France v New Zealand A quite outstanding, gripping match. France survived endless onslaughts by the white-shirted Ferns to repeat a final score that will stir memories of that French win over England at Grenoble six years ago. With all due deference to the other sixteen nations competing in the global fiesta that is WXV, another
New Zealand v Australia The first of an unparalleled five test matches taking place around the globe on the same day. Unfortunately, it was same old, same old in Hamilton. It’s a great sadness that these two teams who have no other opponents of comparable standard close by, remain so widely separated in ability themselves.
No Ruby Tui For the Black Ferns’ last game before the WXV kicks off in their own country, Allan Bunting has chosen the following 23 players to face Australia in the return match of the O’Reilly Cup: 15 Patricia Maliepo, 14 Mererangi Paul, 13 Amy du Plessis, 12 Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt, 11 Katelyn
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
Black Ferns coaches Allan Bunting, Steve Jackson, Mike Delany and Tony Christie have named their 30 player squad to compete at home in front of their Black Ferns fans for their final Test match of the O’Reilly Cup, presented by Ryman Healthcare and the inagural WXV1 tournament. The Black Ferns team is (Age/Super Club/Province/Test caps):
New Zealand’s brightest emerging women’s rugby talent will have the chance to don the black jersey later this year with the Black Ferns XV set to play against Samoa. The Black Ferns XV has been formed by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to foster the professional growth of players, coaches and management on the international stage
Thirty-four unanswered second-half points helped New Zealand defeat the USA and secure their second consecutive World Rugby Pacific Four Series title, while Tyson Beukeboom’s hat-trick helped hosts Canada defeat Australia 45-7 to finish second in the annual four-team competition. Black Ferns secure second consecutive World Rugby Pacific Four Series title with 39-17 win over USA
It’s remarkable how you can dress up a massive team restructuring with sweet words. Allan Bunting makes sweeping changes to his starting XV, safe in the knowledge that they can defeat the Eagles with any side he sends out. But diplomacy demands that he camouflages the reasons for picking a new-look side. Many Kiwi fans
England Women and England Men to play concurrent white-ball series against Pakistan to open the international summer. England Women return to high-capacity venues including Edgbaston, Headingley, The Ageas Bowl, The Kia Oval and Lord’s following record ticket sales this summer. England Men host Pakistan Men in four IT20s before flying out to defend their ICC
Australia v New Zealand, Brisbane To all you 34-year-old management consultants out there, here’s your role model! Kate Henwood, who had never been part of a representative rugby squad till last February, finds herself vaulted into the Black Ferns’ side to face the Wallaroos in the first of two traditional cross-Tasman tests. Her two children
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