kids to play but I think now since it’s at universities too, Chinese or Asian families can see their kids also get an education, get a scholarship to go to a university, but then also play rugby.

On Singapore Women winning the SEA7s at the National Stadium with their friends and families cheering on, she said, “I think it would have been definitely massive for Singapore to win it here at the Singapore Sevens. I think it’s just such a cultural thing, in the Asian communities not playing a physical sport, but then also making sure that education is near the forefront.

Photo Credit – Tyla King – Tyla in Hong Kong Kowloon RugbyFest 2025 with Lao Women

But you can kind of see now that that is slowly starting to turn a little bit with that next generation who have parents who were playing themselves. So hopefully we do see that continue. Even in Hong Kong, I got to go to the Kowloon RugbyFest 10s tournaments and meet the players from Laos. It was incredible to see them playing and their aggression and just their excitement for the sport and how it’s growing over there, too. 

We just need to continue supporting those smaller nations that don’t quite have that initial support or funding and continue to help them grow around the world because it’s good for our game at the end of the day.

Don’t Be Afraid To Break Those Barriers – Tyla King

We read back a quote she had given us a year ago before she ran out at the Singapore SVNS in 2024, when she told us: “For me, it’s a massive thing to be able to show the next generation coming through that there are opportunities for you, obviously in New Zealand, but then obviously being part Chinese myself and really showing the Asian community and the Chinese community that we don’t have to just do typical sports that we’ve always grown up and known. It’s okay to branch out and give something else a go.”

Smiling with an ear-to-ear grin, Tyla said, “I still live by that to this day. I think our game is so special. The culture that’s connected to our game is one of a kind. I don’t see it in any other sports, In what other sports are you in the same dining room, same hotel as other people, your opposition, and then you go and bash each other on the field, and then you spend time with those mates, real good mates, and have a good yarn after it.”

Photo Credit – World Rugby -Tyla King

If she had one message for anyone looking to play the game, Tyla King said, “I think it’s just to continue to find those opportunities that are going to work for you. And don’t be afraid to break those barriers. Step out of the norm. I still live by that same quote, and that’s something that I’ll probably still continue to say to you next year.”

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