“Renee’s a specialist fullback, reads the play well; she’s also probably our best goal kicker and good at restarts. We just felt it was the right thing.”
Homes returns to the starting lineup in place of Ayesha Leti-I’iga, who moves to the bench as Tui pushes out to the wing, with Portia Woodman lining up on the other side of the field.
The backline trio isn’t new for the Black Ferns, as the trio started the opening match against Australia. While she didn’t have the best start to that game, Holmes’ class showed as the match progressed – both in terms of the punch she adds to the attack, her positional play and strong goal kicking.
Against a kick-heavy approach like France take to the game, Holmes’ positional play and decision-making shape up as a key factors in the Black Ferns plans, and Smith said her performance against Australia showed how she can impact the match.
“She’s a very level-headed woman; you saw that in the Australia game,” Smith said.
“What everyone saw in the Aussie game was she missed a couple of tackles. What they don’t see is after that what she did, how she got on top of her game, and got back into it. In the second half, she made two really important linebreaks.
“She’s got that ability to overcome errors and get back into the game.”
Smith referred to Holmes’ goal kicking as “a bonus” to her already strong skillset in the 15 jersey, and said it was a skill that was continually improving.
Holmes has had some guidance in that area, with All Blacks great Dan Carter spending plenty of time helping the side’s goal kickers.
“Initially when we started doing some goal kicking, she pivoted around the ball a bit too much. We got the best in the world in Daniel Carter in to work with the girls – he comes in most weeks. He’s really improved all the women. Renee in particular, she’s really good when she comes through the ball – she kicked one from 50m at training the other day, so it’s a bonus,” Smith said.
Throughout the World Cup so far, France have backed a good territorial kicking game and brick-wall defence to outmuscle opponents; a style that is the opposite of the Black Ferns’ all-out attacking style.
It’s a style the French are very good at delivering and, even in their loss to England, they have been consistent in their strategy.
For Holmes, who wasn’t a part of the Black Ferns squad that lost two games to the French late last year, theirs is a style of play she is looking forward to deciphering.
“I’m excited for the challenge. I didn’t get the opportunity to play against these guys last year so, being a fullback, playing against a team that loves to kick, it’s happy days. And when you’ve got the likes of Portia Woodman and Ruby Tui as your wingers, what could go wrong?”
Black Ferns: Renee Holmes, Ruby Tui, Stacey Fluhler, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Portia Woodman, Ruahei Demant (captain), Kendra Cocksedge, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Sarah Hirini, Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Amy Rule, Georgia Ponsonby, Phillipa Love.
Reserves: Luka Connor, Krystal Murray, Santo Taumata, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Kennedy Simon, Ariana Bayler, Hazel Tubic, Ayesha Leti-I’iga.
