Suasua wants Black Ferns to stop errors

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Black Ferns coach Darryl Suasua's whip this week lost some of its sting in preparation for the second test match against England.

He switched from the tough, two-sometimes-three daily training sessions to the classroom, concentrating on the team's communication ahead of their game at North Harbour Stadium tonight.

The narrow 15-10 win in the first test last Saturday kept New Zealand's 10-year unbeaten record intact, but Suasua was dissatisfied with the amount of missed calls.

"The main thing is communication," he said. "I've cut back the training on the field and worked more on the team dynamics in the classroom. There were some moves that were completely missed."

New Zealand beat England after just four days together. Before that, they had only had some club rugby behind them. England arrived following a three-match clean-sweep over the Australian women's team, as well as winning the Six Nations tournament earlier in the year.

The New Zealanders will not get the luxury of such a build-up when they defend their world championship title - their match against England will be their last international before the World Cup in Barcelona next May.

It is the first time the women have played in a test series. It is also the first home curtainraiser to an All Black match since they were crowned world champions in 1997.

Captain Farah Palmer, veteran of 16 test caps since 1996, is wary of the English, who frustrated her team in the last match. There is only one change to NZ side, with Sandie Yates returning to the reserves after passing a fitness test.

Black Ferns: Tammi Wilson (Auckland), Vanessa Cootes (Waikato), Annaleah Rush (Auckland), Suzy Shortland (Auckland), Exia Shelford (Bay of Plenty), Anna Richards (Auckland), Monique Hirovanaa (Auckland) Cheryl Waaka (Auckland), Melodie Robinson (Auckland), Rochelle Martin (Auckland), Victoria Heighway (Waikato), Fiona King (Otago), Rebecca Liua'ana (Wellington), Farah Palmer (capt, Manawatu) Regina Sheck (Waikato).

Reserves: Suzy Dawson (Northland), Poinisitia Paasi (Wellington), Rhonda Kay (Waikato), Tala Mulipola (Auckland), Jacinta Nielson (Otago), Neroli Knight (Wellington), Amiria Marsh (Canterbury), Sandie Yates (Counties-Manukau).

England: Paula George (capt), Nicola Crawford, Selena Rudge, Assunta De Baise, Emily Feltham, Shelley Rae, Joanne Yapp, Jennifer Richards, Claire Frost, Georgia Stevens, Theresa Andrews, Jennifer Sutton, Amy Garnett, Theresa O'Reilly, Vanessa Huxford. Reserves: Nicola Goodwin, Jennifer Smith, Gillian Burns, Helen Clayton, Susie Appleby, Nicola Jupp, Eilidh Smith.