‘I’m gonna die’: Black Fern on why she couldn’t ‘let go’ during World Cup final

With time up on the game clock during last year’s Rugby World Cup final at Eden Park, the Black Ferns braced themselves for once last roll of the dice from the Red Roses.

England entered the World Cup decider on the back of a 30-Test unbeaten run, and were heavily favoured to hoist the trophy on that now-famous Saturday evening last November.

The Red Roses raced out to an early lead, but a red card to wing Lydia Thompson changed the course of history. New Zealand were valiant in the face of adversity, and ended up taking control.

But England’s rampaging rolling maul more than made up for their one-player disadvantage, with hooker Amy Cokayne crossing for a hat-trick of tries. The Black Ferns had no answers.

England only trailed by three points by the time the full-time siren sounded, but they were widely tipped to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. They set up for one last lineout, five metres out from New Zealand’s try line.

The crowd let out a cheer as time expired on the clock, but England and New Zealand had a job to do. History beckoned as replacement Lark Davies prepared to throw the ball into the lineout.

But World Cup hero Joanah Ngan-Woo did just enough to tip the ball back against the throw, and it fell to prop Krystal Murray. The Black Fern was holding the World Cup, and just needed to hang on.

“I could hear (Sarah Hirini) Gossy saying, ‘Don’t let go Muzz, don’t let go.’ But I couldn’t breathe,” Murray said on NZR+ docuseries Black Ferns: A Redemption. “I wasn’t going to let go.

“I was thinking, ‘Okay, I think this is the way I’m going to go.’ In a World Cup final, I’m gonna die like this.”

Scottish referee Hollie Davidson ended up pulling the play up for an England knock-on, and for a moment, New Zealand stood still.

Referee Davidson brought an end to the enthralling decider with three blows of the whistle, and the Black Ferns burst out into a frenzy. It was party time in Aotearoa.

“Our captains Ruahei (Demant) and Kennedy (Simon) were absolutely phenomenal leaders,” fullback Renee Holmes said. “The way they were able to bring the girls together was incredible.

“I’ve never been a part of a team that was so selfless and put each other first and put the team first and put our goal first.”