Rugby: Black Ferns to play international series in Canada

Black Ferns winger Honey Hireme in action against Manusina Samoa, during the rugby test match, held at Eden Park, Saturday. 07 June 2014 New Zealand Herald photograph by Brett Phibbs.

The Black Ferns will finally get the chance to put their 2014 Rugby World Cup disappointment well behind them when they play a June/July international series in Canada.

New Zealand will play the hosts, England and the USA in the International Women's Rugby Super Series in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton.

Canada and England contested the RWC final last year in France, while the Black Ferns beat USA for fifth place in the tournament.

New Zealand Rugby head of women's rugby development and former Black Ferns manager Cate Sexton said the tournament provided a positive step towards further building the level of competition in international women's rugby and establishing top level events for players with the next WRWC only two years away.

"This tournament will showcase women's rugby at its best and provide a platform of preparation for the next Women's Rugby World Cup. Four of the top six teams in the world will be competing and it's a great follow-up to the home series in New Zealand last year against Samoa, Australia and Canada," Sexton said.

"We want to continue to strengthen our relationships with other countries and build a regular calendar of competition for the Black Ferns, which is a key priority of our plan for women's rugby. This series is a significant step towards this."

Based on World Rugby's decision to move key international events to separate years, the next WRWC is set to take place in 2017. This summer's tournament looms as an important tool for talent identification and development for each of the competing nations.

Newly appointed Black Ferns head coach and former Fiji captain Greg Smith said it would provide an opportunity to help unearth new talent as team begins to rebuild.

"There are a growing number of women playing rugby and an increasing number of opportunities to showcase talent at club and school level. I'm confident that we'll have a good mix of new faces in the frame for selection supported by seasoned Black Ferns, all eager to make an impression in Canada against some quality opposition," Smith said.

Some of the New Zealand women's sevens side, currently leading their world series, may come into contention for selection once their commitments are over later next month.

Black Ferns Super Series schedule:
June 27: Calgary, Calgary Rugby Park
Black Ferns vs. Canada, 6:30pm local time (12.30pm June 28 NZT)
July 1: Red Deer, Red Deer Rugby Club
Black Ferns vs. England, 4:00pm local time (10am, July 2 NZT)
July 5: Edmonton, Ellerslie Rugby Park
Black Ferns vs. USA, 4:00pm local time (10am, July 5 NZT)