Rugby: Black Ferns celebrated in Auckland

The Black Ferns celebrate winning the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty

One month after clinching their fifth world title, the Black Ferns unrivalled success has been celebrated in Auckland.

The Vodafone Events Centre was only half full at best on Thursday morning but the friends, family and fans who made the effort had the venue rocking as they danced and sung to form a festival atmosphere.

A host of local schools formed a guard of honour to welcome the Black Ferns into the arena; their cheering reaching fever pitch.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff and New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey paid tribute to the Black Ferns.

"What a spirit and commitment we saw from this team," Impey said. "They created something that was fantastic."

The World Cup trophy sat proudly on display, and the team revealed they had named it Nancy Wake, after the Wellington-born women who served as a British special operations agent during World War II. The theme of the team had been based around fighting for what you believe in and embracing a guerrilla warfare attitude.

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew, in Florida supporting his daughter who is competing in the eights crew at the world championships, delivered a video message.

"You went away to do something only one group can do once every four years and you absolutely nailed it," Tew said. "On and off the field you made all of us very proud. You came back as world champions and you've created some momentum for the women's game that we've never had before which we are now, of course, going to take up the challenge on."