Private Leah Miles is keeping her combat kit handy, but is focused on her professional rugby career.
The classy Otago flanker is taking a break from her role as a grunt in the New Zealand Army Reserve Force and training full-time with Matatū.
The South Island franchise will open its 2023 Super Rugby Aupiki campaign against the Blues in Dunedin this afternoon, and Miles has made the game-day 23.
She has been named on the bench and is awfully hopeful she will get to run out at Forsyth Barr Stadium and make her debut for the club.
Miles made a big impact for Otago in the Championship last season. The industrious openside made countless tackles and covered a lot of ground, and her ball-carrying developed nicely.
The Spirit lost the final to the Hawke’s Bay Tui, which will still burn. But Miles’ form caught the attention of Matatū and she was signed alongside Otago team-mates Cheyenne Cunningham and Georgia Cormick.
The gig suits her.
"I’ve thought about it for quite a while and what it would be like and it is just awesome," she said.
"You just have to focus on one thing and just train."
Miles, who completed a bachelor of science in psychology at the University of Otago last year, moved to Christchurch earlier this month and is living with the other Otago women in the side.
She has pressed pause on her part-time role with the territorials.
"I’m still contracted and I’ll still do it once I’ve finished with the Matatū. But right now I can’t really fit it in."
As for whether she will return to Dunedin and play for Otago this year, that was up in the air.
"I can’t say for sure what I want to do after March," she said.
"There is definitely an option to come back and play.
"I thought maybe I’d go overseas, but I’m not sure."
Matatū went winless in the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki. It was interrupted by Covid and shortened to three rounds in 10 days, though.
Matatū looks strong up front with an all Black Ferns front row of Amy Rule, Georgia Ponsonby and Pip Love.
"But we’ve got talent all across the park, with the likes of Renee Holmes in the boot and Rosie Kelly at 10," Miles said.
"We’ve got a really strong team and I back the girls all the way."
The format for this season sees the four teams play each other in a round robin, in which they will jostle for semifinal positions.
The top qualifier will play the fourth ranked team in one semi, while the No 2 ranked team will play the third-placed team in the other.
The final is scheduled for March 25 in Hamilton. The defeated semifinalists will play off for third spot as well.
Super Rugby Aupiki
Forsyth Barr Stadium, 4.45pm
Matatū: Renee Holmes, Chey Robins-Reti, Amy du Plessis, Grace Brooker, Martha Mataele, Rosie Kelly, Di Hini, Marcelle Parks, Kendra Reynolds, Lucy Jenkins, Cindy Nelles, Alana Bremner, Amy Rule, Georgia Ponsonby, Pip Love. Reserves: Nat Delamere, Eilis Doyle, Ona Palu, Sera Naiqama, Leah Miles, Georgia Cormick, Charntay Poko, Grace Steinmetz.
Blues: Kiritapu Demant, Jaymie Kolose, Sylvia Brunt, Hayley Hutana, Katelynn Vahaakolo, Ruahei Demant, Ariana Bayler, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Tafito Lafaele, Charmaine McMenamin, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Eloise Blackwell, Esther Faiaoga-Tilo, Grace Gago, Chryss Viliko. Reserves: Alakoka Po'oi, Toka Natua, Sophie Fisher, Maama Vaipulu, Shannon Leota, Melanie Puckett, Patricia Maliepo, Tara Turner.
