Tiplady (32), a medical student, has won five caps for the Black Ferns - against Australia in 2007 and England in 2009. But she wants more.
Her ambition is to get back in the Black Ferns for the three-test series in England in November and to compete in the 2014 World Cup in France.
Tiplady played for Otago Spirit for three years from 2001 to 2003 when she was a science student at the University of Otago and has spent the past nine years in the New Zealand Army.
During that time, she played representative rugby for Manawatu and Canterbury and had a season playing club rugby in England.
She had a year off rugby when she was stationed in the Middle East on tours of duty in Syria and Lebanon.
Tiplady grew up in Christchurch and only started playing rugby when she was a student in Dunedin in 2001. This is her first year as captain"I'm really proud to be captain. It's a massive honour for me," she said. "It's a learning experience. l'm enjoying the challenge of the role."
Because of the financial problems of the Otago Rugby Football Union, it was decided not to give any funding to women's rugby.
A fundraising drive by the women raised the $20,000 needed to get Otago Spirit entered into the national championships.
"We needed to prove ourselves and we made it our focus this year," Tiplady said. "The team appreciates the support. It has made the job easier for us."
Tiplady is an officer in the army and, after completing her tour of duty in the Middle East, she had achieved all the goals she set for herself in the army.
"Once I'd done that mission and ticked all the army boxes, I was ready for a new challenge," she said.
"That is why I have come back to Dunedin to study medicine."
Tiplady will play on the wing for Otago Spirit against Hawkes Bay at North Ground on Saturday.
Anika Tiplady
Otago captain
Age: 32.
Occupation: Officer in NZ Army, medical student.
Home town: Christchurch.
Lives: Dunedin.
Education: University of Otago.
Sport: Rugby.
Position: Wing.
Teams: Otago Spirit (2001-03, 2012), Manawatu, Canterbury, Black Ferns (2007, 2009).
