Coach Alan Bunting tells of decision to drop Black Ferns star Ruby Tui

Black Ferns director of rugby Alan Bunting admits it was tough telling Ruby Tui she had missed out on the latest squad.

"I've never had a conversation like that with Ruby," Bunting said, after naming a 33-player squad for the Pacific Four series next month.

Tui, 33, a superstar of women's rugby, Renee Holmes and Chelsea Bremner were among the established players to miss out.

Bunting said Tui took the decision well.

"The person that Ruby is, she has totally understood. She is here to give and serve and learn, but she is pretty competitive and wants to get back in.''

He said she could still return for the Rugby World Cup later this year.

"Certainly, we will be naming the World Cup squad a little further down the track and she will have further opportunities."

Bunting said Tui hadn't done anything wrong.

"It's a pretty tight race in the outsides [outside backs], isn't there."

Bunting and his fellow selectors have named Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Mererangi Paul and 18-year-old newcomer Braxton Sorensen-McGee as wings and fullbacks.

Woodman-Wickliffe, also 33, announced her international retirement, after winning gold with the Black Ferns Sevens at last year's Olympics, but after her bid to switch codes was blocked by NRL officials and reinvigorated by her stint with the Blues in Super Rugby Aupiki, she signed on again with NZ Rugby last week.

As for dropping goalkicker Holmes, Bunting said they had plenty of kicking options in Ruahei Demant, Maia Joseph and Hannah King.

Tui, Holmes and Bremner played for Chiefs Manawa, who finished third of the four teams in Aupiki, but Bunting said that side's lack of success wasn't a factor in the selection decisions.

"We were looking at [players'] consistency through Aupiki and we have selected upon that."

Prop Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu and hooker Vici-Rose Green join Sorensen-McGee as international rookies, while sevens stars Jorja Miller and Risi Pouri-Lane have been named in the national 15s side for the first time.

Miller, Pouri-Lane, Stacey Waaka, Theresa Setefano, Dhys Faleafaga and Risaleaana Pouri-Lane will join the squad before the Canada test, due to their sevens commitments, while Kelly Brazier will travel with the squad to Newcastle as travelling reserve.

Black Ferns squad

Loosehead props

Chryss Viliko (24, Blues, Auckland, 10 test caps)

Kate Henwood (36, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 8 test caps)

Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (27, Blues, Waikato, 4 test caps)

Hookers

Georgia Ponsonby (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 27 test caps)

Atlanta Lolohea (22, Blues, Canterbury, 5 test caps)

Vici-Rose Green (23, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, uncapped)

Tighthead Props

Tanya Kalounivale (26, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 18 test caps)

Amy Rule (24, Matatū, Canterbury, 27 test caps)

Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (20, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, uncapped)

Locks

Maiakawanakaulani Roos (23, Blues, Auckland, 29 test caps)

Alana Bremner (28, Matatū, Canterbury, 25 test caps)

Maama Mo'onia Vaipulu (22, Blues, Auckland, 5 test caps)

Dhys Faleafaga (24, Black Ferns Sevens, 2 test caps)

Loose Forwards

Liana Mikaele-Tu'u (23, Blues, Auckland, 26 test caps)

Layla Sae (24, Hurricanes Poua, Manawatū, 11 test caps)

Kaipo Olsen-Baker (22, Matatū, Manawatū, 9 test caps)

Kennedy Tukuafu (28, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 27 test caps)

Jorja Miller (21, Black Ferns Sevens, uncapped)

Halfbacks

Maia Joseph (23, Matatū, Otago, 8 test caps)

Iritana Hohaia (25, Hurricanes Poua, Taranaki, 14 test caps)

Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (24, Black Ferns Sevens, uncapped)

First fives

Ruahei Demant (30, Blues, Auckland, 41 test caps)

Hannah King (21, Matatū, Canterbury, 7 test caps)

Midfield

Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai'i Sylvia Brunt (21, Blues, Auckland, 21 test caps)

Theresa Setefano (30, Black Ferns Sevens, 18 test caps)

Amy du Plessis (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 19 test caps)

Stacey Waaka (29, Black Ferns Sevens, 25 test caps)

Outside backs

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (33, Blues, 24 test caps)

Katelyn Vahaakolo (25, Blues, Auckland, 14 test caps)

Ayesha Leti-I'iga (26, Hurricanes Poua, Wellington, 24 test caps)

Mererangi Paul (26, Chiefs Manawa, Counties Manukau, 12 test caps)

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (18, Blues, Auckland, uncapped)

*Travelling reserve

Kelly Brazier (35, Black Ferns Sevens, Chiefs Manawa, 42 test caps)

Black Ferns matches at the Pacific Four tournament:

Saturday, 10 May, 5pm v Australia

Saturday, 17 May, 3.35pm v Canada

Saturday, 24 May, 3.35pm v USA