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'I couldn't believe it': How Black Ferns great reacted to thrilling semi-final
Four-time Rugby World Cup winner Anna Richards expected Saturday’s semi-final between France and New Zealand to be close, but still “couldn’t believe” how the Test ended.
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The Black Ferns booked their spot in this weekend’s World Cup final against England after beating France 25-24 in a thrilling Test at Eden Park.
French flyhalf Caroline Drouin had the chance to silence the New Zealand crowd and send her side into the final with a late penalty attempt, but hooked her shot wide left.
Drouin was otherwise brilliant in the Test, scoring nine of France’s points, but the semi-final will somewhat be defined in history by that one moment.
The Black Ferns’ desperation in the dying stages saw them hang on, as backs frantically became forwards and flooded the breakdown, before the full-time whistle had sounded.
New Zealand rugby legend Anna Richards, who has been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, said she had mentally prepared herself for Drouin’s penalty attempt being successful.
“Both games were amazing. I thought the first game was wonderful. I was talking to a mate of mine who came up and watched it and he said both games were outstanding,” Richards said on SENZ’s The Rugby Run.
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“I honestly thought that their 10 would slot that goal no worries, I had mentally gone ‘oh well there you go.’ I couldn’t believe it when she missed.
“It was a real semi-final I think from both teams. They were a little bit under the pump. I wish they hadn’t quite taken so many quick taps,” she added.
“I thought they had the team and I thought they were playing the type of rugby to win that. But I think I said to you, I thought it was going to be really close.
Former New Zealand lock Ian Jones highlighted a player he believes is "ready for the next step up" after the All Blacks XV's dominant win. #AllBlacks #AllBlacksXV https://t.co/f4fgX329en
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 7, 2022
“France has a wonderful team, now with Romane Menager back and she just showed how good she is with two tries.
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“It was always going to be a tight one and I wouldn’t have been surprised if we had lost because France are so good, but I thought we could do it.”
The Black Ferns played France twice during their 2021 end-of-year tour, and lost both Test matches by emphatic margins.
After losing to England in Exeter and Northampton, New Zealand were beaten by France 38-13 in Pau, and then 29-7 in Castres.
But under the guidance of supercoach Wayne Smith, who won two men’s Rugby World Cups as an assistant coach with the All Blacks, the Black Ferns have turned their form around.
“I just feel good for the girls because it’s been such a tough 11 months, 12 months,” Richards added.
“They were under the pump overseas, massive scrutiny from media. They were getting dissed by everybody and look how much they’ve turned it around.
“The standard of play that they’re getting out there, I just feel great for them.”
In the other semi-final, World No. 1 England booked their place in the final after surviving a genuine scare against Canada.
England were up 12-nil early in the contest before Canada scored two tries to level the Test. The Red Roses never gave up their lead but certainly under some pressure after Vickii Cornborough was sent to the sin bin.
The Red Roses ended up winning 26-19 and extended their incredible winning streak to 30-Tests.
“The English pack is outstanding and they’re like a well-oiled machine, so we just need to get a bit of parity in that area.
“We’ve got to make the most of our possession. I think we’ve got to tidy up our kicking game a little bit.
“But England showed us that they’re not infallible. I thought the Canadians put them under a lot of pressure, and I thought the Canadians had their chances to win that to be honest.
“England could come out and be this amazing side on Saturday but finals footy there’s always gonna be a few nerves so it’ll just be who holds their metal and who produces on their day.”
Red Roses coach Simon Middleton said it was a “classic” semi-final against Canada, as he credited the “character” that England showed to win the thrilling Test.
Get your superlatives ready. England under the cosh in a semi-final.
One of the greatest World Cup tries.@abbydowberg ??#RWC2021pic.twitter.com/dKzJjm1gRJ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 7, 2022
“It was a classic one, a classic semi-final, who can hold their nerve and we just held ours at the end,” Middleton said after the semi-final.
“I just want to throw out a massive congratulations out to Canada, I thought they were absolutely world class today. They gave it everything.
“They’ve been doing it tough in the tournament and they’ve lost a few players, but they were outstanding today, and we had to give it everything to get home.
“We had a couple of moments where if we’d backed off and we hadn’t showed the character we had, Canada would’ve beaten us.
“That’s what this side’s about, it’s about being able to stay in the fight, show the character that we’ve developed and that’s what they did today, and they showed it in spade loads.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
7 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
7 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
7 Go to comments