How a nine-year-old led Lion Flutey into the Black Ferns camp

Riki Flutey has worked under esteemed coaches such as Joe Schmidt, Dave Rennie, Shaun Edwards, Brian Smith and Ian McGeechan during his playing career

Riki Flutey is still waiting for John Mitchell's message back.

"I've sent him a couple of photos of me and him with our arms around each other, you know," Flutey says with a smile.

"Hey, I'm sure he'll send me one at some point. He's got a big job leading the ship!"

At the last Rugby World Cup - France 2023 - the pair were part of Japan's coaching staff.

Now they are in opposite camps. Flutey, the former England international and British and Irish Lion, is backs and skills coach for the Black Ferns.

Mitchell, picked in various All Black squads during his playing days, leads the Red Roses.

Flutey was appointed in April as the final part of New Zealand's coaching set-up for this Women's Rugby World Cup.

One of the first things that struck him was the group mentality of the six-time champions.

"Allan Bunting, head coach, has done a fantastic job by creating an environment based on connection and service," he says.

"You know, coming from the outside, from a Super Rugby men's environment [Flutey's last post was with the Highlanders] and just seeing how that looks and how that feels is pretty amazing.

"The connections within this team, management to management, management to player, and player to player, are pretty special.

"It's really genuine."

There are no formal bonding exercises or team-building sessions, just a lot of time in each others' company, talking, singing and supporting each other on another well-timed tilt towards the world title.

"I remember as a player, as soon as we had our meeting at the hotel before getting on the bus you could hear a pin drop," says Flutey.

"No-one would speak.

"Everyone was headphones on, no talking, eyes straight ahead. That was what 'on' looked like.

"But with this team they have music playing, they connect with each other, talk with each other throughout that whole process - into the changing rooms as well.

"I love it. I love being pretty relaxed on game day, clearing the mind a bit about the pressure that's about to come and enjoying the moment - so that's pretty cool."

Flutey (left) and Red Roses head coach Mitchell worked alongside each other on Japan's staff for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Flutey is new to the Black Ferns, but not to women's rugby.

He was carried into the game by his daughter Madison. Aged nine, she watched Portia Woodman-Wickliffe carving up the Rio 2016 Sevens and decided that, like her dad, rugby was the sport for her.

Flutey has been helping out with her teams ever since, following her from club, to school first team to Otago Spirit, one of New Zealand's elite domestic teams.

"She's always loved having dad there, assisting and coaching," he says.

"I've tried getting out of it a couple of times because my three sons were complaining that I was always helping her teams.

"But Maddie was like, 'no, you can't. We don't have any coaches. You have to coach us'.

"And having that experience actually has really, really helped coming into this."

Part of Flutey's remit has been guiding a new generation of young Black Ferns stars, such as 18-year-old full-back Braxton Sorensen-McGee and Sevens convert Jorja Miller, in how to attack in broken field and find space as the game breaks down.

With 18 tries scored in two thumping wins over Spain and Japan, so far he seems to be meeting the job spec.

However, Flutey is not allowing himself to imagine a face-to-face meeting with Mitchell any time soon.

"We're sitting third in the world rankings and we're really aware of that," he said.

"The Ireland game is going to be a massive, massive Test match for us and one that you know we lost last year.

"We've been focusing on each game as it comes, putting all our eggs in the basket and preparing as best we can for the team coming up.

"We haven't even talked about or looked at England.

"We know what they are, that they have got some amazing talent right throughout their squad and they haven't been beaten for a long time.

"They're playing some fantastic footy and they're still growing their game and getting better and better as this tournament keeps going."

Whether their teams meet later this month or not, Mitchell and Flutey may have rugby business to discuss soon.

Madison, Flutey's daughter, is flying over from New Zealand to train with Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) side Exeter Chiefs this winter.

The arrangement sprung from an invite that Mitchell extended to Riki and Madison to watch England training when WXV was held in New Zealand in 2023.

A 16-year-old Madison got chatting to some of England's staff, who put her in contact with then Exeter coach Susie Appleby.

Madison, who captained a South Island XV as part of New Zealand's under-18s high performance programme this summer, has been sending over clips of her games to the Chiefs ever since.

Born in London, she would qualify for the Red Roses without having to serve the residency period her father did.

"Off the back of going into the England's women's environment, she said 'Dad I want to play for England, like you did, and the British and Irish Lions," said Flutey.

"But since I have got this role, she hasn't been so sure! I just said 'you do you, sweetie'."

For now, and the next few weeks at least, it is still about Flutey senior and his team.

Flutey started the British and Irish Lions' third Test win over South Africa in 2009