It was a family affair when the rugby star discovered her baby surprise. Photo / Amalia Osbourne
Will it be rugby like her famous parents and grandmother or golf like her big bro? That’s the question as Black Ferns legend Huriana Manuel and her husband Derek Carpenter prepare to welcome a daughter.
The couple’s 8-year-old son Sāchi-Wolf is an avid golfer and hopes his little sister’s keen to get on the green with him.
“He talks to my belly, asking bubba how her day was or filling her in on how school went,” says Huriana, whose mum Liza Mihinui also played for the Black Ferns. “Becoming a big brother feels like the biggest adventure. It’s beautiful watching Sāchi step into that big-brother role. He’s owning it and so excited about having someone to play with.”
While Huriana told Woman’s Day a year ago that Derek would love “lots of kids”, the couple was unsure about expanding their whānau.
They believe this surprise pregnancy was a beautiful and much-needed prompt for the rugby star to slow down.
Huriana had been helping run the couple’s two gyms, working as an Olympics ambassador, serving on the board of the Auckland Rugby Union and saying yes to everything.
When she began to feel unwell, she just thought she was run-down… until she took a pregnancy test – the results of which were revealed by Sāchi.
“We said, ‘If you see two lines, we’re having a bubba’. He was like, ‘Mum, guess what? We’re having a baby’. It was a mixed emotion because I was like, ‘Yay! But how will we do this?’”
Their excited boy was also part of the baby’s gender reveal, with the results slipped into an envelope for him to later open for his parents.
Having welcomed Sāchi in Japan, where Derek was playing professional rugby, the Celebrity Treasure Island star is enjoying being home.
Huriana explains, “In Japan, everything was new and overwhelming. I was constantly learning and trying to understand what was happening to my body. This time, there’s a sense of calm and familiarity. I’m more present and enjoying the little moments, like feeling baby move and imagining life as a bigger family.”
Mum Liza, who raised Huriana and her four brothers on her own, is also thrilled her daughter is back home in Aotearoa for this pregnancy and that her next mokopuna will be a baby girl, who’s due on the couple’s ninth wedding anniversary next month.
It’s her influence that Huriana is drawing on as she prepares to expand her family. As a solo mum, she says Liza “just got on with it” – always putting her kids first and maintaining a strong work ethic.
“She never made excuses for why she couldn’t do something,” says Huriana. “She worked full-time to take care of me and my brothers, but we never felt that struggle because she never complained. She’s instilled that in me.”
Liza’s support has been invaluable since Huriana became a mother as she frequently cares for Sāchi when the couple are working.
“She’s his second mum,” Huriana says. “If Mum and Dad need to go places, he’ll ask, ‘What’s Nan doing today? Can I stay home with her?’ They’re very close, which I love.”
Having such consistent help has been even more crucial since the couple opened their second gym, The Yard Te Atatū – a role that Huriana juggles with visiting schools and communities as an Olympic ambassador, and being on the board of the Auckland Rugby Union.
They asked her to step in after ex-All Black Keven Mealamu moved to the New Zealand Rugby board. After helping the Black Ferns win two World Cups and captaining the Black Ferns Sevens team to a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics, Huriana jumped at the opportunity.
“Rugby has shaped so much of my life, identity, opportunities and growth, so being part of the governance side feels like a way to give back to the game that raised me,” she enthuses. “As a Māori woman who has come through the system as a player, representation and diversity in decision-making matters. I want to contribute to meaningful changes.”
Knowing she’s about to have a daughter makes the work more significant to Huriana. If her little girl ever wants to play rugby, she hopes she’s well-supported, and that rugby is a place that’s strong, inclusive and inspiring, where everyone feels welcomed and truly able to thrive.
But for now, Huriana is relishing the chance to take a step back and listen to her body.
“Being pregnant has taught me to slow down,” she says. “I’ve prioritised what matters, and I’m finding balance between staying active and continuing the work I’m so passionate about, while embracing the softness and pace of this season, as well as having another bubba.”