Black Ferns XV face Springboks in South Africa tour ahead of World Cup
This week, the Black Ferns XV have named their squad to head to South Africa. It's a development side, scheduled to play two matches before the Springboks Women head to the World Cup.
Tied up in this tour are a couple of clues about the upcoming Black Ferns'
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Uefa Women's Euro 2025 final: England beat Spain on penalty shootout to defend Euro title
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RNZ News
2 days ago
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World Cup-bound Black Fern Kelly Brazier thought she was getting the 'bad' phone call
2017 Women's Rugby World Cup Final between England and New Zealand. Kelly Brazier fends off a tackle. Photo: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane When Kelly Brazier received a phone call from Allan Bunting, she thought he was delivering the same bad news he delivered to her four years ago. Instead, the Black Ferns coach told her she'd made the 32-strong squad that would be going the Women's Rugby World Cup in England next month. Brazier will be appearing at her fourth edition after playing in 2010, 2014 and 2017. She has earned a place as the back-up first five-eighths alongside co-captain Ruahei Demant. Bunting was part of the coaching group during the Black Ferns last World Cup campaign, when Sir Wayne Smith was head coach. "We were in camp and flew home on Sunday night and we had been told our position-specific coach would ring us, so for me that's Tony Christie and that Bunts [Bunting] would be making all the calls to the players that hadn't made it," Brazier said. "I was unpacking my bag and the next thing I see my phone going off and I see Bunt's name pop up and I was immediately 'oh man, not this again' because he had made the call four years prior. "I picked up the phone, I was like 'Hey Bunts', and then he was just straight away 'congratulations'. "I couldn't believe it to be honest, probably because I wasn't expecting the call from him but he's someone who I have spent a lot of time with over the years so it was special to get the call from him." The pair know each other well. Bunting was head coach of the Black Ferns sevens for five years until stepping away at the end of 2021. Bunting took over as Black Ferns director of rugby in 2023. Brazier has had a long successful career in both codes. The 35-year-old debuted for the Black Ferns in 2009, and became a full-time professional sevens player in 2014. The Black Ferns Rugby World Cup Team Announcement. Photo: Marty Melville She has won two World Cup titles in the fifteens game and two Olympic medals in sevens, a silver in Rio 2016 and gold at the 2020 Tokyo games. She was aiming for a third Olympics but an achilles injury early last year put a dent in her build-up and she missed out on Paris 2024. Brazier missed out on the 2021 World Cup triumph, hosted in New Zealand and her prospects of making this year's world cup didn't look great. Can Brazier, who has played 44 tests across a 16-year career, believe she's going to another world cup? "No, to be honest, it was a massive honour to go to one, let alone thinking I was going to my fourth. "Four years ago, when I missed out on the world cup in New Zealand, I definitely had doubts if I would come back and four years is a long time when you're my age so to be here now is special and something I'm very proud of." Brazier signed to play for Chiefs Manawa in Super Rugby Aupiki 2025. She earned a late lifeline against the Wallaroos earlier this month, which was her first test since 2021. She did enough to convince the selectors they needed her in the squad for her fourth World Cup bid. Kelly Brazier playing sevens for New Zealand. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix How did she control her nerves knowing so much was on the line in that game? "Pretty nervous I guess and this time of the year, the competition was hotly contested in my position. Knowing not just playing my first test in a while, but I had to perform to be in a position to make this team," she said. "There were nerves but I've sort of been around, played in some pinnacles, played a few Test matches so just tried to go back to my strategies and just treat it like any other game." In a career littered with highlights, Brazier said being named for the world cup was "up there". "… If not the most special and probably off the back of my past four years, after missing an Olympics that I really wanted to be a part of and then missing a home World Cup in New Zealand, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity," she said. "I guess to bounce back from that and be named to go to England where it's going to be the biggest world cup for women yet is very special and proud to be here." Brazier said everything about being a part of the team still excited her. "It never gets old and probably the last couple of years when I've been injured and missed selection, there's probably things in the past I've taken for granted," she said. "But that time away from the game, coming back in, I've enjoyed those little things, those small moments, whether it's just having dinner with girls from around the country, people I haven't met before so just making sure I enjoy every moment." The lead up to this world cup, compared to her first world cup in 2010 could not be more different. "Throughout the camp some of girls asked me what it was like. My first world cup we had no tests leading in, it was maybe a seven day camp and off on the plane," she said. "The lead in we've got, the support staff we have now, the coaches, the facilities are unreal and I think it just shows the growth of women's rugby." The Black Ferns are the defending champions after beating England 24-21 in front of a sold out Eden Park in 2022. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
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How Black Ferns comebacks and versatility shaped the World Cup squad
Another to overcome injury is Kaipo Olsen-Baker. The fierce loosie was set to be a breakout star at the 2022 tournament, having debuted in that year's Pacific Four Series. However, tragedy struck when she broke her leg just two months out from the World Cup kick-off. Olsen-Baker has fought her way back into form, battling with stalwart Liana Mikaele-Tu'u for the starting 8 jersey. It'll be her pleasure and ours when she makes her World Cup debut. Redemption is also the name of the game for veteran Kelly Brazier. Selection into this squad must have felt a long way off after a disappointing omission from the Black Ferns Sevens Olympic team. However, Brazier was determined to hang up her boots on her own terms. The workhorse got back on the field where she started, playing her way up from the Farah Palmer Cup. From there Brazier secured a spot in the Chiefs Manawa and showed just enough to ensure selectors didn't write her off this time. A defining feature of Allan Bunting's time with the Black Ferns is the willingness to reward form. He has named 23 debutantes in this cycle and a good chunk of those players have made it through. Players like Kate Henwood, Chryss Viliko, Layla Sae and Katelyn Vahaakolo have become regular features of the last two seasons, while Atlanta Lolohea and Maia Joseph have more recently made key positions their own. Four players have rocketed up the ranks this season. Vici-Rose Green, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, Laura Bayfield and Braxton Sorensen-McGee all burst into our living rooms this year. Bayfield is the true bolter, with a debut in the last possible test ahead of the tournament. This may feel like a lot of new blood but Smith himself debuted 12 players in the last World Cup year, ultimately selecting six of them. The team, then, is a mix of experience, of transferred sevens stars and of emerging talent. Selection has walked the tightrope between specialist and versatility. Around 40% of this squad have a second position they can play in to a high standard. We are offered a lot of flexibility at lock and back row. We have first fives who can cover second five and fullback where needed. Half of those outside backs named can cover first five, centre, wing or fullback. A lack of versatility likely counted against certain players when it came to making the final call. We only had room for two specialist wingers, and Ayesha Leti-I'iga and Katelyn Vaahakolo had been the preferred starters since 2022. When Portia Woodman-Wickliffe came out of retirement, this heavily narrowed Ruby Tui's chances. She still gave her all but this time, came up short. That's the painful part of selections, but there's no doubt Tui will be cheering this team on. So we should follow her lead, just as we did after the World Cup's final whistle and tūtira mai ngā iwi, tātou tātou e! Black Ferns Rugby World Cup squad Props: Chryss Viliko, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Kate Henwood, Tanya Kalounivale, Amy Rule, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu. Hookers: Georgia Ponsonby, Atlanta Lolohea, Vici-Rose Green. Locks: Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Laura Bayfield. Loose forwards: Kennedy Tukuafu, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Jorja Miller, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Layla Sae. Halfbacks: Risileaana Pouri-Lane, Maia Joseph, Iritana Hohaia. First-fives: Ruahei Demant, Kelly Brazier. Midfield: Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai'i Sylvia Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Stacey Waaka, Theresa Setefano. Outside backs: Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Renee Holmes. Non-travelling reserve: Krystal Murray. Alice Soper is a sports columnist for the Herald on Sunday. A former provincial rugby player and current club coach, she has a particular interest in telling stories of the emerging world of women's sports.
