Ultra-versatile Amber Kani became a valuable member of the Kiwi Ferns squad after earning a Test call-up in 2016.
She first caught the attention of the national selectors in 2012 when she was named in a Kiwi Ferns train-on squad, but no games were played that year. A New Zealand Māori and Counties-Manukau rep, Kani moved from the Papakura club to Manurewa and won ARL grand finals in 2015 and ’17.
The outside-back/back-rower/hooker made her NRL Auckland Nines debut in 2016. A maiden Test jersey followed a few months later, coming off the bench as New Zealand beat Australia 26-16 in Newcastle.
After another Nines campaign in early-2017, Kani played all five matches for New Zealand at the Rugby League World Cup, scoring two tries in a pool win over Papua New Guinea and coming off the bench in the loss to Australia in the final.
Kani played one match during the Warriors’ inaugural NRLW season in 2018 and scored a try off the bench in the Kiwi Ferns’ nail-biting post-season Test loss to the Jillaroos in Auckland. She featured at centre in the Māori All Stars’ win over the Indigenous All Stars in a historic early-2019 clash. The Manurewa and Counties-Manukau stalwart made just one appearance for the Warriors in 2019, but it was a handy interchange contribution in an upset of heavyweights Brisbane.
In 2020 Kani featured on the wing again for Māori All Stars, helped the Stingrays win the inaugural Sky Sports NZRL National Women’s Premiership and returned to the Kiwi Ferns line-up for their 28-8 victory over Fetu Samoa.
