Three players from the Bay of Plenty have been handed new professional contracts with New Zealand rugby, enabling them to quit their day jobs and focus 100 per cent on their rugby dreams.

Les Elder, Renee Wickliffe and Kelsie Wills are three of the 29 newly contracted Black Ferns players as New Zealand rugby aims to give the team more time to focus on the sport after their disappointing recent Northern Tour.

Chiefs and Volcanix captain Elder, Paeroa-raised Wickliffe and Matamata's Wills, a former professional volleyball player, all benefit from the new package.

The new contracting model builds on the professional performance contracts introduced in 2018 and guarantee an increase to players' retainers along with assembly fees and a range of other benefits.

After more than a decade in the team juggling work and training commitments Wickliffe, along with Carla Hohepa, Kendra Cocksedge and Eloise Blackwell now finds herself focusing on training and development.

Recent Black Ferns debutants Ariana Bayler, Alana Bremner, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Maiakawanakaulani Roos and Georgia Ponsonby pick up contracts for the first time.

New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson congratulates those players named in the contracted group.

'2022 is a blockbuster year for women's rugby and knowing that our leading players will be able to give their all to training and development was absolutely a necessary step to take,” says Robinson.

'For a number of these players it has been a long time coming and we look forward to seeing what they can achieve now they can focus on rugby.”

Contracted players will train out on regionalised hubs in Tauranga, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, receiving technical, tactical and strength and conditioning programmes, according to a NZR statement.

One day a week is also committed to personal development with players focusing on the areas of career/education and work, finance and asset protection, character development, mental wellness and other professional rugby obligations and expectations.

Further contracts are to be confirmed in coming months.

Contracted Black Ferns
Ariana Bayler (Waikato)
Eloise Blackwell (Auckland)
Alana Bremner (Canterbury)
Chelsea Bremner (Canterbury)
Grace Brooker (Canterbury)
Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)
Ruahei Demant (Auckland)
Amy du Plessis (Canterbury)
Les Elder (Bay of Plenty)
Carla Hohepa (Waikato)
Renee Holmes (Waikato)
Ayesha Leti-I'iga (Wellington)
Pip Love (Canterbury)
Patricia Maliepo (Auckland)
Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (Counties Manukau)
Charmaine McMenamin (Auckland)
Liana Mikaele-Tu'u (Auckland)
Krystal Murray (Northland)
Aleisha-Pearl Nelson (Auckland)
Georgia Ponsonby (Canterbury)
Cheyelle Robins-Reti (Waikato)
Maiakawanakaukani Roos (Auckland)
Amy Rule (Canterbury)
Chelsea Semple nee Alley (Waikato)
Kennedy Simon (Waikato)
Grace Steinmetz (Canterbury)
Hazel Tubic (Counties Manukau)
Renee Wickliffe (Bay of Plenty)
Kelsie Wills (Bay of Plenty)