Black Ferns Sevens star Niall Williams has reflected on a rollercoaster year, when she all but accepted her career was over.
Williams, 33, suffered a neck injury in training and missed the Ferns' gold-medal triumph at the Tokyo Olympics, which left her fearing the worst.
But four months later, she had another life-changing conversation, when she was told a return to full fitness was a very real possibility.
"Hearing that now, like 'yes, you can have surgery and come back and play' - to me, that's a second chance," Williams tells Newshub.
Now fully recovered and raring to return, Williams views that spell of adversity as a blessing in disguise, proving to herself the extent of her determination and the passion she holds for the black jersey.
"I would look around the gym, and it's bloody empty and no-one's there," Williams recalls, reflecting on her long nights of rehabilitation.
"Those moments where you're like 'what am I doing here' - those are the moments… because I knew I had that little bit of hope left in me."
After overcoming her fear of life without rugby, Williams - younger sister of Kiwi crosscode great Sonny Bill Williams - is using her heartbreaking withdrawal on the eve of this year's Games to fuel her fire for Paris 2024.
"I will never have that Tokyo Olympics gold medal around my neck and I worked five years for it," she says.
"I would love to be at Paris. I would love to get my gold medal."
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