Australia v New Zealand – The Decider
Part of the Black Ferns’ thinking after losses to France, England and Canada was to restore the fear effect, the sense of inevitable victory that used to overhang every test they competed in.
Their loss to Canada was a pivotal moment in the unfolding of the Pacific Four Series. That unwanted reverse meant only one result in North Harbour was acceptable.
They gained it with a lot to spare. The Wallaroos still have a deal to learn about basics such as ball-retention on contact and defensive patterns. All too often Black Ferns were able to finish collisions beyond their tackler to control events.
Till this game Australia had fallen away in the second half. Now it was the first half.
In the opening moments a box-kick by Samantha Wood was charged down; Kaipo Olsen-Baker led a series of counters. Renee Holmes opted strangely for a chip through that went too far, but an advantage gave the Ferns an attacking scrum from which Olsen-Baker drove straight over.
Prospects for a tight game brightened when Bella Mackenzie spotted a gap in midfield and went through to the line. (7-7) But the Wallaroos’ defensive patterns fell apart. By half-time they had conceded another seven tries. Only games in WXV will put that right. Time and again they lost possession on contact; time and again the Black Ferns dominated the collisions, and moved the ball quickly to pursue their attack. The tries rained in.
First Sylvia Brunt, who was a menace all through, cut back against the grain to cross. The hosts’ first two tries had both come from errors; the first that box-kick; the second a kick direct to touch.
In the space of ten minutes the Ferns added three tries. It was maddening for the Australian staff that all too often they came from lost possession. Now Mererangi Paul went over for the first of a hat-trick of tries. Her second came from a delicate chip through from Holmes. A series of balls lost on contact by both sides ended with Liana Mikaele-Tu’u cantering over.
A wonderful combined move let Georgia Ponsonby run to the line, and the half finished with an outstanding solo effort by Katelyn Vahaakolo, who ran, kicked and ran in the best try yet.
Half-time 45-7
The Wallaroos had had plenty of ball, but all too often their attacks foundered when a player got isolated and was pinged for holding on. The contrast in skills in the centre was most marked.
They restricted the Ferns to four second-half tries, which was a small measure of improvement. Much more so were the two tries they manufactured themselves. Now at last they put together a quality handling movement that finished with Maya Stewart crossing on the far right.
The TMO was called in to decide their third try. Yes, McKenzie had managed to ground the ball with one delicate finger as defenders tried to hold her up.
But a fourth try and an honorable bonus-point escaped them. The sad litany of defeats, now mounting to 27, continued with a vengeance.
All they need is a series of quality test matches stretching across the next few months. But they have only two (details below) till WXV2 starts in South Africa in late September. That is an ongoing deficit that Jo Yapp and her bosses need to overcome somehow.
It’s similar too for New Zealand, but at least they have the Twickenham game to sharpen their senses before they attempt to claim the WXV1 trophy in Canada.
Result: Australia 19 New Zealand 67
Teams
Australia
1. Brianna Hoy (NSW Waratahs), 2. Tania Naden (ACT Brumbies), 3. Eva Karpani (NSW Waratahs), 4. Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs), 5. Michaela Leonard (captain) (Western Force), 6. Siokapesi Palu (ACT Brumbies), 7. Ashley Marsters (Melbourne Rebels), 8. Piper Duck (NSW Waratahs), 9. Samantha Wood (Western Force), 10. Arabella McKenzie (NSW Waratahs), 11. Desiree Miller (NSW Waratahs), 12. Trilleen Pomare (Western Force), 13. Georgina Friedrichs (NSW Waratahs), 14. Maya Stewart (NSW Waratahs), 15. Caitlyn Halse (NSW Waratahs)
16. Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke (Western Force), 17. Sally Fuesaina (ACT Brumbies), 18. Bridie O’Gorman (NSW Waratahs), 19. Atasi Lafai (NSW Waratahs), 20. *Leilani Nathan (NSW Waratahs),
21. Layne Morgan (NSW Waratahs), 22. Faitala Moleka (ACT Brumbies), 23. Lori Cramer (Queensland Reds)
*uncapped
New Zealand
1. Chryss Viliko, 2. Georgia Ponsonby, 3. Amy Rule, 4. Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 5. Alana Bremner, 6. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 7. Kennedy Simon (co-captain), 8. Kaipo Olsen-Baker, 9. Iritana Hohaia, 10. Hannah King, 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo, 12. Sylvia Brunt, 13. Amy du Plessis, 14. Mererangi Paul, 15. Renee Holmes
16. Luka Connor, 17. Marcelle Parkes, 18. Aldora Itunu, 19. Charmaine Smith, 20. Layla Sae, 21. Maia Joseph, 22. Ruahei Demant (co-captain), 23. Grace Steinmetz
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
Table P W L Pts
Canada 3 3 0 14
New Zealand 3 2 1 11
USA 3 1 2 5
Australia 3 0 3 2
Afterthoughts
Aimee Barrett-Theron was taking her 39th test, a new record.
The game came as a great relief to the Black Ferns and their supporters, after the reverses they had suffered. They have the makings of a fine team, but doubts remain that they can compete against the best in the world. The Australians showed up a number of weaknesses that they were able only rarely to exploit.
The two sides now have a gap in their calendar, filled only by the second of the two O’Reilly Cup games. (14 July in Brisbane), preceded for the Wallaroos by a test against Fiji on 6 July in Sydney. To judge by Fiji’s demolition of Tonga this week, that will be a game to savour.
