You could say Maddie Flutey has been rather busy.
The first five finished her final year at Columba College within two terms, debuted for the Otago Spirit and won the Farah Palmer Cup Championship, moved to England to play for the Exeter Chiefs and was named in the England under-21 squad.
That all happened within 12 months.
Rugby has always been in her DNA through her father, Riki, a former England international-turned Black Ferns assistant coach.
‘‘I guess he’s just taught me what it takes to get to the level I want to play at, which I think is a lesson that I’ll always cherish in my life,’’ Flutey said.
The 18-year-old grew up on the sidelines watching him playing around the world and her father always told the story that she was watching the Rio Olympics and said she wanted to be just like Black Ferns sevens star Portia Woodman-Wickliffe one day.
She joined a local club in Wellington and joined the Columba First XV as a year 8 student when her family - mum Sara and younger brothers Joseph, Zac and Jacob - moved to Dunedin in 2019, when her father joined the Highlanders as an assistant coach.
During the WXV tournament in Dunedin in 2023, Flutey headed to an England Roses training, where the management took an interest in her as she was born in England.
Former Exeter Chiefs coach Susie Appleby later emailed Flutey asking her plans, but the then 16-year-old wanted to stay home, so they agreed to keep in contact and explore her options after school.
Flutey continued playing for Columba, joined the Otago University club in 2024, made the Otago women’s development side, and was selected for the New Zealand under-18 camp last year.
She made the call to head to overseas and inked a short-term deal with Exeter from September, so she put her head down to finish school in two terms.
She still made time for rugby. After initially being called into the Otago Spirit as an injury cover, Flutey remained with the team for the season and had a fairy-tale debut year, winning the Farah Palmer Cup Championship.
‘‘It was really awesome. I really enjoyed it,’’ Flutey said.
‘‘A great group of people, the team culture was awesome.
Twenty-four hours after having the medal around her neck, Flutey was on the plane to England.
Not knowing what she was walking into was daunting, but she was lucky her father was in London to help her settle in after the Black Ferns wrapped up their Rugby World Cup campaign.
She quickly learned Premiership Women’s Rugby was a step up, training eight hours a day alongside 15 players who returned from the World Cup, including Red Rose Claudia Moloney-MacDonald and Canadian captain Alexandra Tessier.
Flutey played a couple of games in the PWR Cup - a knockout competition that provides more opportunities for rising players - before getting her first PWR game off the bench against Sale, where she made a try-saving tackle.
‘‘The team culture was something else.
‘‘They weren’t all about themselves being the best ... they were actually like, ‘right this is how we can help you’.
‘‘Their set-up and the way that they teach people and make people feel really welcomed, especially me coming from the other side of the world was really good.
‘‘I don’t think I would have loved it as much if I hadn’t had those people around me.’’
Then she started fielding interest from England under-21 staff, and three weeks after joining the Chiefs, she headed to a national positional camp to expand her skill set as a first five and fullback.
Later she got another call-up for a camp in December, leaving Flutey to change her flights home and jump at the chance.
‘‘I didn’t expect to be pulled into that. It was actually crazy.
‘‘It was pretty amazing, just the way that they do their camp is so ... I don’t even know the word.’’
While she was apprehensive initially, Flutey loved her time in England and returned home with a new appreciation for the game she loves.
‘‘I’m doing something for me, for my future and something that I love - and I’m so glad I did it.
‘‘It ended up being amazing and being able to play with some of the best players in the world was not on my bingo card for last year.’’
The Chiefs were keen to keep Flutey for the rest of the season, but she was determined to come home and start her university degree.
She intended to play for University and make the Otago Spirit again this season, but left the door open for a return to England and the Chiefs in the future.
Flutey always said she wanted to be a Black Fern, but if she was in England she was ineligible - and said she would ‘‘see what happens’’.
But there is no denying she has big dreams.
‘‘I want to be one of the best players in the world.
‘‘I want to be on the world stage. I want to play and win a World Cup - I kind of just want it all, really.’’
