Wayne Smith has made an honest assessment of where he sees the Black Ferns standing eighteen days before the start of the 2021 World Cup – just as you would expect from a highly respected 65-year-old with shoals of top-class rugby coaching behind him.
He admits he doubted whether he should accept the the head coach job after all the messiness that had preceded it. But he is pleased he did. He says he has unearthed a wealth of talent.
But he is aware of the headstart ‘these big professonal teams from Europe have.’ Here he oversimplifies matters. The French contracts are far more similar to the Black Ferns’ than the English, who alone enjoy full-time terms. The proof comes in that unbroken run of 10 English victories.
Yet it is les Bleues who have recorded a unique run of four victories over the Ferns. Not even England can claim that distinction.
Instead, the Red Roses will point to their own proud records which keep mounting up.
Smith admits that talent and upbringing were able to keep the Ferns ahead of the world until professionalism crept into the game, at test and especially league level.
He remains nervous about the number of penalties his team gives away, their inferiority at kicking from hand and the quality of European driven mauls.
He reckons his squad can match the opposition in speed, skill and passion. That is a fascinating trio.
Let’s have a look at it.
Speed: can his highly inexperienced pack match their English and French counterparts in speed, which includes the vital component of knowing where to run to (positioning a central ingredient in modern defences)? As for pace in the backs: the Ferns were able to outflank the English, largely thanks to the dextrous skills of Stacey Fluhler. But at least one of the Ferns’ most prized Sevens players, Tyla Nathan-Wong, was excluded from Smith’s squad, a sharp reminder of how tricky the change in formats can be.
England have high hopes that Abby Dow will be restored to full working order, at least by the start of the knock-out stages. Surely she could be glimpsed running over the turf during recent training sessions, not a crutch in sight. – and alongside team-mates such as Jess Breach, Lydia Thompson, Ellie Kildunne, Helena Rowland, Holly Aitchison and Sarah McKenna. Opponents will have a task on hand keeping up.
Less so France. The regretted absence of Caroline Boujard and Cyrielle Banet from parade removes a quantity of excitement. But their replacements don’t lack for gas or enterprise.
Skill: this is an all-embracing term. But on the evidence of the European tour alone we must doubt the veracity of Smith’s claim. He has made use of some of the top names in Kiwi rugby coaching circles to aid catch-up, but the sheer inexperience (and youth) of his chosen squad makes it highly doubtful the Ferns will be able to last the full 80 minutes at the skill-level Smith must be hoping for.
Passion: Yes, the Ferns will have it in bucket-loads. And they have the haka. ‘The best haka I’ve ever witnessed’ is a claim we read more and more often on social media. At least the Europeans are used to it, and Fijiana are likely to be the least impressed by it.
Last Word
Smith is concerned about the size and power of the European packs. That must bring a chuckle to English players and fans who remember the past. Just five years ago the Ferns squeezed the life out of a pretty outstanding England team to wrest the World Cup once more. The same had happened in 2010.
There are still large Kiwi forwards available, but their ability to get around the field at a gallop is open to question.
Coming fixture: New Zealand v Japan 24 September
Eden Park, Auckland
