Tyla King celebrates the Black Ferns Sevens win in Singapore 2024. Photo: photosport
Black Ferns Sevens star playmaker Tyla King will play her last international tournament at the Paris Olympics.
The most capped New Zealand women's sevens player, King will end a decorated career in the abbreviated code when her side seek a defence of the gold medal won at Tokyo - her third Olympic campaign.
It will end a sevens career that began when King debuted at an Oceania event in Fiji in 2012, the first of 60 tournaments in the black jersey, the most of any New Zealand women's player.
King, 30, has won two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles, Olympic gold and silver medals and Commonwealth Games gold and bronze medals.
Having tallied 1448 points across 269 world series tournaments, she is the highest point scorer in the annual series.
King was named World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in 2023 and has twice been the New Zealand Sevens Player of the Year - in 2015 and 2019.
Tyla King of New Zealand Women leads a haka Photo: PHOTOSPORT
King said her focus would switch to rugby league.
She has played a season as a playmaker for St George Illawarra in the NRLW and has signed a new two-season contract.
"It's exciting for me. I really enjoyed that time when I switched over last season," King said in an interview with New Zealand Rugby.
"For me it has been a long time coming. I've been watching that competition for a very long time, pretty much since it started.
"Coming from a league family myself, that's all I knew growing up."
'Opportunities I never thought possible'
The announcement comes a week after Black Ferns great Portia Woodman-Wickliffe announced her retirement from international rugby.
In a social media post, King reflected on her time in the black jersey.
"I was a young 17-year-old kid, still in high school when I first made the team," she said.
"Now I'm 30 years old and about to play at my third Olympic Games. This team and the sport of rugby has allowed me to travel the world to countries I could only dream of, amazing teammates that I call sisters, opportunities I never thought possible and so much more."
King didn't confirm if she would continue playing 15-a-side rugby, saying only that she was sad to finish in sevens, "but there's so many more things that I'm looking forward to".
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson described King as an "amazing ambassador" for rugby.
"Her professionalism on and off the field and impressive point scoring prowess is second to none. We wish her and the entire team the best for what will be a special Olympics later this month," Robinson said.
Black Ferns Sevens coach Cory Sweeney said King would be difficult to replace.
"A career that has been layered with success and breakthrough milestones highlights what a special player Tyla is but more importantly a role model and inspiration within our team and young girls in New Zealand," Sweeney said.
"We will miss her, the world will miss her playing sevens but we thank her for the legacy she will leave and will celebrate her amazing career together one last time time at the Paris Olympics."
