The Black Ferns celebrate the win in the Rugby World Cup 2021 final between New Zealand and England played at Eden Park. Photo / Dean Purcell.
The Black Ferns celebrate the win in the Rugby World Cup 2021 final between New Zealand and England played at Eden Park. Photo / Dean Purcell.
Transformation complete. A miracle one at that.
The Black Ferns sixth World Cup title is their most unlikely, and most memorable.
In an engrossing, enthralling final, played to a backdrop of deafening noise at a sold-out Eden Park, the billed stark contrast, the clash of styles, between England’s impenetrable mauland the Black Ferns ball movement played out to script.
England, reduced to 14 players for 62 minutes after Lydia Thompson’s unfortunate red card for knocking out Portia Woodman with a reckless head clash, gallantly fought behind their forward pack.
The white wall juggernaut’s 30-test unbeaten streak was said to be unstoppable. The Black Ferns had other ideas.
What a final. What a finish. When they needed it most, leading by three points with time up, having clung on through a late yellow card, the Black Ferns came up clutch to steal a lineout five metres out from their line to clinch the title as if it was written in the stars.
Wild celebrations ensued. And so they should. From where they were a matter of months ago, the Black Ferns had no right to emerge in the manner they did.
To appreciate these highs, we must traverse the lows.
Late last year the Black Ferns were brought to their knees. After a 27-month-year Covid hibernation they endured four record defeats to England and France on their disastrous northern tour. A damning cultural review followed, head coach Glenn Moore eventually resigned to leave New Zealand Rugby and the Black Ferns in a serious state of flux six months out from their maiden home World Cup.
Amid that implosion Wayne Smith stepped into the breach, getting the band that is Graham Henry and Mike Cron back together, to form a high-powered coaching team alongside Wes Clarke, Whitney Hansen and Allan Bunting.
Smith’s calm and calculated genius was evident from the outset. He immediately buried the burden and set about stripping the Black Ferns back to basics to overhaul their style of play.
Ruby Tui celebrates winning the Rugby World Cup 2021 Final. Photo / Getty
With a devotion to ball movement, offloads, counter attack and up-tempo running rugby Smith redefined the Black Ferns by empowering them with a style true to their DNA. He remoulded their squad around power and mobility and made tough calls, too, by culling former captains Eloise Blackwell and Les Elder.
A campaign that started in June on a sodden Tauranga Domain – in the Black Ferns first home test for almost three years – with a hard-fought victory over the Wallaroos gradually progressed through the Pac Four and Laurie O’Reilly series to the 13-match unbeaten run and a once unfathomable World Cup final.
Through it all the Black Ferns, one of this country’s most successful sporting teams, have exploded onto the public consciousness like never before. Partly that’s because Kiwis love to jump on a bandwagon, especially one in full view. It can also be attributed to the welcome breath of fresh air the Black Ferns personalities have injected into the mainstream rugby scene.
For generations the Black Ferns have sacrificed and scrapped for every inch of recognition and respect. And, yet, there is no ounce of bitterness. All tournament they have been nothing but engaging and honest, grateful and giving, smiling through the most intense spotlight of their lives to help cultivate a new breed of followers by presenting a telling comparison to many of their male counterparts.
Along the way their attitudes and skill have inspired girls, boys, future Black Ferns and All Blacks alike. How could they not?
Twice selling out Eden Park, twice breaking the women’s record attendance, is a testament to the groundswell of support they garnered and the barriers they smashed.
Those crowds have been decidedly different, too. Passionate, friendly, supportive, full of families. Long may that vibe hold true.
NZ players celebrate a try during the Rugby World Cup 2021 final. Photo / Dean Purcell.
The beauty of this World Cup, as Ruby Tui noted this week, is the Black Ferns have morphed from underground champions, legends, hearsay to household names before our eyes. Fans have engaged, re-engaged, and fallen in love with the women’s game.
Several lessons and legacy spinoffs must emerge from this tournament.
Lessons exist for NZ Rugby in the true capabilities of our female athletes when they are properly resourced with everything from a breadth of coaches to trainers, backroom staff and a fixture programme that offers the team a fair, fighting chance.
The legacy piece is the next steps. The World Cup cannot be a one-off memorable moment. Momentum must be seized to continually expand Super Rugby Aupiki and make meaningful, sustained investment in coaching pathways.
Get that part right, and a consistent test campaign that showcases the best of New Zealand women’s rugby at home and abroad should sit atop the tree to magnify exposure.
After their feats of the last six weeks, that’s the least the Black Ferns deserve.
