Renee Holmes has made 14 of her 18 conversion attempts at the Rugby World Cup in England. Photo / Getty Images
Time was exactly what Renee Holmes needed.
After establishing herself as the first-choice Black Ferns fullback over the past few years, starting in the World Cup triumph at Eden Park in 2022, the 25-year-old was dropped from the squad entirely for the Pacific Four series in May.
It came after a relatively quiet Super Rugby Aupiki season for the Chiefs Manawa in which she split time at fullback with Tenika Willison, while Blues fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee emerged as one of the form players in the competition and was rewarded with a call-up.
With the Black Ferns’ World Cup defence on the horizon, it wasn’t how she had hoped to begin the year.
“For me, this time around, it actually was game time,” Holmes says of the feedback she got regarding her non-selection earlier this year.
“I didn’t actually play much in Super Rugby, and they were going with the standout fullback of Super Rugby and also taking a utility back, which I totally agreed with.
Instead, Holmes returned to club rugby to work on her game and ran out at centre for Hamilton Old Boys.
It provided her the opportunity to work on her skills and get time on the field under her belt, but also to get a bit of a feeling for playing in a different position and connect with her community.
Holmes earned a recall for the Black Ferns’ trial match against the Black Ferns XV and the second Laurie O’Reilly Cup match against Australia and ultimately did enough to secure a spot in Allan Bunting’s World Cup squad.
“The start [of the year] was pretty bumpy, but in all honesty, looking back at it now, if that hadn’t happened, I potentially wouldn’t have been where I am right now,” Holmes says.
“I went away and got to work on some key skillsets of mine, which is kicking, and I had a lot more time to put towards that. I think it’s actually really paying off now, coming into this tournament. It’s starting to actually be a point of difference for me in terms of being in this team and helping the team go forward.
“So, looking back at it now, obviously wasn’t the greatest start to the year, but man, I’m actually really grateful it happened. I got to go play club rugby, I got to connect with my community, and now I just feel free and flowing into this space.”
Holmes has been a key contributor for the Black Ferns at the World Cup, starting in two of their three tests and taking on the goalkicking responsibilities.
Since the World Cup began, she has slotted 14 of 18 attempts, being on target from all angles and earning plenty of plaudits in the process. With 33 points to her name, adding a try to her conversions, she was the second-leading points-scorer in the tournament through pool play, behind Sorensen-McGee (38), who has scored six tries and slotted four conversions against Japan when Holmes started on the bench.
In the Black Ferns’ 40-0 win over Ireland, Holmes converted five of six shots at goal – her one miss being the result of a charge-down. It was a confusing moment as it appeared Holmes hadn’t started her kicking motion before the two Irish players charged, however the fullback was using that as a learning experience.
“The ref made a call. She saw movement in her eyes and, at the end of the day, she’s the ref and you’ve got to go off that call. I’m actually really glad it happened and I’m really glad it happened in the pool stages, so I’ve got that learning for next time.
“I’ll go and build that relationship with refs now, and ask them before a game what does that process look like for them in terms of goalkicking. I think it’s actually benefiting me now, coming into these hopefully next few weeks, I’ll be well prepared, have an awesome relationship and know what the ref’s actually looking for.”
But she also made her mark in open play, with key involvements in what was far and away the side’s best performance of the tournament so far against Ireland.
That game saw the Black Ferns show their trademark flair with ball in hand, but also saw them demonstrate their willingness to engage in a territory battle and back up their kicking with strong defence.
The kicking game has been something Bunting has been trying to grow in the side since taking the reins, and bringing former England international and British & Irish Lion Riki Flutey on as attack and skills coach early in the year has had an impact there.
Holmes says Flutey has “made the biggest impact on my career this year”.
Speaking of Holmes’ re-emergence in the national team, Flutey says she had become a true triple threat with her kicking game, and her goalkicking success just showed the confidence she had in her game at the moment.
“Having her in the squad and having her ability to be able to kick off both feet, we don’t get that often even in the male game, and her ability to actually kick from 22 to 22, as you would have seen in the weekend’s game against Ireland and probably a number of games, she’s massively valuable.
“But firstly on Rens, she’s an outstanding human, mate, that cares deeply about the Black Ferns and also serving the team first.”
Now, with the knockout stages of the tournament approaching, the kicking game is likely to play a part in the Black Ferns’ successes.
As shown against Ireland, Holmes says that aspect of the game is a challenge the Black Ferns will welcome.
“When we do come up against teams like Ireland, they will have an awesome kicking game.
“We ain’t afraid to get in that battle and try to put the pressure back on them too. Moving forward, it’s honestly just in our back pocket and we’re ready to use it against teams that we need to use it against.”
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.