Shiray Kaka Explained

Birth Date:	26 March 1995
Height:	1.68m
Weight:	68kg
Ru Sevensnationalyears1:	2013–Present
Ru Sevensnationalcomp1:	133 apps 68 tries 340 points^[1]

Shiray Kaka (née Tane; born 26 March 1995) is a New Zealand rugby sevens player. She won a gold medal with the Black Ferns sevens team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Rugby career

2013–2016

Kaka made her international debut for the Black Ferns sevens at the 2013 Dubai sevens.^[2] Along with Michaela Blyde she was one of the two traveling reserves for the 2016 Rio Olympic team, which required them to stay in accommodation outside of the Olympic village away from the rest of the team.^{[2] [3]}

2021

In 2021, Kaka was part of the Black Ferns sevens squad that won a gold medal at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.^{[4] [5]}

2022

Kaka was named in the Black Ferns Sevens squad for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.^{[6] [7]} She won a bronze medal at the event.^{[8] [9]} She was a member of the side that finished as runner-up at the Sevens Rugby World Cup held in Cape Town, South Africa in September 2022.^{[10] [11] [12]}

2023-24

In the quarterfinal against Great Britain on 4 May 2024 at the Singapore she ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee. This injury ruled her out being available for the Grand Final tournament of the 2023-24 season in Madrid and the Paris Olympics.^{[13] [14]} This was her third ACL injury.

Personal life

In 2019, She was living in Japan where she was studying to be a dog trainer and starting a business in adventure dog walking. Her husband is former All Black Sevens star Gillies Kaka.^[15]

In December 2023 Kaka was awarded a Prime Minister’s Scholarship internship, which she intended to use to study media.^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Shiray Kaka . SVNS . 10 May 2024.
2. Web site: 2 July 2021 . Shiray Kaka . New Zealand Olympic Team . en.
3. Web site: Johannsen . Dana . 6 March 2022 . Generation game: The wildly different experiences of mother-daughter Black Ferns Cherry and Michaela Blyde . Stuff . 11 January 2023.
4. Web site: Rugby Sevens - KAKA Shiray. 2021-07-31. Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. en-us. 30 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210730002921/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/rugby-sevens/athlete-profile-n1473859-kaka-shiray.htm. dead.
5. Web site: 2021-07-31 . Black Ferns Sevens gold banishes Olympic heartbreak . 2023-03-11 . RNZ . en-nz.
6. Web site: 2022-06-29 . Rugby Sevens teams named for Commonwealth Games . 2022-07-04 . All Blacks . en-NZ.
7. Web site: 2022-06-29 . Experienced New Zealand sevens squads revealed for Commonwealth Games . 2022-07-04 . Stuff . en.
8. Web site: McConnell . Lynn . 2022-08-01 . Double bronze for New Zealand Sevens sides in Birmingham . 2022-08-05 . All Blacks . en-NZ.
9. Web site: 2022-08-01 . NZ Sevens sides bounce back to win bronze medals . 2022-08-05 . 1 News . en.
10. Web site: Julian . Adam . 2022-09-12 . New Zealand sides scoop silver in Cape Town . 2022-09-22 . All Blacks . en-NZ.
11. Web site: 2022-09-12 . NZ Sevens come up short, losing World Cup finals in Cape Town . 2022-09-22 . 1 News . en.
12. Web site: Wilson . Sam . 2022-09-11 . Recap: New Zealand's men and women beaten in Rugby World Cup Sevens finals in Cape Town . 2022-09-22 . Stuff . en.
13. Web site: Morton . Finn . 6 May 2024 . ‘Hard to watch’: Black Ferns Sevens coach provides update on injured duo . RugbyPass . 10 May 2024.
14. Web site: Rollo . Phillip . 9 May 2024 . Black Ferns Sevens star announces she will miss Paris Olympics in emotional video . Stuff . 10 May 2024.
15. Web site: Stanley . Ashley . 25 February 2020 . Black Ferns Sevens speedster Shiray Kaka has whole new lease on life . Stuff . 31 July 2021 . en.
16. Web site: December 2023 . Prime Minister’s Scholarship Interns Announced . High Performance Sport New Zealand . 10 May 2024.