Black Ferns Beat USA 79-14 To Reclaim Pacific Four Title
The Black Ferns have reclaimed the Pacific Four Championship in emphatic style.
Needing to defeat the USA by 25 or more points to win the title, the Ferns were rampant in Albany, a combined eleven tries between Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Katelyn Vaha'akolo coming in the 79-14 romp.
Woodman-Wickliffe's seven tries also saw her become the greatest try scorer in Black Ferns history, with 45.
An ill-disciplined start from the Ferns gave USA a kickable penalty but they opted to plug the corner, a surging rolling maul appearing destined for the try line only for New Zealand to somehow hold it up over the chalk.
The pressure wasn't over though, as USA got right back into the Fern's territory from the goal line drop out. Several phases later, flanker Freda Tafuna crashed over for the opening points of the match
New Zealand responded with an assault of their own, with the States found wanting on the right edge as Katelyn Vaha'akolo waltzed over untouched to square the score.
After taking a knock early to her hip, USA's Cheta Emba was forced from the field after just 13 minutes.
The Albany crowd then well and truly came to life as sevens star and Black Ferns debutante Jorja Miller split open the USA defence, linking with Vaha'akolo who scored her second in the opposite corner.
Next it was her wing partner Woodman-Wickliffe, who had plenty of work to do as she was one on one with her opposite with no room to manoeuvre. However, she managed to slam the ball down just prior to being pushed into touch.
Woodman-Wickliffe and the Ferns went back to back in style, as Braxton Sorensen McGee exploded through a gap, and several slick offloads later, Woodman bagged her brace, with New Zealand now ahead 24-7.
The States replied immediately though, Hope Rogers closing the gap to ten, but a mistake from the kick-off invited the Ferns straight back on attack.
Right on the brink of the break, Vaha'akolo completed her hat-trick, dragging the final defender across the line with her as the Ferns took a 29-14 lead.
A penalty to New Zealand looked as though that would be it for the half, but the Ferns had other ideas, taking a quick tap on halfway and firing it wide to Woodman-Wickliffe, who streaked down the right flank, gassing one opponent and palming off another for a spectacular try, both wingers now having scored three tries apiece.
It took less than five minutes of the second half for Woodman-Wickliffe to score her fourth, again courtesy of a blockbusting break by Miller.
Though it wasn't her greatest outing with the boot, Ruahei Demant managed to finish off another screamer from the Ferns, some super interplay by the New Zealand backs surging out of their own half.
Having butchered a sure fire opportunity with a poor pass, the Ferns made amends by winning a scrum penalty and quickly firing it wide to Woodman-Wickliffe.
She took the pass on the bounce, ran around one, and then powered through Ilona Maher for her fifth try.
The wingers' scoring extravaganza continued, Vaha'akolo crossing for her fourth, as the Kiwis hit the sixties.
Woodman-Wickliffe then broke the record for Black Ferns total tries with her 45th, and her sixth of the afternoon, once again proving too strong for the USA's defence, as things began to blow out badly for the visitors.
Woodman-Wickliffe looked set for a seventh, but Stacey Waaka took it over the chalk with space opening up all over the park.
The final nail came in the form of a seventh try for New Zealand's greatest ever female rugby player, in a remarkable, record breaking performance.
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