The emergence of Maiakawanakaulani Roos was among the few bright spots to come out of the Black Ferns' 2021 northern tour.
The young lock made her debut off the bench against England, before earning two starts against France to end the tour. While the Black Ferns didn't win a matchon their four-game tour, Roos embraced her opportunities, and her performances reflected that.
That form carried over into the 2022 season, with the 21-year-old one of three mainstays in the locking department for the national team, as well as putting in standout performances for the Blues in Super Rugby Aupiki and Auckland in the Farah Palmer Cup (FPC).
"It's been such a good year of learning for me," Roos said of her opportunities in 2022.
"I'm still a really young player so having more games at the top level has been helpful.
"Then at FPC and even club, being able to play and give some things a go that might not come off in other games has been really good, and learning to see pictures."
On Tuesday, Roos' rise as one of the country's top young talents continued when she was named as one of the 32 players in the Black Ferns squad for the World Cup in October. She was one of three locks named, alongside Joanah Ngan-Woo and Chelsea Bremner.
Roos was one of seven players in the squad aged 22 or younger, with selectors opting for a squad based around their desire to play a high-tempo brand of rugby.
Maiakawanakaulani Roos has emerged as one of the country's top locks. Photo / Getty Images
With the side looking to add more flair to their playbook, Roos said being able to play with explosiveness and power was something rising players like herself were putting a focus on.
However, she felt it was simply another layer for players to try to add to their game, as opposed to focusing on it to the detriment of other parts of the game.
"I think it's a combination. One of my goals is to build my physicality, so finding the balance of where fast and power come, and just expressing myself however that is, and I guess that's brought me here," Roos said.
"Our team is exciting. There's so much talent and so much x-factor in this team. We're ready to play fast."
The Black Ferns will have one more match before the World Cup - a test against Japan at Eden Park on September 24 - before their tournament opener against Australia on October 8.
While the Black Ferns go into the tournament as defending champions, France and England enter as the favourites - and the two teams Roos is most looking forward to meeting.
"Those would be really good games to have another shot at them and hopefully come back better than we were at the end of year tour last year," she said.
"We haven't dwelled too much on it, but we know they're going to be really strong and will probably be some of the strongest competitors at the World Cup, so I hope we face them."
