Amy Rule: New Zealand prop reflects on journey as she prepares for Exeter debut

That professionalism was one of the big plus points for Exeter boss Steve Salvin when he recruited Rule before this year’s World Cup.

The prop went on to help the Black Ferns win a bronze medal as she took her tally to 31 caps, scoring two tries for New Zealand along the way.

“The way she approaches her game in terms of taking notes, asking questions, challenging, all the things you would expect from someone of a professional mindset,” Selvin said.

“She’s also helped, not just the younger players, all the players on various bits and pieces.

“She’s a really nice girl as well, she’s actually really good friends with Liv McGovern, obviously one of our Kiwis over here, so she wasn’t coming in not knowing anyone, she had got a friend in camp.

“But she seems to have settled in really well and I’m really excited to see how she goes this weekend.”

Rule already has an idea of what Devon is like, having trained in the county with the Black Ferns before their World Cup game against Japan – although she did not feature in the 62-19 victory at Sandy Park.

And she is hopeful she can impress the home supporters when she makes her debut against reigning PWR champions Gloucester-Hartpury on Saturday.

“I’m electric on attack, I love to find holes, I love to find opportunities to get gain line,” she says when asked about her strengths.

“I’m real physical in that space and I’m really growing in my defence and I really want to be a menace in that space.

“I want people to see me as just an absolute pain.”

Albeit, she will hope that “absolute pain” does not translate into a red card like her first game all those years ago.