By GORDON GILLAN
Black Ferns coach Jed Rowlands has named a 40-player training squad for the two-test series against a World XV in Auckland next month.
The first test will be played as a curtain-raiser to Auckland's NPC game against Northland at Eden Park on October 4.
The second test will be played in Whangarei on October 11 before Northland meet Wellington.
Rowland's provisional squad will train at Rangitoto College next week, before a 22-player squad is named for the tests. It is the first game for the New Zealanders since winning last year's World Cup in Spain.
The survivors from that team will face former New Zealand coach Daryl Suasua, who is in charge of the World XV.
Rowlands said it would be a tough first test for him as Black Ferns coach.
"Daryl has tried hard to get the best players from various teams around the world, although some of the top English players are missing due to club commitments," said Rowlands.
Suasua is delighted to be a part of the inaugural women's World XV and stresses the significance of the test series for women's rugby in this country.
"The World XV idea is an initiative by the NZRFU, and important for promoting the game here as opposed to our Black Ferns' playing overseas," he said. "It is also great to have top foreign players here and at the right time of year after our women's domestic competition."
The 40-player Black Ferns training squad is: Anna Richards, Cheryl Waaka, Adrienne Lili'i, Monalisa Coding, Hannah Myers, Aroha Moore, Linda Itunu, Victoria Heighway, Fiao'o Faamausili, Amy Churchouse, Tala Mulipola, Angela McGregor, Vaniya Lavea, Mere Kingi, Leona White, Justine Lavea (all Auckland), Emma Jensen, Regina Sheck, Sharon Starkey (Waikato), Stephanie Mortimer, Hannah Babe, Amiria Marsh, Casey Robertson, Stacey Lene, Melissa Ruscoe, Maree Edwards, Sarah Giles (Canterbury), Exia Shelford (Bay of Plenty), Farah Palmer (Manawatu), Cathy Charles, Sene Fanene, Claire Richardson, Kamila Wihongi, Margaret McKenzie (Otago), Rebecca Hull, Rebecca Liua'ana, Claire Rowat, Erin Rush, Aimee Sutorious, Tatiana Tafatu (Wellington).
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