Rugby: Talent search for next Black Ferns or Sevens star

RNZ News

22-06-2025

Lining up for the sprint test as part of the NZ Rugby's Next Ferns programme.
Photo:
RNZ/Bridget Tunnicliffe
Sprinters, rowers, and a high jumper were among 22 female athletes who assembled in Wellington on Sunday as part of a talent search for the next Black Ferns or Sevens star.
The shortlisted group underwent a final round of assessment including an agility test, a running vertical jump, and the dreaded bronco test.
They gathered at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport as part of the Next Ferns programme, which is designed to find new-to-rugby talent ahead of the 2029 Rugby World Cup and 2032 Olympics.
New Zealand Rugby women's high performance pathways manager Kendra Cocksedge said it was about identifying potential.
"You can't coach height, you can't coach athleticism and you can't coach speed necessarily, you can add to it, so that's why we wanted to do this to try and attract that to rugby," Cocksedge said.
Black Ferns director of rugby Alan Bunting and Black Ferns Sevens coach Corey Sweeney were keen observers.
Former Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge.
Photo:
RNZ / Bridget Tunnicliffe
Bunting was involved in the Go for Gold programme held in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. It unearthed stars like former netballer Portia Woodman, and Michaela Blyde, who played came from football and athletics.
He said athletes with the right attributes can pick up rugby quickly.
"All of them have played touch and they've all watched rugby so they've got a fair idea, they've seen it and they've had a rugby ball in their hands so it depends on how much they want to learn and want to be there is how quickly they'll get it and learn so I don't think there's any kind of ceiling on that, depends on the athlete and how much they want it," Bunting said.
He said it was more than just physical attributes they were looking for.
"There's obviously team work and growth mindset and being able to learn and ask good questions. These ladies are pretty good at the sports they're in at the moment so they're obviously doing pretty well but it's the team sports stuff. So someone from an athletics background for example they usually do things on their own so you've got a keep an eye out on how they connect and help others around them and help each other grow."
Eighty-seven athletes - aged 16 to 25 - were tested at four regional events before being whittled down to attend the national combine.
Kavanah Lene is a talented basketballer, having played for the Junior Tall Ferns.
Photo:
RNZ/Bridget Tunnicliffe
The 19-year-old said meeting the other athletes was like playing a game of 'guess the sport'.
"When we meet each other it's like - what's your name and what's your sport? It's cool to see the top talent from each region come into one and then us all compete in this testing process," Lene said.
Rugby is in the family. Lene's mother Stacey played for the Black Ferns from 2003 to 2005.
The Christchurch-based Lene played a little bit of rugby in Years 9 and 10 and then sevens at high school.
Feilding High School student Amber Mahoney is just 17 and football is her first love.
Her mother was also a Black Fern. Rebecca Mahoney played 19 tests from 2004-2011 before becoming an international referee.
"My parents always encouraged me to give everything a go and I played rugby when I was younger and kind of had to play with the boys and didn't really get passed the ball so I switched to football and I've loved that."
Mahoney has just started playing rugby for her school and is making the most of her kicking skills in full-back or first five eighth.
So what does her Mum think of her potential code switch?
"My Mum's like 'yeah go get it'... Mum always wanted to just have a black jersey she didn't care what sport it was in, she just fought for it and she's just kind of had that impact on me."
The athletes get ready for their next test as part of NZ Rugby's Next Ferns programme.
Photo:
RNZ/Bridget Tunnicliffe
Te Paea Puha only started playing rugby this year. The 22-year-old is into kick-boxing and jiu jitsu.
"I'm four games in, playing centre and first five. It's been really fun, I've really enjoyed picking up new skills but also being in a team environment has been really cool because kickboxing is quite an individual sport," Puha said.
Puha believed her martial arts skills could transfer well to rugby.
"Like with jiu jitsu of all the take downs and holding people in place, I think it's transitioned really well. At first I was a little bit nervous about what it was going to be like here but everyone has been really inviting and it's my first time in a high performance situation but I've really loved it."
Cocksedge said athletes will be put into tiers.
"We're looking at a three tier system, there'll be one which is kind of watch and monitor, which would be some of them filtering into club rugby, and then that second one might be provincial union academies or Farah Palmer Cup, and the third tier would be potentially into a national programme, which is that kind of development tier.
"Keeping in mind that this is for long-term like this is about 2029 World Cup and 2032 so they've got time to come into the system and grow."