Kokako Raki is an athlete to keep an eye on.

The softly spoken 19-year-old had a breakout season with the Poroporo women’s rugby team and is proving to be a fantastic role model for young players coming through.

The 2024 rugby season was a big one for the fleet-footed midfield back, who shone at club level and then with the Bay of Plenty Volcanix.

After the 15s season was done, she shifted her focus to the shorter sevens format where she continued to excel.

She was part of the Chiefs Sevens team that took on the Black Ferns Sevens, Hurricanes and New Zealand Cavalier, before being invited to be part of the Matakesi side for an invitational sevens tournament.

Raki said it had been a busy season with plenty of opportunities.

”It’s been hectic with so much going on, but it’s been a good season too.

“I’ve been blessed enough to be in a few different environments with different teams and I feel there has been a growth in me both mentally and physically and I’m only just getting started.”

Raki said her highlight of the season was the sevens camp she attended in Tauranga.

“It taught me so much especially about off the field in and around professionalism and the standards that are required to be an athlete.”

At this stage, she’s keeping an open mind and trying to play and focus on sevens and 15s.

“Sevens has only been a recent game changer for me but I love the challenge, and I think it’s way outside my comfort zone – but that is what I love about it.

“I think there is so much difference from 15s and there’s so much I can learn, and I love that. I also have a lot of passion for the 15-a-side game with more opportunities in that format so I will be keeping an open eye to both.”

At the Matakesi rugby sevens tournament held at Murray Salt Stadium in Te Puke in November, Raki played alongside two of New Zealand’s best female rugby players, Sarah Hirini and Ruby Tui, while Stacey Waaka was part of the coaching team. Black Fern Rosie Kelly played in the Matakesi team.

“Playing alongside Sarah and Ruby in the sevens will be some of the most unforgettable memories I have. Just being in the same team as them you learn so much.”

She has a lot of fond memories from 2024, but a highlight was a recent sevens tournament with Te Teko, her hometown club.

“We were short on players, only eight for the tournament. We had no training, but the girls showed up, played their hearts out and got the win at the end of the day and I just felt so proud to be part of the team and representing my hometown club.

She said her goals moving forward were to stay involved with rugby.

“I just want to stay among it, be purposeful and hopefully gain more clarity and direction in where I see myself going, either sevens or 15s.”

It’s a sport she has played for years and one she excelled at while at Whakatāne High School.

“I love everything about rugby from the game to the new people you meet to the opportunities and places it takes you. I love all of it.”

Last year she was part of the Bay of Plenty Volcanix and earned the award for Volcanix back of the year. She made all of her appearances on the wing but showed some fantastic skills and could have been even more deadly in the midfield.

Despite it being an up and down season for the Volcanix, she enjoyed it.

“It made me want more in terms of falling short in our semifinal against Canterbury.

“Hopefully, with a very similar team this year, we can use that as fuel to really push to the top.”

She also enjoyed her season with Poporopo in the Baywide competition, which saw them reach the Baywide premiership semi-finals.