Whitney Hansen took over as the Black Ferns head coach following last year's World Cup. Photo / Smartframe
The Black Ferns have plenty of milestones to tick off this weekend.
The side will run out for their first test of the season against the United States at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, California, on Sunday, which kicks off their Pacific Four Series.
It will be the first test under the guidance of Whitney Hansen, who took over as head coach following the team’s third-place finish at last year’s World Cup in England.
With nine uncapped players in the squad, the series shapes up as a proper reset as the Black Ferns begin the new World Cup cycle. Of those uncapped players, halfback Tara Turner, loose forward Mia Anderson, outside back Justine McGregor and prop Maddison Robinson are in line to make their debuts off the bench on Sunday. Robinson was a late inclusion after Awhina Tangen-Wainohu was ruled out of the series with a neck injury.
At the other end of the spectrum, prop Chryss Viliko will play in her 20th test, while first five-eighths Ruahei Demant will become the most-capped Black Ferns captain when she leads the side out for the 36th time in her 52nd test. It passes the previous mark set by Fiao’o Fa’amausili, who captained the side 35 times between 2012 and 2018.
Speaking from California on Friday morning, Hansen said Demant’s leadership brought plenty to the squad.
“She’ll probably hate me doing this with her right beside me, because one of the first things I’d say is there’s a real humility to who Lou [Demant] is,” Hansen said.
“You ask someone who’s the hardest worker in the gym? It’s not the person running around the gym saying, ‘Hi, I’m the hardest worker’ and Lou really embodies that; always willing to give time to help grow this space and for it to be better.
“A leader doesn’t always have to be someone that uses words, but Lou is someone who’s incredibly articulate and has a pretty special mana about her that when she starts talking everything just stops. Everyone’s sort of hanging off her, and there’s a real confidence that comes from that because there’s a clear direction of where we’re going and everyone’s prepared to go to war with her.
“Having that in your team is not always something that you get to come in and just have. It’s often something that you’ve got to grow in leaders. So, for us to be able to have that, and I’ll stop talking now because she’s probably hating this, but it is incredibly special.”
While Demant is among a host of Black Ferns who have been playing in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby competition, the majority of the squad come into the series for their first competitive rugby of the season, with Super Rugby Aupiki not starting until late June.
It comes as the Black Ferns move to an extended calendar of 11 tests this season, with the Pacific Four Series slotting in during the international break in England.
While new to the group, Turner said the side’s preparation for the series had involved simulations to prepare them for what to expect when they take to the field in America.
“The coaching group and the management have created like a training environment where we’re playing internal games. So I feel like I’m ready because we’ve trained how we’re expected to play against other teams. So, yeah, no stress,” Turner said.
The Black Ferns gets a relatively friendly draw for their first test of the year, with the United States historically being among the weaker teams in the Pacific Four Series. In their most recent meetings, the Black Ferns hold wins of 79-14, 57-5 and 39-17 against the Americans.
That said, Hansen was quick to bat back suggestions that the hosts won’t be formidable opponents on Sunday.
“I think you’ve got to be really careful when you use outcome as a measure of performance,” Hansen said.
“Like, they will be formidable, and I think every team that we play against is growing every year. In the women’s space in particular, we’ve seen some exponential growth and some really different results in that space.
“What we can expect from them is we know they play a power game. They’re going to try and be physical and come through us and so, therefore, that relentless piece around our defence is going to be really important.
“And we know that they’ve got some new players as well. They’ve got different coaches and a different crew that have come in there to take over. So, what we know is that we can’t expect what’s always been.”
Black Ferns v USA (test caps):
1. Chryss Viliko (19)
2. Georgia Ponsonby (37)
3. Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (3)
4. Maiakawanakaulani Roos (38)
5. Laura Bayfield (6)
6. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (35)
7. Kennedy Tukuafu (34) – co-captain
8. Kaipo Olsen-Baker (16)
9. Maia Joseph (16)
10. Ruahei Demant (51) – co-captain
11. Ayesha Leti-I’iga (30)
12. Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (29)
13. Amy Du’Plessis (22)
14. Mererangi Paul (14)
15. Renee Holmes (29)
Bench:
16. Vici-Rose Green (5)
17. Maddison Robinson (uncapped)
18. Tanya Kalounivale (27)
19. Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu (7)
20. Mia Anderson*
21. Tara Turner*
22. Hannah King (10)
23. Justine McGregor*
USA v New Zealand. Sacramento, California. Sunday April 12, 11am.
Canada v New Zealand. Kansas City, Missouri. Saturday April 18, 10.15am.
Australia v New Zealand. Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Saturday April 25. 9.45pm.
All times are NZT.