Black Ferns rookie Ariana Bayler is heading to Europe for a potential test debut she almost gave up hope would ever eventuate.
The Waikato halfback is one of 12 newcomers in the NZ women’s squad flying out this week for two tests apiece against England and France next month.
"When I was little, I would watch the All Blacks, and pretend that I was Dan Carter doing all the drop goals and things," Bayler, 24, tells Newshub.
Now she has taken a huge step towards fulfilling her lifelong goal, overcoming a devastating series of serious injuries to earn selection.
In 2015, Bayler ruptured ACL ligaments in her left knee. A year later, she ruptured her right.
Then, in 2018, she tore her right for a second time.
"I knew right away on the field what I had done and I was just heartbroken," Bayler recalls.
Bayler admits the heartbreak of that demoralising blow had pushed her to breaking point.
"You get in your thoughts and I would just think 'why am I carrying on?'," she says. "I'm just always building myself up, then coming right back to square one again."
During rehabilitation, Bayler's outlook deteriorated from initial optimism to fears her rugby dreams may never materialise.
"A bit that I struggled with was who I was outside of rugby, if things weren't going to continue," says an emotional Bayler.
But after speaking to a sports psychologist, she decided to keep pursuing her goal and that determination has now clearly paid off.
"I was just so proud," says Bayler. "The first thing I thought was that I have finally, finally made everyone around me proud."
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