Black Ferns World Cup squad named: few surprises but no room for Ruby
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting has named his squad for the upcoming World Cup, with a settled looking 32 players set to defend their title. Despite a call up for the Black Ferns' last test, Ruby Tui has missed out on a place in the highly competitive outside back group.
Unsurprisingly, all available Black Ferns Sevens players have been selected, with Jorja Miller's inclusion creating an intriguing situation in the loose forward mix. Co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu is seemingly assured of a starting spot, so how Miller fits in the remaining starting spots will be interesting.
35-year-old Kelly Brazier will play in her fourth World Cup after earning a late lifeline against the Wallaroos earlier this month, which was her first test since 2021. Brazier - who has played 44 tests across a 16-year career - could be playing her fifth World Cup but missed the 2022 tournament due to being in the Black Ferns Sevens side.
Lock Laura Bayfield makes the squad after debuting earlier this month, she joins Maiakawanakaulani Roos, and Alana and Chelsea Bremner.
Fellow Sevens stars Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Theresa Setefano (Fitzpatrick) and Stacey Waaka return for their third World Cup. Woodman-Wickliffe wasn't even supposed to be available after retiring last year and then signalling intentions to play in the NRLW, however the lure of the black jersey and another title has proven be too strong.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of New Zealand during the O'Reilly Cup - New Zealand Black Ferns v Australia.
Photo:
Masanori Udagawa/Photosport
Tukuafu is joined in the leadership by Ruahei Demant, with the Blues first five coming off back-to-back Super Rugby Aupiki titles.
This will be a challenging campaign for the Black Ferns, with England hot favourites going into their home World Cup. The tournament kicks off on 23 August when the hosts take on USA in the tournament opener, with the Black Ferns facing Spain, Japan and Ireland in their pool matches.
Loosehead props
: Kate Henwood, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Chryss Viliko
Hookers:
Atlanta Lolohea, Vici-Rose Green, Georgia Ponsonby
Tighthead props:
Tanya Kalounivale, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, Amy Rule
Locks:
Laura Bayfield, Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Maiakawanakaulani Roos
Loose forwards:
Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Jorja Miller, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Layla Sae, Kennedy Tukuafu (cc)
Halfbacks
: Iritana Hohaia, Maia Joseph, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane
First five-eighths:
Kelly Brazier, Ruahei Demant (cc)
Midfielders:
Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai'i Sylvia Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Theresa Setefano, Stacey Waaka
Outside backs:
Renee Holmes, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
Non-travelling reserve:
Krystal Murray
Black Ferns v Spain
Kick-off: 4:30am Sunday 24 August
York Community Stadium, York
Black Ferns v Japan
Kick-off: 1am Sunday 31 August
Sandy Park, Exeter
Black Ferns v Ireland
Kick-off: 1:45am Sunday 7 September
Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium, Brighton
Quarter-finals
: 14-15 September
Semi-finals:
20-21 September
Final:
28 September
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Kelly Brazier looked down at her phone and saw the name she did not want flashing up at her. It was Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting ringing to let his players know if they had made the Rugby World Cup squad. Brazier had been told if she got the call from a position-specific coach, she was heading to England — but if she heard from Bunting, it was not good news. "His name actually came up on my phone so initially I was like, 'oh no'. Then next minute it was 'congratulations'," Brazier told the Otago Daily Times . "Just excited, happy and ready to get into work with the rest of the girls. "It's still pretty surreal." Brazier is the veteran of the squad at 35 and will join an elite club running out for her fourth World Cup later this month. The first five, who was named at second five in the World Rugby women's team of the 2010-19 decade, has nearly done it all in her career. She is a dual World Cup winner with the Black Ferns in 2010 and 2017, and won Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals, and World Cups, as a long-serving member of the Black Ferns Sevens. But the last couple of years left the 43-test stalwart — who had not played for the Black Ferns since 2021 until last month — hungry for more. The sting of being left out of the World Cup-winning squad in 2022 remained and injuries sidelined her for the Paris Olympics sevens campaign. "It's definitely up there," she said, when asked where the 2025 World Cup selection ranked. "The disappointment of not making that World Cup squad in New Zealand — I was absolutely gutted. "The last year and a-half, I guess battling a few sort of Achilles problems ... to finally be selected again, and be injury free, and get that phone call, I was over the moon and kind of felt like the first one all over again." Brazier, who grew up in Dunedin, made her comeback in Super Rugby Aupiki with Chiefs Manawa this year, and even after 15 years as an elite athlete, it was a shock to the system. "Even with Manawa the first week I was like, 'oh my God, what am I doing?' It was so hard. "Everyone used to complain about sevens was hard, but man, going back to 15s ... I was sort of questioning myself." Brazier, who was the top scorer (48 points) at her debut World Cup in 2010, was room-mates with Portia Woodman-Wickliffe — named for her third World Cup — at the first Black Ferns camp this year. They spent many late nights wading through information and game-plan changes and soon realised they had a lot to learn compared with their early days. "We'd be up until 10, 11 o'clock at night testing each other or writing in our books," Brazier said. "There was definitely a lot to learn, and different from when we were last in here, but I guess it's the challenge we want and excited from it." That spoke to the growth of the women's game, which Brazier said had been massive during her tenure. It was not lost on her how "surreal" it was to be heading back to England, where she played her first World Cup game 15 years ago. Back then, the final was played at Twickenham Stoop with a capacity of 14,800, whereas the 2025 final will be played at Twickenham Stadium with a capacity of 82,000. "Women's rugby has made massive leaps and bounds. "I think it's only going to continue that way as well, which is exciting." When she started, the Black Ferns seldom had tests before a World Cup — "now you've got 10 in a year." Tests were crucial for building towards pinnacle events and growing the game. "What you don't know, you don't know until you're put in those situations. "To have these opportunities now, and not even just the rugby, the chance to travel the world, experience different food, different culture ... "Probably why I've stayed in the game for so long is ... the experiences you get from it as well." But there is no place like home. Brazier left Dunedin in 2013 but has fond memories of the city and returned home for Christmas with her family last year. "I love going back home. It's my roots. "Obviously born and bred and proud to be from down there, which I think a lot of people don't realise because I've been gone for so long. "I'm definitely a Dunedin girl through and through — something I'm really proud of."
