Rugby: World Champion Black Ferns all the better for Canada draw
Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting
Photo:
Photosport
Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting believes the side are building nicely for their Women's World Cup title defence despite being held to a
27-all draw by Canada
in a Pacific Four clash at the weekend.
The Black Ferns had been desperate for a win in Christchurch on Saturday to avenge their first ever loss to the Canadians in last year's Pacific Four and confirm that they were on the right track for the 22 August to 27 September World Cup.
Canada, who are ranked second in the world behind World Cup hosts England and ahead of New Zealand, created problems early on for the Black Ferns with their big ball-runners, and went ahead with a Shoshanah Seumanutafa try four minutes from time.
Centre Sylvia Brunt crashed over the line after multiple phases to level the scores after 83 minutes but flyhalf Ruahei Demant was unable to slot the conversion from the sidelines to give New Zealand the win.
Bunting was delighted with the way the team rescued the draw even if he thought they had enough chances to put the game to bed earlier in the match.
"Just that intent and effort from our ladies was outstanding, we've just got to be a bit better at execution," Bunting told reporters.
"Canada's a quality side and once they got going, they're pretty hard to stop. The speed of the ball was pretty hard, and we need to react a little bit quicker.
"We needed that test now and we'll get some pretty good learnings out of this. We'll definitely be better for it."
New Zealand winger Ayesha Leti-I'iga scored tries either side of halftime and Bunting said he would be bringing in some players recruited from the Sevens programme for the final Pacific Four test against the United States next week.
The ninth-ranked Americans lost 27-19 to Australia in Canberra on Saturday and will be without veteran centre Alev Kelter for the clash in Auckland.
Kelter faces a lengthy ban after being shown a red card for stamping on the head of Australia's Georgie Friedrichs while trying to break free of a tackle, an act described by referee Aimee Barrett-Theron as "thuggery".
-Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Auckland Grammar principal calls out Sport NZ over 'Year 14' athletes
1st XV rugby match between Nelson College and Marlborough Boys. Nelson College, Nelson. Photo: Chris Symes / Auckland Grammar principal Tim O'Connor has challenged Sport NZ to take a stand on extra-year students returning to schools on sporting grounds. The issue of 'Year 14' athletes has raised its head again, with Marlborough Boys' College admitting it has five such players in its First XV , which scored a historic - and controversial - win over Nelson College last month. That 28-26 result came after Marlborough were awarded a first-half penalty and instead of aiming for the posts, the goalkicker struck for the corner, where one of his teammates chased it down for a try that was eventually awarded. O'Connor told Checkpoint that bringing students back for an extra year for sporting purposes was a distortion of their roles as educators and openly wondered where the national sporting administrators were in this debate. "Really, our role as principals and our role as schools is to educate young people," he said. "Sport NZ talks about balance is better, but where are they in this discussion? "They haven't come out to say, 'why are we allowing this to occur?' "I'd love to see them being more proactive and having the courage to speak up on this. "Perhaps there are organisations that want to turn a blind eye to what is the pathway for young men and rugby in this country frankly. We need to get beyond that." RNZ has approached Sport NZ for reaction to O'Connor's comments. Auckland's 1A competition has put is members on notice that Year 14 players will not be permitted from next season. O'Connor admits two of the 12 teams currently have two such players each on their rosters. "We discussed that at the beginning of the year and felt the fair thing to do was give everyone 12 months' notice, and then we wouldn't be allowing that to occur again." Earlier this year, the issue led to a ban on extra-year rowers at the prestigious Maadi Cup regatta at Lake Karapiro. School Sport NZ is now considering a total ban on the Year 14 athletes . "There is no doubt there is a distinct advantage - muscle co-ordination and technical ability - in a sixth-year student," O'Connor said. "They're taking away positions from students who are coming through their natural schooling years. "For example, Rieko Ioane could have returned - we could have encouraged him to return, because he would have met all the other criteria, and he could have returned to play rugby for another year, which would have been a huge advantage to our school. "Our view was Rieko should actually carry on with his life and move to the next stage, and we'd fully support him in doing so." Now an 81-test All Black, Ioane debuted for Auckland and the NZ sevens team the year after leaving Auckland Grammar, and made his test debut aged 19. O'Connor insisted his school would not take the field against Marlborough with their Year 14 players. "I don't know why there would be a reason to play them," he told Checkpoint . "I'd rather play in a competition where we know there is a level playing field and we're treating each other with respect. "In the 1A competition, mid-season, we have about six teams who could still win it - that's a great competition, that keeps it alive across multiple schools." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Calls to allow netball players to represent two countries
Netball New Zealand has called for World Netball to amend its strict eligibility criteria, which prevents players representing two different countries at consecutive world cups. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- RNZ News
Auckland schools stamping out use of 'Year 14' rugby players
sport education 36 minutes ago A dozen Auckland High schools are voluntarily making changes to their competition rules to stamp out the use of so called Year 14 players. Year 14's are students that return for an extra sixth year of high school so they can carry on playing sport. They're considered to have an unfair advantage due and age, size and experience. The issue is in the spotlight after Marlborough Boys' College confirmed it's fielding a first XV team with five year fourteen players .in this season's Miles Toyota Premiership. Auckland Grammar is one of the schools making changes to their rules to avoid the issue. Principal Tim O'Connor spoke to Lisa Owen.
