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Newsroom
35 minutes ago
- Newsroom
The gutsy girl driving Brazier's World Cup comeback
In her lowest moments – and there have been a few – Kelly Brazier rewinds 30 years, to her five-year-old self sprinting across frost-laced fields in Dunedin, a rugby ball tucked under one arm. That little girl is a powerful reminder of why, at 35, she's still wearing the black jersey on the world stage. Back then, she was sometimes the only girl in her age group playing rugby – often laughed at and picked on. 'I cut all my hair off so people couldn't tell I was a girl,' she says. That's how determined she was to stay in the game. Now, on the eve of her fourth Rugby World Cup, Brazier repeats a daily mantra: Remember why you started and enjoy every moment. It's guided her since the day she rejoined the Black Ferns fifteens this season – a remarkable comeback after being overlooked for the last World Cup in Auckland three years ago. 'In the past, I took things for granted. I was used to being picked in a team, used to travelling, used to winning,' says one of New Zealand's most decorated rugby players – woman or man. 'It wasn't until I suddenly stopped making the team that I felt like it was all taken away from me and I had to go back and rebuild. 'Since I've come back onto the field and back into fifteens – somewhere I didn't expect to be – I've felt less pressure, because I'm just enjoying it. 'Reminding myself of those two things – remember where you started; enjoying every moment – quickly brings a smile to my face. Then I reset, and I'm back into it.' Brazier has had multiple reasons to smile over the past 16 years: Two Rugby World Cup victories (2010 and 2017), two Sevens World Cup titles (2013 and 2018) and Olympic silver and gold medals in Rio and Tokyo. Her stunning 80m sprint in extra-time, to clinch gold for the Black Ferns Sevens at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, etched her name in New Zealand sporting history. Kelly Brazier after scoring the winning try in the 2018 Commonwealth Games sevens gold medal match. But there have also been stretches where Brazier has struggled. She walked with her head down, she says, for six months after missing selection for what she'd planned to be her final World Cup in 2022. 'That absolutely broke me,' she admits. Then, last year, her body let her down – an Achilles injury so severe she couldn't walk – costing her a trip to Paris and her third Olympics. In those moments, she seriously weighed whether she had a rugby future. Her closest supporters – her mum, Gwen, and her wife, Tahlia (with whom she has two sons) – stood firmly beside her through the toughest times. 'Tahlia was even more gutted than I was [in 2022] to be fair; she's still not happy about it to this day,' Brazier says. 'I knew they always supported me 100 percent. But both times, it was something I had to deal with myself, to come to terms with personally.' Now here she is, back in favour with Black Ferns selectors, and on her way to England – in a full-circle moment, having begun her international career with a test match there in 2009. Back to her roots – as the daughter of an English dad and an Irish mum who migrated to New Zealand not long before she was born. 'I'm pretty stoked because I wasn't expecting this at the start of the year,' says Brazier, still regarded as a rugby magician, with her precise tactical kicking and wicked sidestep. 'It's something that just popped up and happened, to be honest.' This may be her final World Cup, but the resilient and relentless Brazier isn't sure she'll hang up her boots after this Black Ferns' title defence. There's another milestone she's eager to reach. The unexpected comeback Injury almost cost Brazier her place at this World Cup, too. After the disappointment of missing the 2022 World Cup squad, she'd dived back into the world sevens circuit. But her sevens career didn't have the fairytale ending either – ongoing Achilles problems ruling her out of the 2024 Olympic campaign. (The key playmaker had quietly battled with a hamstring injury through the Tokyo Olympics three years before). Keen to play fifteens rugby again in 2025, Brazier signed with Chiefs Manawa for Super Rugby Aupiki. Then came a call from her old sevens coach Allan Bunting, now the Black Ferns director of coaching, sounding her out about a possible international comeback. 'I had no aspirations of going to another World Cup, but when I was offered a Black Ferns contract, I said yes. I was just enjoying my rugby again,' she says. RWC2025 team announcement (from left) Allan Bunting, Laura Bayfield, Kelly Brazier and Bremner sisters, Alana and Chelsea. Named as a travelling reserve for the Pacific Four series in May, Brazier was invited to the following Black Ferns camp – knowing it was her last chance to break into the squad and impress the coaching team for World Cup selection. 'Then a week before, I found I had grade two tears in both my calves,' she says. 'But they still wanted me to attend the camp, so I thought, 'Okay, that's a good thing'. I stood on the sideline all week watching and spending time in the gym rehabbing. 'We flew home and the next day I got the call to say I was in the Black Ferns to play the Black Ferns XV. I just didn't expect that at all. But that was the turning point for me.' Brazier knew she was then auditioning to be back-up first five to Ferns' co-captain Ruahei Demant. Standing in her way: 21-year-old Canterbury star Hannah King, last year's World 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year. The more senior player gave herself a 50:50 chance of scoring the role. When Brazier was given the nod ahead of King to play in the second Laurie O'Reilly test against Australia – her 43rd test, but her first since 2021 – she grabbed the 'lifeline' with both hands. 'Even after that I was like, who knows? All these things were going around in my head. But once I got that call from Bunts saying I was in, I couldn't believe it,' she says. But there were others who could. Cory Sweeney, the Black Ferns Sevens coach, backed Brazier – 'a super athlete, super teammate and super mum' – all the way. 'She's been a standout player across many years, but few appreciate how hard she works and how lonely it is coming back from injury,' he says. 'Her experience and leadership will be a huge asset for the Black Ferns in England.' Bunting says it's been a privilege to have worked with Brazier for many years, and to have been 'very close to a lot of what she's achieved.' 'For her to still have the same drive and determination is inspirational,' he says. 'Being named in her fourth World Cup is a testament to her hard work. She brings a special experience to our group, and we're looking forward to seeing what she can do in England.' Emily Scarratt, about to become the first English player to compete at five Rugby World Cups, would have been both thrilled and daunted seeing Brazier's name in the Black Ferns squad of 32. 'Kelly Brazier is the best player I've marked in both codes,' she said of her sevens and 15s rival, back in 2022. 'In New Zealand you grow up with a rugby ball in your hands, so Kiwis' catch-pass, all-round skills and innate understanding of the game is typically exceptional. Kelly is out of this world.' Witnessing the explosion of women's rugby Brazier has vivid memories of her first World Cup back in 2010, also in England. 'I was young, naïve and it was a dream come true for the girl from Dunedin,' she says. 'In my second year in the black jersey, I was playing at a World Cup alongside legends of the game. 'It was completely different to now. We had zero tests leading into the tournament and just four or five days in camp in New Zealand before flying over. We stayed with all the other teams and played at Surrey University on three random fields. No stands, no stadium, nothing but the goalposts.' The Black Ferns beat England, 13-10, in the final, played at The Stoop in London in front of 13,000 fans – then a world record crowd for the women's game. Playing at second five and serving as the main goalkicker, Brazier finished as the tournament's top scorer with 48 points, including a hat-trick of tries against Wales. 'Now going back to England 15 years later and the final will be played at Twickenham [capacity 82,000] is pretty crazy,' Brazier says. 'It just shows the growth of women's rugby – and it's only going to keep growing. These are exciting times for young girls in the game.' A young Kelly Brazier makes a break in the 2010 Rugby World Cup final against England at The Stoop. And young boys, too. Brazier's sons – Oakley (5) and Sullivan (2) – will travel to England for this World Cup, even if they don't yet grasp what their mum does for a day job, or the scale of the stage she's playing on. 'Oakley doesn't even know about the All Blacks. He just sees Mum, Aunty Portia [Woodman-Wickliffe] and Aunty Gossie [Sarah Hirini] running around on TV,' Brazier says. 'But as the boys grow older, there will be lessons I can teach them from this. They'll hear the stories of how many World Cups I went to, how old I was, or the things I overcame to get there.' Brazier has learned to be smarter with her body, as 16 years as a world-class athlete takes its toll. 'That's been my biggest work-on,' she says. 'I love training, and running, and smashing myself, going into those dark places. But I've learned the hard way, with my fair share of soft tissue, Achilles and loading injuries these last few years. So now every session I do doesn't have to be in the red.' Her game has changed, too. 'I was a few kilos heavier back when I started, so I could run it straight a bit more. I don't have too much on me these days,' she laughs. 'So now it's more vision decision and setting others up. And with that sevens background, if there's space in front of me, or one-on-one, I have the ability to step people.' As a back-up goalkicker in this World Cup squad, Brazier admits she's had to up her kicking practice in the past six months to find her rhythm again. 'Kicking isn't a massive skillset in sevens, so for years I haven't done all the repetitions. But as a youngster I was out on the field kicking every morning and every night, so I have some reps in the bank,' she says. 'It's kind of like driving a car – it's always there.' Her versatility over her career, playing every position in the Black Ferns' backline other than wing, likely contributed to her selection. 'Obviously 10 and 15 are my preferred positions, but if something were to happen, I'd be happy to step in wherever the team needs me,' she says. In 2023, Brazier made a step towards a future in coaching, heading to Japan to coach the Brave Louve sevens side. She still has aspirations to become the first woman to coach the Black Ferns Sevens. 'I definitely want to coach, but post-career. But I can't tell you if that will be in six months or two years,' she says. For now, she's happy helping out with Oakley's ripper rugby team, and an all-girls' team at the Arataki club in Mt Maunganui. She's not ready to draw a line under her playing career yet. If she plays in every Black Ferns game at this Rugby World Cup, including the playoffs, she will sit on 49 tests. 'And that would eat away at me if I just left it there,' she laughs. 'I still enjoy playing; I still love training. So why not see how my body goes?' The highlights of her career may surprise you. If you'd asked her four years ago, she would have rattled off the victories at pinnacle events. But now it's the simpler things, she says, that will stay with her. 'I get a greater sense of pride and joy in just playing the game, now I'm older and have missed out on a few things,' she says. 'Some of my highlights are a random weekday down at Blake Park, nothing special, just playing rugby with my mates. 'When I finish it will be those moments I miss, not necessarily standing on a podium with a medal around my neck. Don't get me wrong – I absolutely love winning and I'm still competitive. 'But the amount of time I get to spend with some pretty wicked human beings, and travelling the world with my best mates – not many people can say they have their dream job. But this is it.' The Black Ferns leave for England on Wednesday, and will play their first game at the World Cup against Spain on August 25 (4.30am NZ time), live on Sky Sport 1, and delayed on free-to-air Sky Open.
Scoop
10 hours ago
- Scoop
Netball: Silver Ferns Coach Dame Noeline Taurua Faces Selection Dilemma
The Silver Ferns coach has a dozen matches to test players ahead of two big years - how will that be reflected in her first squad selection of the year? Netball New Zealand's confirmation last week of a Northern Hemisphere tour in November would have come as a relief to Dame Noeline Taurua. The Silver Ferns will play two tests against Scotland and three much-needed internationals against England. Without the tour to the UK, the Silver Ferns would have finished the year with just seven tests, nowhere near the international exposure they need. The next two years are huge for netball, with the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and World Cup the following year. The Silver Ferns will be desperate to get better results, having finished third at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and fourth at the 2023 World Cup - their worst result at the pinnacle event. On Monday, Dame Noeline is set to name a squad of 16 to 18 players for the Taini Jamison series against South Africa in September. The 2025/26 Silver Ferns and Development squads will then be announced on the 11th October, before the four-Test Constellation Cup against Australia starting on the 17th October. Shooters The biggest issue facing the Silver Ferns right now is a lack of depth in the goal attack position and that is been brought to the fore with captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio taking a break from internationals. Dame Noeline will be crossing her fingers that Ekenasio's break is temporary and that the 79-Test veteran will be raring to go for next year's Commonwealth Games. With Grace Nweke likely to become eligible for the Silver Ferns under new criteria, the goal shoot position looks very solid. Amelia Walmsley, this year's top scorer in the ANZ Premiership, will be named but will not be available for the South Africa series as she is representing New Zealand at the Youth World Cup. Going forward, Nweke and Walmsley should be mainstays in the goal shoot bib, except Walmsley might be needed to step into the goal attack bib, given the lack of options. Former Silver Ferns Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Tiana Metuarau are not making themselves available. The 52-Test Silver Fern Maia Wilson, who only got 17 minutes during last year's Constellation Cup, had a lacklustre domestic season. In any other year Wilson would be at risk of being dropped but with shooting stocks thin, she may be seen as a safe pair of hands to have in the team. Now is the time to test some fringe players who show promise - Martina Salmon, Filda Vui, Georgia Heffernan, and Saviour Tui are in that mix. Tui's issue is that she really only covers the goal shoot position, and she has been inconsistent at times in the domestic league. In terms of out-and-out goal attacks, Filda Vui's fearless shooting from anywhere in the circle could be a real asset. Vui was named in the Silver Ferns for a series in early 2022 but did not take the court. Georgia Heffernan, who made her New Zealand debut in January last year, had a better season with the Steel this year so could get a recall. Martina Salmon is an attractive prospect because of her height, her long-range shooting, and the fact she can cover both shooting positions. Aliyah Dunn has not played for the Silver Ferns in seven years but could be a left-field selection. The high volume goal shoot was impressive in her return to the Southern Steel this year but the mandatory fitness tests have cost her a place in the Ferns in the past. Midcourt The midcourt is the hardest area to narrow down, with several players in the mix. The first two names Dame Noeline Taurua will want to write down are Maddy Gordon and Kate Heffernan. Gordon again showed how versatile she is, taking up the wing attack bib with aplomb in the last few rounds of the ANZ Premiership, when Whitney Souness was unavailable. Kimiora Poi made a great return to the Silver Ferns dress last year with her performances at wing attack in the Constellation Cup. She is just as good at centre and has an engine that never stops. Explosive wing attack Peta Toeava will make a long anticipated return to the black dress if she can pass the fitness tests. Toeava has been in and out but mostly out of the squad over a number of years. The biggest barrier to adding to her eight test caps has been her conditioning. After Toeava missed out on the Silver Ferns squad last year Dame Noeline told RNZ that the selectors would dearly love to pick the 31-year-old. "...We love her, we see what she is capable of and still believe if she can do what she needs to do around her physical capability and conditioning that she'll be a massive asset for us." Claire O'Brien, who grew up in Australia, made her Silver Ferns debut last year after impressing selectors with her 'netball IQ'. The wing attack took a while to warm into this year's domestic season but offers a point of difference and maturity in the midcourt. Wing attack-centre slides Whitney Souness and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan have not been able to cement starting positions in the Silver Ferns. Between Gordon, Poi, Toeava, and O'Brien, the wing attack position is well covered. And between Gordon, Poi, and Heffernan the centre bib is well taken care of. There just might not be room for the 44-test cap Souness and Reuelu-Buchanan, who has 13 caps. Heffernan was very effective at wing defence during last year's Constellation Cup and is likely to be Dame Noeline's first choice there. Wing defence Paris Lokotui looks ready to be promoted into the Silver Ferns after a fine season with the Tactix and a debut should be on the cards. Another young player who has impressed this year is Magic midcourter Georgie Edgecombe, who can slide between centre and wing defence. With 12 tests coming up it would be a good time to blood a player that shows so much promise. Defenders Experienced defenders Kelly Jackson and Karin Burger form the backbone of the defensive end. Parris Mason made her debut last year and the feisty young goal defence will thrive with more court time but her return might be gradual as she recovers from a neck injury. With veteran defenders Jane Watson and Phoenix Karaka not available, it is time to test new circle defenders. Catherine Hall and Carys Stythe made great strides in the ANZ Premiership this year, featuring in the top stats, and should get their first taste of Test netball in this international window. Michaela Sokolich-Beatson could be in the conversation following a very good season at the Mystics, where she reminded everyone that she is a genuine goal defence option. Kate Burley has made the past two Silver Ferns squads but a test debut still eludes her. That wait might continue, as she recovers from a foot injury that saw her miss most of the domestic season. Possible squad Shooters Grace Nweke* (pending dispensation) Amelia Walmsley Martina Salmon Georgia Heffernan Filda Vui Maia Wilson Midcourters Kate Heffernan Maddy Gordon Kimiora Poi Peta Toeava Claire O'Brien Paris Lokotui Georgie Edgecombe Defenders Kelly Jackson Karin Burger Parris Mason Catherine Hall Carys Stythe Potential new Development Squad members Sophia Lafaiali'i Holly Mather
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ Warriors lose grip on NRL top four with third straight defeat
Freddy Lussick reflects on the Warriors' loss to Canterbury Bulldogs. Photo: Analysis: After back-to-back losses to teams they should really have rolled over, NZ Warriors took on Canterbury Bulldogs needing to make a statement about their NRL championship aspirations. The Bulldogs had been among the competition frontrunners all season, but were vulnerable after slipping up against rebuilding Wests Tigers in the rain last week. There were also some doubts about their ability to perform in inclement conditions, so the rugby league gods seemed to smile on the Aucklanders, when they opened up the heavens shortly before kickoff. Ultimately, the only statement made by the Warriors was that they did not deserve to return to the top four on the ladder - a spot they lost on Friday, when four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers won their ninth in a row. "A lot of stuff was self-inflicted, though errors or lack of concentration," reflected coach Andrew Webster. "We had intent… but we just weren't thinking correctly and the 'Dogs suffocated us with great tactics. "They kicked early, got a lot of repeat sets and made us come out of the corner." While other results fell their way this weekend, the Warriors may be lucky to even stay among the playoff eight. Here's a post-mortem on the 32-14 loss to the Bulldogs , their third straight defeat. Sometimes the most important things to come from weekly media sessions are those that remain unsaid. This week, co-captain James Fisher-Harris tried to cool speculation that he would take the field against the Bulldogs , insisting his niggly calf injury was progressing, but he would come back when the time was right. The very fact he stood in front of TV cameras and voice recorders was virtual confirmation he would suit up, albeit in the unfamiliar No.23 jersey, and he was duly included 24 hours out from kickoff. The other unspoken truth came from utility Te Maire Martin, who had filled in at five-eighth last week against the Dolphins , but seemed destined to return to the interchange, with Chanel Harris-Tavita also due back from calf injury. Asked if he had any clarity about his role against the Bulldogs, Martin replied he didn't, because some players still had to pass fitness tests - which was true. On Saturday afternoon, his status became much clearer, as halfback Tanah Boyd, named for his fifth game in the jersey, turned out for the reserves instead, as they extended their unbeaten NSW Cup run to 16 games with a late comeback. An hour before kickoff, Webster confirmed Martin would replace Boyd in the halves. Since replacing Luke Metcalf , who tore up his knee six weeks ago, Boyd had performed adequately, without making anyone forget how great his predecessor had been , as he made his way to the top of the Dally M Medal voting. Boyd's kicking game was spot on against Wests Tigers in his Warriors debut, but he just wasn't the same open-field threat as Metcalf and Martin's full game in the halves last week may have convinced Webster the change was worth making, after consecutive defeats. Ironically, Boyd's boot may have been better suited to the terrible conditions in Sydney. Warriors scramble to defuse a kick behind their goal-line. Photo: AAP/Photosport Then, 23 minutes into the contest, Martin suffered a head knock in a tackle and was immediately ruled out with concussion. "Everything's tough when you lose your playmaker," Webster said. "We had a really good week at training. "He forced his way into the team with some good performances and his training all year." Specialist fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad - already filling in at centre - was moved to the halves, with second-rower Kurt Capewell - finally back in his rightful place - consigned back to the midfield. Their predicament was made worse, when both Capewell and fellow forward Leka Halasima, another capable of filling in at centre, also spent time on the sideline for concussion checks. Harris-Tavita, who had virtually conceded kicking duties to Boyd, was suddenly the only recognised kicker in the line-up. "When we lost Te Maire, Chanel was a one-man band as a playmaker and it was pretty easy to see where the ball was going," Webster said. Tellingly, perhaps the best Warriors kick of the night came from lock Erin Clark - a half in his junior days - whose spiral punt in the final seconds showing some potential. Not only did Webster's bold move backfire badly, he now has to offer the No.7 jersey back to Boyd, with Martin ruled out next week against St George-Illawarra Dragons. Unfortunately, halfback wasn't the only position Webster tinkered with before kickoff. With veteran Wayde Egan rested another week to rehab a shoulder niggle, understudy Sam Healey was named in the starting line-up, after two bright performances in his previous two opportunities. In the hours before kickoff, he was also relegated to the interchange, with Freddy Lussick - who has backed up Healey in reserve grade, often forced to play at prop for game-time - promoted in his place. Whether the change was linked to the Martin-Boyd move or the conditions, Healey's ball-running presence was sorely missed. Within a few minutes of checking into the game, he manufactured the Warriors' first and only real try, when he grubbered to the ingoal, chased and won the race to touch down, giving his team a sniff at 24-8 with 25 minutes to play. The score was locked at 2-2, when Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton snapped an audacious clearance kick from his own 20 to inside the Warriors 20. On the subsequent possession, the Warriors barely sent Burton's dangerous grubber-kick dead, but conceded a penalty, when Tuaupiki's dropout went into touch on the full. Skipper Stephen Crichton put his team ahead for the first time from the tee. Although they were only two points up, that passage of play showed the Bulldogs had the gameplan and the personnel for the conditions. Burton is known for his booming boot, especially his towering spiral bombs, and he tormented the Warriors with a kicking game they simply could not hope to emulate without Boyd or Martin. Hard to sift through the debris to find a Warriors player that acquitted themselves with merit. Sam Healey scores a try for the Warriors. Photo: Even winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who had previously been in redhot form, blotted his performance, when he spilled a high kick in his redzone and Crichton score a try from the subsequent possession. Tuivasa-Sheck scored a late consolation try himself and still led his team with 155 running metres, but less than half his haul against the Dolphins. Second-rower Demitric Vaimauga made 36 tackles and revelled in the extra workload, while Lussick managed 35, but there were plenty of tackles to make and plenty were missed. Front-rower Jackson Ford has been a tower of strength all season, but missed eight tackles by himself. The Bulldogs made 46 tacklebreaks to 13, but perhaps the most telling stat of the game saw both teams completing 91 percent of their sets in the first half, despite the pouring rain. Bulldogs were 22/24, Warriors were just 11/12. After spending 14 weeks in the top four, with playoff home advantage on offer, they finally lost that benefit on Friday, when four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers won their ninth in a row. Victory over the Bulldogs would have propelled the Warriors back to fourth, but now they risk being left in the dust by those above them. "We wish we were winning at the moment, but there's a lot to build off and a lot of spirit in that group," Webster said. "We'll keep fighting." Behind them, some of those in pursuit also suffered defeats that should help them stay in the playoff hunt. Brisbane Broncos (sixth), Cronulla Sharks (seventh), the Dolphins (eighth) and Manly Sea Eagles (10th) all went down, with only ninth-placed Sydney Roosters making ground on the Warriors. Still six points behind, Sydney's 50-point win over the Dolphins certainly boosted their points differential in the event of a countback. St George-Illawarra Dragons have been in the doldrums all season and seemed well out of contention for the post-season, but in successive weeks, they have accounted for top-of-the-table Canberra Raiders and Cronulla. They seem on an opposite trajectory to the Warriors, who needed a late Metcalf field goal and some desperate defence to hold the Dragons at bay 15-14 at Wollongong in May. "We've got to get back to playing our best football and the rest will take care of itself," Webster offered. "We're confident we can get it together." They face off at Go Media Stadium on Friday. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
