Double international Stacey Waaka inspired by Honey for World Cup debut

While the NRL and New Zealand Rugby squabble over the copyright for the Chiefs’ name, two-time Rugby World Cup winner Stacey Waaka, with a smile that could melt margarine, hopes to add to the shared legacy of World Cup success for the Black Ferns and Kiwi Ferns.

When New Zealand tackles Fiji in the opening game of the Rugby League World Cup at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon, Waaka, a 32-Test Black Fern, will join the likes of Debbie Chase, Tammai Wilson, Krystal Murray, Ahora Savage and Trish Hina as a dual international.

Why league? Who’s the inspiration?

“I think the biggest difference between rugby and the Warriors is that the Warriors are the only New Zealand-based team in the NRL, so they represent the whole country. It’s such a family vibe. The crowd and atmosphere are so much different to rugby, which is more serious and locked in,” Waaka said.

“I suppose that comes down to the technical differences of the sport. League is quite simple for a new fan to understand, whereas rugby has many more technical rules overall. The pre-game has many more exciting things to be part of, like the Sevens.

“My favourite Black Fern-Kiwi Fern is definitely Honey Hireme-Smiler. She’s been my inspiration from day one, when I first moved to Hamilton and played for Waikato. She’s taken me under her wing, and she’s not just a great athlete on the field but an amazing human being off it. She’s like another big sister to me.”

Waaka scored 31 tries in 26 Farah Palmer Cup games for Waikato but that strike rate pales in significance compared to the scoring exploits of Hireme-Smiler, aka Honey Bill Williams, for the Kiwi Ferns.

Hireme-Smiler competed for the Rugby League World Cup four times, winning the tournament in 2005 and 2008. In 2013 she was named the Player of the Tournament, scoring a record 13 tries in four games. In 2017, she was the competition’s top try scorer. She was named the New Zealand Women’s Player of the Year in 2007, 2012 and 2018.

Can Waaka have a similar impact?

“There’s only one, Honey. I would say look out for Raecene McGregor; she’s had an awesome year with the Tigers and found some form in her game. She’s going to rise to another level as she is one of the more experienced players in the side. I think Tenika Willison, Zahara Temara and Shannon Mato are all going to stamp their mark massively on the Black jersey. Three players in three different positions that all bring a different type of flair to the team.”

Waaka brings her unique flair from the wing. After winning her second Olympic Sevens gold medal with the Black Ferns Sevens in 2024, Waaka joined the Brisbane Broncos in WNRL. In six games, she scored six tries as the Broncos won the minor premiership. Waaka was named in the Dally M Team of the Year and the Rugby League Players Association’s Team of the Year.

With the Warriors in 2026, she played 10 games, scoring 9 tries and creating 12 more. She was named Warriors Club Champion. Waaka will hope to translate that form to the international level.

In 2017, Waaka was the glue that held the Black Ferns’ rugby union midfield together in their fifth World Cup win. She scored tries in the first two group games and played 142 of the 160 minutes in the semi-final and final.

On November 12, 2022, she scored the Sky Sports Fans Try of the Year in the 34-31 World Cup final win against England at Eden Park. Commentator Rikki Swannell roared: “New Zealand strike from the end of the world. What a try to start the second half.”

What does it take to win a World Cup? Waaka reflected in 2025:

“In 2022 we talked about playing with freedom and heart. In the final against England, we knew there was space out wide because they were down a player, so we wanted to use it. There was no pain when I was running on the field, just joy.”

The Kiwi Ferns will have to bring a combination of joy and tactical awareness of opposing threats to win their fourth World Cup and first since 2008.

Hosts the Australian Jillaroos are the favourites. They have won 22 of their last 24 internationals. Though New Zealand enjoys a 17-15 head-to-head advantage over Australia, all of New Zealand’s 15 defeats in 66 Tests since 1995 have come against the Aussies.

“From the Jillaroos, we have to shut Tarryn Aiken from the [Premiership-winning Sydney] Roosters. She controls the game so well with her experience,” Waaka said.

“Our first priority is Fiji. We will have to take Losana Lutu out of the game and put lots of pressure on her as she will steer the ship well. Samoa has awesome backrowers. Evania Isa’ako and Ivana Lolesio were devastating for the Gold Coast Titans.”

Waaka is not the only rugby union addition helping the Kiwi Ferns. Fellow Black Ferns Sevens Olympic gold medalist Tenika Willison will provide spark too.

“I think the cool thing about Neeks is that she has a wide range of skills and her attitude when she does everything is so well focused,” Waaka said.

“Neeks is open to learning new things. Although she plays centre, she is well established in the union circles as a silky playmaker. Her vision, footwork, kick, and ability to set others up are second to none, which is why she stands out in league. She has a very big skill set on attack and defence.”

The Kiwi Ferns won 29 of their first 30 tests. It took four years for them to taste defeat; their first loss came against the Jillaroos, 22-20, in 1999. In 2000 they won the first Rugby League World Cup.

In 2003, the incomparable Hireme-Smiler scored 10 tries in wins against Cook Islands (68-0), Tokelau (84-0), Australia (44-4), Samoa (84-0), England (38-0) and New Zealand Māori (58-0) in the final as the Kiwi Ferns achieved one of the most dominant World Cup wins in any code. They outscored opponents 376-4.

In 2008, the Kiwi Ferns whitewashed Australia 34-0 in the final. Trish Hina, a 2010 Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns player, scored two tries and won her second tournament MVP.

“That game was played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and was really special for me,” Hina said.

“I am a massive Broncos fan. My favourite player is Darren Lockyer, so to do well on the Broncos’ home ground was really cool.”

New Zealand haven’t won the World Cup since but with wall-to-wall television coverage, slick social media and a shared love with union, league has come a long way from the days of pioneering Kiwi Fern and Black Fern Debbie Chase.

In 1991, Chase started all three matches for the Black Ferns in the midfield at the first Rugby World Cup. Remarkably, just two years earlier she had to be “reinstated” to rugby.

An eligibility controversy erupted in 1989 when Chase captured headlines for her awesome display for Sydenham in the Christchurch rugby league grand final against Kaiapoi.

She scored four tries in her side’s 34-20 victory, despite leaving the field temporarily to have a serious cut attended to.

A photograph of her in full flight and head swathed in bandages appeared in the Christchurch Star, after which her amateur rugby status was revoked.

“Controversy seems to follow me,” Chase laughed. “What happened was Kaiapoi logged a complaint before I played, claiming I was being paid. I played rugby the day before, flew back, partied hard, and a friend had to pick me up after I fell out the car door while the other girls warmed up for the grand final.

“I scored a couple of tries, burst an eyeball which was good because it gave me a break, went back on and scored a couple more tries. Kaiapoi complained again. Everyone was screaming money, money. The trouble was they had the wrong sport. I was being paid to play softball.”