Christie will have a focus on defence and counter attack, with Jackson turning his attention to set piece and restart, while Delany, a former All Blacks first-five, will lead the Black Ferns attack.

Christie coached Matatū to the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki title this year; Jackson, is a former Manu Samoa and North Harbour Head Coach, while Delany has enjoyed five successful seasons coaching Bay of Plenty in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC.

Bunting said he was looking forward to work alongside a quality group of coaches.  “We are fortunate to have such an abundance of quality coaches putting their hands up to coach the Black Ferns, which is hugely exciting for our women’s game. The trio of coaches we have had the privilege of appointing are all committed to enhancing the Black Ferns legacy. Each will assist in allowing our players to play a brand of rugby unique to the Black Ferns, through their passion, innovation, and abundance of knowledge.”

Christie said it was an honour to join the Black Ferns coaching group.  “I am really excited for the opportunity to further add to the Black Ferns legacy. It’s been a dream to coach at this level since I started out in grassroots rugby. There is massive potential within the Black Ferns, and I believe this team has the ability to play a style like no other.”

Jackson was equally as excited in having been given the opportunity to contribute to the Black Ferns environment.  “I’m looking forward to working alongside Allan, he is an outstanding coach. The Black Ferns are a team that enjoy what they do, while their team culture and environment are really authentic. It has been a driver for me to coach a national side, so it means a lot. I am looking for forward to bringing plenty of energy and a few different ideas to the table.”

Delany described his appointment as a privilege.  “It is always a privilege to be part of a team with a fern and I am excited to be a part of a talented group of coaches. I am hugely grateful to Bay of Plenty Rugby, and Allan, for the opportunity to be a part of the next chapter for the Black Ferns. While this is something new for me, I know I will be able to assist the professional growth of this team both on and off the field.”

Bunting also acknowledged the work of departing assistant coaches Wesley (Wes) Clarke and Whitney Hansen.

“Wes and Whitney have been great contributors to the Black Ferns success. Wes has been a huge part of the Black Ferns programme, his dedication to this team has been outstanding. I know he will be a huge asset to the New Zealand Under 20’s squad as they embark on their Under 20 World Rugby Championship this year and I look forward to seeing his continued success.

“Congratulations also to Whitney on her recent appointment as Matatū Head of Rugby. It is a fantastic opportunity and I know she will relish the challenge and is excited for the prospect to continue her growth as a programme leader.”

New Zealand Rugby Head of Women’s High-Performance Hannah Porter said it had been great to see the quality of applicants for the new Black Ferns coaching roles.  “We have undertaken a thorough process to finalise our assistant coaching trio. Across the process we have been privileged to have received applications from a qualified group of individuals who are aspiring to be a part of the Black Ferns programme. We are exceptionally pleased with the calibre of the coaches selected to support Allan and look forward to seeing what they will achieve as a group.”

New Zealand Rugby General Manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum said NZR were focused on the development of leading female coaches to ensure their future success.  “Individual growth of our coaches continues to be a focus for New Zealand Rugby. We are supporting the opportunity for Whitney to develop as a programme leader, with her recent appointment as the Matatū Head of Rugby. Our ambition is to continue to support the growth and development of our leading female coaches and provide them with the opportunities to gain further experience and be in a position to be competing for roles for our teams in black in the future.”

Former Black Ferns Sevens Team Manager Jenelle Strickland will also play a pivotal role with the Black Ferns after being appointed as Team Manager.

Strickland holds an abundance of experience, having managed the Tasman Mako in the Bunnings Warehouse NPC for four years before her appointment with the Black Ferns Sevens, which she held for a further four years, including working alongside Bunting.

Strickland would take up a critical leadership role in the team, Porter said.  “Jenelle has been a fantastic contributor to our game over the years, she has a wealth of knowledge and is an exceptional operator. She will play a critical role within the leadership of the Black Ferns, and we look forward to seeing what she will achieve.”

The Black Ferns will assemble early next week for their first Black Ferns camp following last year’s Rugby World Cup success.

Assistant Coach bios

Tony Christie:

Christie joins the Black Ferns following his success achieved with Matatū and Canterbury National Provincial teams. Christie being part of the transformation that seen Matatū go from being challenged in pre-season to winning Sky Super Rugby Aupiki. In 2022 he was named as assistant coach for the New Zealand Under 18 Barbarian’s squad. His creative and innovative style that brings the best out of players will enhance the mix of coaches we have and see him take the lead on the Black Ferns defence and counterattack portfolio.

Steve Jackson:

Jackson has been an accomplished coach for generations. Notable success with Counties Manukau as Assistant Coach and Head Coach of North Harbour, successfully winning the National Provincial championship and gaining qualification. In 2017 Jackson was named as the Blues forward coach before being appointed as Samoa’s head coach the following year. Jackson holds an abundance of knowledge and overseas experience which will be instrumental for the continued growth of the forward pack.

Mike Delany:

Delany was an instrumental first-five eighth. The former All Black, Chief/Crusader/Highlander and notable Bay of Plenty Steamer turned to coaching following a renowned career. A youthful Head Coach for Bay of Plenty Delany has been credited for his ability to instil an environment to allow players to express themselves. His attacking knowledge, kicking skillset and overseas experience alongside his connection to the professional game will be an asset for the Black Ferns and his role in leading the team’s attack.

Team Manager Bio

Jenelle Strickland:

Strickland will bring an abundance of experience, having managed the Tasman Mako for four years before her appointment with the Black Ferns Sevens, which she held for a further four years. Within her roles she has been instrumental in the delivery of logistics and operational aspects of the team. In addition, she played an important role in the leadership and direction of team culture and wellbeing. Strickland has also been a key leader in the education and growth of team managers in her former role as Education & Wellbeing – Education Advisor at New Zealand Rugby.

With thanks to New Zealand Rugby

Hirini will complete the HSBC World Series with the Black Ferns Sevens in Toulouse before taking up her contract at the Yokkaichi based Mie PEARLS club. Following the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2023 Hirini will return to New Zealand to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with the Black Ferns Sevens.

“I am stoked to be able to have the opportunity to head over to Japan and play for the MIE PEARLS. Japan is an amazing country, from their culture to their people it will be an incredible experience, and one which my husband, Connor, and I are exceptionally grateful for.

“This would not be possible without the support from Cory, my sevens sisters and New Zealand Rugby and for that I am incredibly thankful.

“Playing abroad will allow me to continue to grow as a player, experience a new playing environment, different coaching style and refresh ahead of an exciting year with the Black Ferns Sevens.”

New Zealand Rugby General Manager Professional Rugby and Performance Chris Lendrum said flexibility within New Zealand Rugby’s contracting model provided valuable growth opportunities for players.

“Sarah signed her first professional contract with the Black Ferns Sevens ten years ago in 2013. Over this time, she has amassed a long and illustrious list of accolades. While this arrangement is a first in the women’s space it is similar to sabbaticals offered to some of our senior All Blacks who have played in Japan. The flexibility we have in our contracting model allows for our top players across both the men’s and women’s professional game a chance to refresh, experience and engage in a different rugby environment, but remain committed to New Zealand Rugby, which is a good result. We are looking forward to seeing her back in black when she returns and ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics.”

Black Ferns Sevens Head Coach Cory Sweeney said the sabbatical would be great experience for Hirini ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Sarah is invaluable to our team’s success, both on and off the field. She dedicates a huge amount of time to the Black Ferns Sevens jersey. This opportunity allows her to reset and refresh, through experiencing a new team environment and culture, which will be a great thing for her and the team ahead of our Olympic campaign.”

With thanks to NZ Rugby

Both replica jerseys are made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic, an important step for adidas’ commitment to a sustainable future.

The all-new Black Ferns jersey is crafted with PRIMEBLUE, a high-performance recycled material made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic, and PASMO CHILL, a knitted material which keeps players cool as they play and is optimized for supreme fit and comfort.

The new All Blacks playing jersey is made with super-strong Dyneema® yarns, which are 15 times stronger than steel and is 35 percent lighter than previous designs, giving players unparalleled strength and fit to match the intensity of the modern game.

adidas and New Zealand Rugby have today unveiled two stunning, new jerseys for the All Blacks and the Black Ferns, packed with innovative new features and cutting-edge design, resulting in high-performance uniforms fit for the equally high-performing teams.

For the first time in the Black Ferns’ 30-year history, adidas have created a dedicated, bespoke design with the team, specifically tailored to accommodate the demands of the women’s game.

Over the last two years, Black Ferns players took part in innovative body-mapping sessions, material testing and also gave feedback on what they wanted in a jersey. The players said presenting themselves as women on the field was equally important as presenting themselves as the fierce, rugby athletes they are. The result of these insights is a bespoke jersey that supports this desire in the form of a sleek, athletic and feminine silhouette.

The jersey features PRIMEBLUE, a high-performance recycled material made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic, and PASMO CHILL, a knitted material that allows for temperature regulation, allowing the players to keep cool on the field.

Black Ferns senior player Lesley Elder commented: “It’s hard to put into words what this moment means to our team. I’m excited to be part of the journey towards elevating the women’s game and seeing our sport get the recognition it deserves. This jersey is designed to inspire the future of our game and we cannot wait to wear it on the field and motivate the next generation of girls and women in New Zealand to pick up a rugby ball and chase their dreams.”

All Blacks players also gave feedback on their jersey design, and adidas has equipped them with an innovation-fuelled jersey which provides them with superior strength and fit as they play. For the first time ever, the All Blacks match jerseys are made with super-strong Dyneema® yarns, which offer enhanced durability and are 15 times stronger than steel.

A new collar design sees the return of a primarily black collar with white detailing and the classic Mandarin collar design, while the new modernized cuff construction is designed to improve comfort and shaping around the bicep. The match jersey is also 35 percent lighter than previous designs, providing an improved fit without compromising on strength, and is designed to react and stretch with the player as they move on the field.

All Blacks Captain Sam Cane commented: “What we wear and what that represents is a huge part of our nation’s heritage. There is a responsibility that comes with wearing the All Blacks jersey and we take that responsibility seriously. The jersey is iconic for us, not only in the way it looks, but also in how it supports us when we’re playing on the field. That’s why we’re always keen to be involved in the development of any new jersey. We love working with the team at adidas to ensure each new design is refined to reflect the modern needs of the game, so we can make the iconic jersey even more special.”

As part of adidas’ continued efforts towards ending plastic waste, the bespoke Black Ferns jersey as well as the replica All Blacks jersey available to purchase feature PRIMEBLUE, a high-performance recycled material made in part with Parley Ocean Plastic, intercepted on remote islands, beaches, coastal communities and shorelines preventing it from polluting our oceans. Products made with PRIMEBLUE use a minimum of 40 percent recycled content.

Matthew Fielding, Category Director – Global Brands, adidas, commented: “The All Blacks and Black Ferns jersey launches are about recognizing a need for change and addressing it. By launching the jerseys together for the first time, we wanted to focus on addressing our ambition to be the most sustainable brand in rugby and celebrate the diversity and inclusion within the world of rugby. We hope to continue our dedication to creating sporting apparel that is not only functional and innovative but sustainable, while inspiring the next generation of players, particularly female players, to know that anything is possible.”

The new All Blacks jersey is available to purchase from today, August 4th, and the team will wear it for the first time when they take on Australia in the Bledisloe Cup Test presented by Steinlager at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday August 7th. The Black Ferns jersey will be available to purchase on September 1st and will be worn for the first time when the Black Ferns take on Australia at Rugby Park, Christchurch, on September 26th.

Courtesy of NZ Rugby

Both sides go into the Games with a World number one ranking and will be eyeing a place on the medal dais in just a few weeks’ time.

The women’s team features seven players who claimed a silver medal at the Rio Games, while six men will be returning for their second Olympic Games.

The New Zealand Men’s Rugby Sevens team is;
Tim Mikkelson (c) – Waikato
Scott Curry (c) – Bay of Plenty
Dylan Collier – Waikato
Tone Ng Shiu – Auckland
Sam Dickson – Bay of Plenty
Andrew Knewstubb – Horowhenua Kapiti
Ngarohi McGarvey-Black – Bay of Plenty
Sione Molia – Counties Manukau
Kurt Baker – Hawke’s Bay
Joe Webber – Bay of Plenty
Etene Nanai-Seturo – Waikato
Regan Ware – Bay of Plenty
Travelling reserves: William Warbrick, Caleb Clarke, Amanaki Nicole

The non-travelling reserves are: Akuila Rokolisoa, Trael Joass, Kitiona Vai, Vilimoni Koroi, Brady Rush, Oliver Sapsford, Moses Leo & Leroy Carter

The men’s team is rich in experience, with co-captain Tim Mikkelson the most capped sevens player in the game’s history.  He’s joined by Scott Curry and Sam Dickson who have more than 50 World Series tournament appearances each.

Their experience is complimented by young talent, including Chiefs’ outside back Etene Nanai-Seturo and travelling reserve Will Warbrick, who was discovered at the Ignite7 talent identification tournament in 2018.

Coach Clark Laidlaw said it was the toughest team selection he has been involved in.

“Going to Olympics is the pinnacle of four or five years work. We were conscious of that as coaches and selectors, so we made sure we were really clear on how we want to play the game, where the players were at, and picked the best team to go forward.”

Laidlaw highlighted the need for a versatile squad.

“When you’ve only got 12 players for one tournament, and it could be 40 degrees with high humidity, having players who can rotate and share the load throughout a weekend and still nail their core role is important. We’ve selected backs who can change positions and that is genuinely important.”

Laidlaw also stressed the importance of the entire squad continuing to prepare for the games.

“We don’t usually name a team a month out from a tournament, and we’ve got some players that got dinged up a little bit in the weekend. All the players in our contracted group need to continue to prepare as if they are going to play and in all the conversations we’ve had, they certainly understand that,” said Laidlaw.

The men are in Pool A at the Olympics and will play Australia, Argentina and South Korea, kicking off on July 26.

The New Zealand Women’s Rugby Sevens team is;
Portia Woodman – Northland
Sarah Hirini © – Manawatu
Ruby Tui – Counties Manukau
Tyla Nathan Wong – Northland
Theresa Fitzpatrick – Auckland
Stacey Fluhler – Waikato
Michaela Blyde – Bay of Plenty
Alena Saili – Bay of Plenty
Risaleaana Pouri-Lane – Bay of Plenty
Kelly Brazier – Bay of Plenty
Gayle Broughton – Taranaki
Shiray Kaka – Waikato
Travelling reserves: Tenika Willison, Jazmin Hotham, Terina Te Tamaki

The non-travelling reserves are: Dhys Faleafaga, Shakira Baker, Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Manaia Nuku & Mahina Paul

More than half the team has Olympic experience, while Shiray Kaka and Michaela Blyde were traveling reserves in 2016. Risaleaana Pouri-Lane has a different Olympic experience, captaining New Zealand to a gold medal at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games in 2018.

Since the 2016 Games, the women’s sevens team has been incredibly dominant, winning 16 out of 22 World Series tournaments, the Sevens World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold.

“The internal competition we have has really driven this group. We’ve got a spine that operates really well who we have massive faith in, but then we’ve got these great young players and players, I describe as hidden warriors, who have been doing a lot of work that you don’t really hear much about. It’s the drive from all our players to make this squad that has made some of these decisions really tough,” said Co-Coach Allan Bunting.

“We’ve recently had a taste of some international sevens and when we played against Australia in Auckland we were off our game. We’ve had to evolve, we went back, simplified our game and narrowed our focus. The next step is the Olympics and that’s what a lot of these players have been dreaming of since 2016.”

The women are in Pool A and will come up against Russia OC, Great Britain and Kenya, with competition starting on July 29.

NZOC CEO Kereyn Smith extended her congratulations to the athletes.  “We’re thrilled to name two extremely strong and competitive sevens team today. I’d like to acknowledge all the athletes and support staff because we know a huge amount of work has gone into getting you to this point,” said Smith.

“New Zealanders are extremely passionate about rugby sevens and we can’t wait to watch both the men’s and women’s teams take to the field in Japan with the fern proudly displayed on their chests.”

Courtesy of NZ Rugby

The new draw pushes the competition start-date out two weeks, but still allows for teams to complete a full schedule of matches with the final to be played on the last weekend of October.

NZR’s Head of Women’s Rugby Cate Sexton said it was pleasing to have the updated draw confirmed so teams could adjust preparations, but stressed it was still dependent on Government announcements on Covid-19 levels.

“A number of options were presented to Provincial Unions and they worked collaboratively and promptly to agree on this outcome.

“This give our teams some certainty in the preparations over the next few weeks and, depending on what happens with Alert Levels, we hope the Auckland-based teams will be able to train together again soon,” said Sexton.

North Harbour, Auckland and Counties Manukau are currently unable to train under Covid-19 Level 3 restrictions, which are in place through to at least 26 August.

NZR continues to work with Provincial Unions on specific Covid-19 protocols and restrictions to ensure the competition can go ahead if some regions are in Level 2.

The 2020 FPC North Pool will now kick off with Waikato hosting Northland, Counties Manukau and North Harbour doing battle in Pukekohe and Auckland traveling south to Taranaki. The South Pool will kick off the following weekend.

Canterbury, the current FPC champions and holders of the JJ Stewart Trophy, will start their season in Palmerston North against Manawatu.

You can find the full draw here.