Black Ferns star Ruby Tui has given her Rugby World Cup winners’ medal to a young fan who recovered from leukaemia.
The incredible gift is similar to the time Sonny Bill Williams gave his 2015 RWC medal to a young English fan.
Tui met the young girl called Lucia at a fan engagement event during the build up to the final and the girl’s recent battle with cancer, and her dream to play for Black Ferns struck a chord.
Tui spotted the young fan in the crowd and gave her her medal.
The pair were photographed together at a Black Ferns celebration on Sunday.
Renee Holmes and Ruby Tui (centre) of the Black Ferns pose for a photo with Lucia. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Tui appeared in post-match tweets without the medal and was reportedly out celebrating with her teammates without her bling.
Tui is the biggest personality in women’s rugby and had the home crowd in her thrall after New Zealand edged 14-player England in a thriller.
“I’m just so proud to be a New Zealander right now,” Tui said. “They said nobody cared about women’s rugby. Well, guess what, we are here. We are here. We are going nowhere.
“We did it, and it took all of us. Anyone out there defended an England maul before?
“It ain’t easy and went down to the last minute, but we all did it together and New Zealand was a part of it.”
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He was born 1905, 1904 or 1908 according to various reports, in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and is remembered as one of the great Māori players.
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