This is the one game of the Pacific Four series where a big win is most likely. We thought that last year, but the Eagles showed up well to lose only 38-17 to the world champions. The very early loss of Iritana Hohaia to a red card played its part.
Eager Eagles
Now they have to face them on their own soil, in Hamilton, and they are still without their usual captain, Kate Zackary, who hasn’t yet recovered from injury. Rachel Johnson retains the armband.
Head coach Sione Fukofuka has moved Gabby Cantorna into No 10, owing to the absence of McKenzie Hawkins, also injured. At least that adds important know-how to the team axis. The centre partnership now reads Bulou Mataitoga and Eti Haungatu. Lotte Clapp has rejoined the squad to resume her normal place on the wing.
Even so, it is in the backs where I fear the Eagles will be most vulnerable.
It’s reassuring to know that the squad has been training hard in Hamilton for a while. This has included some some scrum-work with a Fernless Chiefs Manawa, the sort of detailed preparation that they always need and value highly.
The Ferns’ Turn
Allan Bunting could afford to take the long view with his selection. Few people can give the Eagles more than a sniff of a chance. So he has brought two debutants into the starting XV. The more interesting one is the choice of Maia Joseph at 9. Ever since Kendra Cocksedge retired – it seems an age ago now – the hunt has been on for a permanent replacement. Give or take the odd injury, we may assume the selectors are still hoping to alight on their best option.
Missing from the show are Ayesha Leti-I’iga and Renee Holmes. Bunting has plumped for Mererangi Paul to wear 15, her third position for the Ferns in five tests thus far.
Black Fern pre-match publicity has centred on ticket-sales rather than the ins and outs of the game. This is an unspoken reminder of the concern, barely comprehensible to non-Kiwis, that the public is slow to leave home to watch the recurrent World Cup winners. A week later they’ll be facing the Maple Leafs in Christchurch.
Teams
USA
15 Tess Feury 14 Emily Henrich 13 Bulou Mataitoga 12 Eti Haungatu 11 Lotte Clapp 10 Gabby Cantorna 9 Olivia Ortiz 1 Hope Rogers 2 Kathryn Treder 3 Charli Jacoby 4 Hallie Taufoou 5 Erica Jarrell 6 Freda Tafuna 7 Georgie Perris-Redding 8 Rachel Johnson (captain)
16 Paige Stathopoulos 17 Alivia Leatherman 18 Catie Benson 19 Jenny Kronish 20 Tahlia Brody 21 Taina Tukuafu 22 Atumata Hingano 23 Autumn Czaplicki
New Zealand
15 Mererangi Paul 14 Ruby Tui 13 Amy du Plessis 12 Sylvia Brunt 11 Katelyn Vahaakolo 10 Ruahei Demant (co-captain) 9 *Maia Joseph 1 Kate Henwood 2 Georgia Ponsonby 3 Tanya Kanounivale 4 Maia Roos 5 *Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu 6 Liana Mikaele Tu’u 7 Kennedy Simon (co-captain) 8 Layla Sae
16 Luka Connor 17 Chryss Viliko 18 Amy Rule 19 Charmaine Smith 20 Kaipo Olsen-Baker 21 Iritana Hohaia 22 *Hannah King 23 Patricia Maliepo
*uncapped
Fixture details:
Date: 11 May
Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
KO: 14.05, local time
