In the quiet, serene beauty of Mercury Bay, a storm is on the horizon, not of weather, but of sporting promise.

Her name is Grace Ngataua, a 24-year-old solo mother of three who’s blazing a remarkable trail through the rugby fields of Coromandel.

After a gruelling recovery from two ACL injuries, a meniscus tear and a lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) all on the same knee, Ngataua has made an astonishing return to sport.

She credits her self-belief and unwavering determination for her success.

Once a high-performance netball player for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic development squad, she’s now turning heads in rugby circles.

David Fox, a long-time figure in talent identification across the rugby landscape, discovered Ngataua while visiting local clubs.

Speaking on Waikato’s All Sports Breakfast recently, he praised Ngataua’s athleticism and character.

“She’s an inspiration. A sponge for learning. She’s got the stride, the vision and the attitude to succeed,” Fox said.

Her ability to break tackles and set up plays made her a standout in wing and centre positions that showcased her netball-honed footwork and spatial awareness.

Living in Mercury Bay, far from major rugby hubs, Ngataua regularly makes three-hour drives to attend training with the Thames Valley Vixens and training camps in Wellington and the Waikato.

She said her community rallied around her, helping care for her children while supporting her on her sporting journey.

“They all put their hand up to say ‘Yep, I’ll help.’ I’m very lucky.”

Grace Ngataua, a 24-year-old solo mother of three, is blazing a remarkable trail through the rugby fields of Coromandel.

By day, Ngataua is a personal trainer; by heart, she’s a community builder, helping launch the Mercury Bay women’s rugby team and mentoring others.

After having played just four games of rugby, Ngataua was selected as one of New Zealand’s top 23 emerging athletes from the regional combines to attend the Next Ferns National Combine in Wellington in June.

The event was held to identify future talent for the 2029 Rugby World Cup (fifteens) and 2032 Olympics (sevens), with coaching staff from the Black Ferns, Black Ferns Sevens, Sky Super Rugby Aupiki and the Farah Palmer Cup in attendance.

The event featured performance testing, rugby-specific drills, character and leadership assessments, and physical challenges.

While results haven’t yet been released, Ngataua remained hopeful.

“I haven’t heard from Rugby New Zealand yet regarding our results. I’m still waiting for a phone call.”

However, she said the feedback from the coaching panel at the camp was promising.

“[They said I had a] great attitude, strong movement patterns and ability to run with ball in hand.”

Other comments had been that she “loved contact”, looked like she “really wants to make the transition” and that her hand was up first when the group was asked who wanted to be a Black Fern.

Ngataua’s story was about more than tackles and tries, it’s a testament to resilience, community spirit, and love for the game of rugby, Fox said.

“She’ll give her all to every opportunity and I’ll proudly say I had a part in her story.”

Mercury Bay may be off the beaten track, but thanks to Ngataua, it could now be on rugby’s map of rising stars.

Graeme “Mintie” Mead is a sports commentator, the host of the radio show Waikato All Sports Breakfast and a Newstalk ZB overnight host.

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