World Cup star Ruby Tui will return to the Black Ferns for their inaugural WXV 1 showdown against old rivals France on Saturday.
Last seen, the Olympic sevens star had the soldout Eden Park crowd eating from the palm of her, as she led home fans in a celebratory chorus of an old Māori classic 'Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi'.
Since then, she has been rarely seen on local rugby fields, as she took time out and pursued off-field interests, including a book and various promotional campaigns.
Tui returned for Counties-Manukau during the Farah Palmer Cup and included in the national squad for the later part of their international campaign, including last month's O'Reilly Cup clash against Australia.
Not selected for that fixture, she has had to work her way back into the playing line-up, but will line up on the wing against France at Wellington's Sky Stadium.
"It's been a long year and a long journey," said Tui. "The girls have done a really good job holding down the jersey and being kaitiakis [guardians] of it.
"I've seen the likes of KV [Katelyn Vahaakolo] really do some damage out there. It hasn't been a matter of coming back and making the team - it's been really, really hard mahi [work].
"It's an absolute honour to be back, but definitely a journey still."
The gameday squad include more than half the players that faced France in the World Cup semi-final 12 months ago, a contest that went to the final seconds, when French goalkicker Caroline Drouin missing a penalty attempt that would have ended the Black Ferns hopes.
"It wasn't that close, was it?" Tui chuckled. "I've been through many losses myself, close losses, and I know what that feels and tastes like.
"It takes years actually to get that taste out of your mouth. France have got a new captain, a new identity and they're definitely here to let us know exactly how close that was.
"Everyone has come back and not forgotten that World Cup."
Front-rowers Georgia Ponsonby and Amy Rule, lock Alana Bremner, No.8 Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, captain Ruahei Demant, Tui and fullback Renee Holmes were in the starting XV that night, while co-captain Kennedy Simon, named to start this week, came off the bench.
"France is an incredible team," she said. "They have continued to impress in their performances over the last 12 months.
"We are under no illusion of the challenge we are up against. We know they are fit, fast and are a menace over the ball.
"However, we also know that, as a team, we have the talent to exploit space, ability to pressure their attacking systems and trust in our teammates to work tirelessly for one another."
Black Ferns: 1-Krystal Murray, 2-Georgia Ponsonby, 3-Amy Rule, 4-Maia Roos, 5-Charmaine Smith, 6-Alana Bremner, 7-Kennedy Simon, 8-Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, 9-Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, 10-Ruahei Demant, 11-Katelyn Vahaakolo, 12-Sylvia Brunt, 13-Amy du Plessis, 14-Ruby Tui, 15-Renee Holmes
Reserves: 16-Luka Connor, 17-Chryss Viliko, 18-Tanya Kalounivale, 19-Chelsea Bremner, 20-Lucy Jenkins, 21-Ariana Bayler, 22-Patricia Maliepo, 23-Martha Mataele
Join Newshub at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the Black Ferns v France WXV 1 test
