Wayne Smith with co-captains Ruahei Demant and Kennedy Simon. Photo / Photosport
Wayne Smith with co-captains Ruahei Demant and Kennedy Simon. Photo / Photosport
In announcing their 32-strong squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, the Black ferns have signalled their intentions.
Since Wayne Smith, Whitney Hansen and Wes Clarke teamed up at the helm, a focus has been put on playing a high-tempo brand of rugby and that has taken shapeover the past few months.
The group brought plenty of talent into the squad throughout the Pacific Four and Laurie O'Reilly Cup series, as well as their own camps, getting a good look at all their options for October's tournament.
When it came time to select the squad, the selection group had a lot to consider. But at the team announcement on Tuesday, Hansen said one big factor ultimately trumped the others.
"What it came down to was we wanted fit, fast, explosive, powerful athletes who are pretty good at rugby," Hansen said. "I know that sounds like a silly thing to say, but it's not enough to just be able to scrummage any more.
"You have to be a really great rugby player as well, so that was a piece of it. Work rate was massive, and character was really important. When you go away for eight or nine weeks together, sometimes the right person is the right person."
Black Ferns coach Whitney Hansen. Photo / Photosport
Despite being reigning champions and playing the tournament on home soil, the Black Ferns aren't going into the competition as the team to beat, with that title going to France and England, who dismantled the New Zealand side late last year in two tests each.
Those matches were before Smith's coaching team came in, and the World Cup squad sees something of a changing of the guard in the Black Ferns. Nineteen of the 32 have played fewer than 10 tests, while several veteran stars including Chelsea Semple, Eloise Blackwell, Les Elder and Kelly Brazier were among the notable omissions.
"There's a lot of talent coming through, so I think it's been a difficult selection," Smith said.
"We have a big group of women who have given a heap to Black Ferns rugby – and to rugby in general – in the past who haven't been selected. I just want to give them my appreciation for what they've done for the game, and don't give up because there might be a Stephen Donald moment in the World Cup. Never say never."
Black Ferns coaches Wes Clarke and Wayne Smith. Photo / Photosport
Included in the squad were several Black Ferns Sevens players, including Portia Woodman, Sarah Hirini and Stacey Fluhler who were competing in the Sevens World Cup last week.
Speaking of those selections, Smith admitted he didn't have a big sample size to work with, but believed in what the players could offer the team.
"They're clearly exceptional rugby players. They came into a camp a while ago up here. They've been in that programme a long time all those women, and you can't last in the NZ Sevens programme without being exceptional," Smith said.
"It's hard to measure them against existing players, so it was a bit of a task going back and looking at them, getting them to camp, watching them play Sevens.
"But one thing you know is they are fit, have got good speed, which is the sort of game we're trying to play ... they're world class. We've only got a few in there but I think we've got a great few."
With the squad now confirmed, the Black Ferns will turn their attention to their final warm up test against Japan at Eden Park on September 24, before the tournament begins at the same venue two weeks later.
