A Black Ferns Squad
Allan Bunting and his staff have named only 30 players for the Black Ferns’ three WXV1 matches (see below).
This relatively small number is understandable for a team playing at home. But it means that certain positions are less well stocked than others. The reassuring news of Charmaine Smith’s return after a 4-year absence is countered by the presence of only two other lock forwards. As with England, flexibility may well have to be the answer there.
Likewise at first five-eighths (fly-half for the mathematically challengerd like me): alongside Ruahei Demant we find only the thrice capped Rosie Kelly. Again the need may be for players to show their versatility.
One possibility is Patricia Maliepo, who also makes a welcome return. She was cast into the cauldron when Grace Brooker suffered an early leg-injury at Northampton. There, the Kiwi commentators mentioned her as a No 10 cum No 15. And she was a mere 18-years old.
Although Bunting underlines the need to widen his player-pool, only four new names appear. Optimists will see that as a thoroughly good sign: who needs new stock when the established herd is so wonderful? Others might wonder whether enough hands were held up (to use the established phrase of the 2020s) to warrant a call to arms.
The modest total of 271 caps should fool nobody. The Ferns are playing far more test matches these days, but even now they remain rare events in the calendar.
Of the four absentees through injury, the one name to stand out is Ayesha Leti-I’iga. You might call her the one Black Fern to come triumphant through a chastening visit to distant Europe in 2021.
Other absentees are various Sevens players. NZR and its head coaches are still having to finalise decisions about priorities. Can they separate the two formats off once and for all? Should they allow the players (and themselves) the right to decide on a case-by-case formula?
Portia Woodman’s name does not appear here, nor Stacey Fluhler’s. In their place all eyes (especially the NZ medias’) will be riveted on Ruby Tui. She’s likely to be seen as the golden key to another home triumph.
The Ferns have a warm-up on 30 September (a day with more worldwide tests than ever before, surely!). it’s the return O’Reilly Cup match versus the Wallabies in Hamilton. The one issue there will be whether the visitors can gain their first ever win in this lop-sided competition.
There is absolutely no chance that the Ferns will come half-baked into the WXV. After that European tour they had a home World Cup to confirm that normal world order was re-established. A second massive tournament in a row gives other nations the opportunity to wonder whether it’s worth all the time and effort trying to dislodge them.
I jape through gritted teeth.
The Squad
Kate Henwood (2 caps), Krystal Murray (10), *Chryss Viliko, Georgia Ponsonby (16), Luka Connor (16), Natalie Delamere (3), Amy Rule (16), *Sophie Fisher, Tanya Kalounivale (8), Charmaine Smith (27), Chelsea Bremner (15), Maiakawanakaulani Roos (17), Alana Bremner (15),
Kennedy Simon (co-captain, 16), *Layla Sae, Liana Mikaele Tu’u (14), Lucy Jenkins (2), Ariana Bayler (7), Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (15), Iritana Hohaia (3), Rosie Kelly (3), Ruahei Demant (co-captain, 29), Amy du Plessis (10), Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt (9), Patricia Maliepo (3), Katelyn Vahaakolo (2), *Martha Mataele, Mererangi Paul (2), Renee Holmes (3), Ruby Tui (10)
*uncapped
Injury absences: Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Awhina Tangen Wainohu, Charmaine McMenamin, Santo Taumata.
