Chelsea Alley playing for the Chiefs Manawa in 2021. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
For the first time in her life Chelsea Semple is playing rugby for herself.
And her six month old daughter.
Not for selectors.
Semple will return to the field for the Chiefs Manawa in Super Rugby Aupiki when the competition kicks off in March and after more than a decade playing at the top level she says now is the most free she has ever felt.
Following a run of injuries, a concussion and the heartbreak of being dropped from the Black Ferns for the home Rugby World Cup in 2022 Semple didn't know if she would be back after Cami was born.
"I didn't think I would come back. When I first got pregnant I'd been through a pretty tough time with rugby just a tough tough year with injuries, had a massive head knock, missed out on World Cup and I was not in the best space but I got pregnant during the World Cup so I think it was all meant to be and I got my baby out of it.
"At the time I'd probably lost a little bit of love for the game but then last year I was involved with the Manawa as an assistant manager and my feet were just so itchy and when we lost that final I really felt that and I wanted to be out on the field helping my mates so I kinda knew from then that I wasn't done and I didn't want to finish," Semple said.
After 11 years playing for New Zealand, Semple had never missed a tour until she wasn't named in the World Cup squad.
"It's hard for me knowing that's how I ended my Black Ferns career but coming back now, that's not my motivation.
"It's just a whole new freedom when you're not playing to make a team. You're playing to play for the players next to you and for yourself and to represent your family.
"I'm not trying to perform for someone's eyes, it's just really intrinsic and I've tried to be intrinsically motivated in the past but the black jersey has always hung above my head and so it's the first time it hasn't been there."
Black Ferns centre Chelsea Semple (nee Alley) in a game against England in 2016. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2016 www.photosport.nz
Semple said rugby was no longer her job or her career and she told the Manawa management she wanted to step back from leadership roles this year.
"I just want to play to play, with leadership roles there is a whole lot of other work you have to do and me coming back into this role I was very adamant that my home life still does come first so my time with my baby is very precious and I want to maximise that."
Semple's role and motivation might have changed but her competitive spirit hasn't waned and she is determined to get the Chiefs Manawa a second Super Rugby Aupiki title after a 33-31 loss in last year's final to Matatū.
"I'm super competitive I absolutely hate losing. Yeah we made the final all good but we didn't win, our name isn't on the trophy so it's very much talked about that final last year, maybe not directly out on the field within the team but in the rooms at night and comments with each other. We don't want to come second place again - that hurt way too much.
"And I didn't work this hard to come back from having a baby to not win."
Semple will line up in the backline alongside other players who are also making their return to the Manawa in Ariana Bayler, Ruby Tui and Renee Holmes.
Prop Krystal Murray and utility back Grace Steinmetz join the team from other Super Rugby Aupiki sides and six players - Ashlee Gaby-Sutherland, Reese Anderson, Grace Kukutai, Olive Watherston, Seina Saito (Japan) and Bitila Tawake (Fiji) - will make their Super Rugby debut this season.
The Chiefs Manawa kick off the competition against the Hurricanes Poua on 2 March.
