Surprise baby for Hurricane after fertility struggle

Hurricanes player and All Black hopeful Vince Aso and his partner Nykala Toheriri Spy March 2020

Hurricanes player and All Black hopeful Vince Aso and partner Nykala Toheriri are over the moon to be expecting their first child after being told they might struggle to conceive.

Toheriri was three days away from having surgery for endometriosis, a common inflammatory condition where tissue is found outside the uterus, when the couple discovered she was pregnant.

"We felt super-blessed considering we were told she had low fertility and it was going to be difficult to fall pregnant," Aso tells Spy.

Toheriri has been in hospital nearly 10 times during her pregnancy due to pain and complications, which has been tough, but their baby girl has stayed healthy throughout.

The baby is due on April 8, but the couple think she might come early because she's so active.

And they are hoping she will get to see her daddy put on the All Black jersey.

"It's always been my goal to be in the black jersey and represent my family," says Aso.

"It's definitely on my mind to hopefully get the call this year, but if not, I know I need to keep grinding."

Toheriri, a youth support worker, is studying human nutrition and is also in the middle of creating her own business,