Rugby: Black Ferns full of experience and class

Fullback Selica Winiata will be part of a backline that looks full of pace. Photo / photosport.nz

By Campbell Burnes

There is an imposing look to the Black Ferns named to face Canada on Friday night in the capital.

The one debutant - Auckland centre Theresa Fitzpatrick - will enter the fray off the bench, but there is a core of experience and class throughout the starting XV in their first test in over six months. All roads lead, of course, to the August Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland. The Canada international, to be played as the curtainraiser to the Hurricanes v Chiefs Super Rugby clash at Westpac Stadium, is the first of three matches in eight days which will serve as solid RWC preparation and another chance for the Black Ferns to showcase their talents before home crowds.

The backline looks full of pace, with Selica Winiata at fullback, and Black Ferns Sevens stars Portia Woodman (14) and Kelly Brazier (12) in the mix with the skilled Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali running the cutter at No 10. In the pack, loosehead prop Pip Love returns after injury ruled her out of the Black Ferns' 2016 season, while Linda Itunu and Lesley Ketu are on the bench after missing 2016 international action, as is centre Stacey Waaka.

Brazier started four of the five tests in 2016 at first five, but moves out one for Friday night.

"We quite like her there," says head coach Glenn Moore. "She adds a different dimension for us to that position. We have other 12s in the squad who are different (such as Chelsea Alley). But Kelly's got great game vision, has good options when you have to kick, and is a courageous defender."

Moore says the reintegration of the Black Ferns Sevens players has been seamless. They were already very much a part of the 2017 programme from the start, though Fitzpatrick did travel to Canada two weeks ago for the penultimate leg of the Women's Sevens World Series.
The Black Ferns, having survived off a diet of club rugby, a trial, and a heap of training, are champing at the bit to run out in an official international. Moore wants to see a win, no injuries, and some gelling of the structures and strike moves.

"We've done a lot of stuff piecemeal. This week we've tried to bolt everything together, a lot of our plays, set-pieces, strikes, and just doing things well," he says.

Canada should be a stern test, the No 3 ranked side in the world, who pushed the Black Ferns 20-10 in Dublin last November.

"They've had a couple of tests a few months ago. They've typically got a big, strong forward pack, set-piece really well and have athletes with good pace. I guess they are not ranked No 3 in the world for nothing."

The plan is to use all 28 squad members in the three tests, which includes Australia in Christchurch next Tuesday and England in Rotorua, a keenly awaited clash which doubles as the curtainraiser to the Maori All Blacks v Lions game.

"We're playing these fixtures like it's a WRWC-type structure. It's a good chance to change combinations around and about how we recover in short windows. It's all working towards the plan," Moore says.

He is confident that the squad will swiftly get up to speed with the test match intensity, despite no extensive match fitness for most of them other than club rugby.

"We're confident in the programmes we have in place. We've had people allocated in the regions to run our strength and conditioning programmes. We've had a close handle on everything recorded, albeit there is nothing like playing games. The biggest challenge is jumping from club rugby to internationals, but we'd like to think we've done our work."

Black Ferns to play Canada: Selica Winiata, Portia Woodman, Stacey Waaka, Kelly Brazier, Renee Wickliffe, Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali, Kendra Cocksedge, Aroha Savage, Sarah Goss, Rawinia Everitt, Charmaine Smith, Eloise Blackwell, Aleisha Nelson, Fiao'o Fa'amausili (c), Pip Love

Reserves: Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Toka Natua, Aldora Itunu, Linda Itunu, Lesley Ketu, Kristina Sue, Honey Hireme, Theresa Fitzpatrick