'Brought New Zealand together': How the Black Ferns have inspired a nation
Six-time Super Rugby champion Bryn Hall believes the Black Ferns have “brought New Zealand together” during their inspirational run at the World Cup.
The Black Ferns’ World Cup opener at Eden Park against rivals Australia was a momentous occasion not just for the team or even women’s rugby, but for the country as well.
Rugby fans packed the stands at Auckland’s famous stadium in their thousands, and cheered on the home team as they got their title defence off to a winning start.
Black Ferns stars including Ruby Tui, Kendra Cocksedge and Sarah Hirini continued to embody their roles as inspirational pioneers for the next generation, who were watching on from the stands or at home on their TVs.
While the women in black got off to a disastrous start against the Wallaroos, going behind 17-nil inside half an hour, the passion from the crowd and the significance of the occasion spurred the team on to a famous victory.
Just 12-months ago this team was well up against it – having lost four Test matches against England and France by emphatic margins on their end-of-season tour.
But under the tutelage of rugby guru Wayne Smith, this team has turned their fortunes around and rightfully deserves their spot in the final two.
As Crusaders champion halfback Hall discussed on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, New Zealand rugby fans have “been through their journey with them” over the last year.
“It’s the mannerisms that they’re showing, whether it be the National Anthem and smiling and looking around at the occasion,” Hall said.
“You look at the opening ceremony, pretty much a fully packed-out Eden Park.
“This is what they’ve wanted. Women’s rugby has needed this and they’re constantly been saying that they want to be given opportunities to play in meaningful Test matches.
“I think that’s one thing that’s really brought New Zealand together is around the way that they’re playing, the attacking brand of rugby that they’re playing at the moment is really exciting.
“I look 12 months ago and the brand of rugby that they were playing, it wasn’t that great to be able to watch… we feel like we’ve been through their journey with them, not just at the World Cup.
“I think you just see that as well with the enjoyment and the message that they’re giving throughout the media.
"A generation of future Black Ferns are being inspired as we speak, in numbers that would’ve been unimaginable only two or three years ago."
?? Hamish Bidwell #WomensRugby https://t.co/b1zKd8O6W6— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 9, 2022
“How can you not want to be supporting them and getting right behind them as a New Zealand supporter.
“I’m all in and I really hope that the Eden Park shows out there and it’s a full packed stadium, and I actually think it will with the brand of rugby they’re playing at the moment.”
It’s undeniable that this is the biggest and best women’s Rugby World Cup yet, and the prospect of more countries becoming professional in the future is extremely exciting for the sport.
Focusing on the Black Ferns, players such as Ruby Tui, Portia Woodman and Stacey Fluhler have inspired the nation with their aggression on the field, but appreciation for the occasion as well.
If it’s smiling during the anthems or signing autographs with fans, these players are paving the way for unparalleled growth.
As former All Blacks hooker James Parsons said, we need to make sure “we never lose sight of these images” as women’s rugby continues to potentially usher in more professionalism.
“We’ve got to make sure that as the women’s game gets more and more professional, that we bottle what we’re seeing and what it represents,” Parsons said.
“Over time, especially off the back of this World Cup, the women’s game is just going to skyrocket in terms of opportunities to be playing more and going towards more of a full-time program.
“It’s making sure that we never lose sight of these images and these feelings that these players are getting to feel as probably been the pioneers off the back of a lot of players’ work previous to them.
“You look at a lot of the ex-Black Ferns in the crowd, you can see the pure joy in their face and gratitude for where the women’s games got to, and that’s only going to grow.
“I think there’s an opportunity for the male game to look at the female game and remember what it’s all about; it is that love and joy for playing this game, and learning form that.”
After surviving a scare against the Wallaroos, which Ruby Tui said she wasn’t too concerned about at the time, the Black Ferns went on to score 209 points during their first four Tests.
But their biggest challenge so far was waiting for them in the semi-final.
During their Northern Tour to England and France last year, the Black Ferns were well beaten by their semi-final opponents on both occasions.
"If the Roses' engine takes too long to fire up, it could be like watching a car crash in slow motion."
– @bensmithrugby on the World Cup final between New Zealand and England. #RWC2021 #NZLvENG https://t.co/dFhvd1atlh— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 9, 2022
Last November, the Black Ferns lost to France 38-13 in Pau, before losing again a week later 29-7 in Castres.
With history not in their favour, last week’s semi-final against France was a landmark occasion for women’s rugby in Aotearoa.
Reminiscent of the All Blacks’ World Cup triumph over Les Bleus at the same stadium 11 years earlier, New Zealand rugby fans held their breath as their team fought hard for a one-point victory.
“The growth that we’ve seen in them the last 12 months from when they had that end-of-year tour, they’ve come through with new coaching regime, they’ve gone through that little period of time getting Test matches before the World Cup,” Hall also mentioned.
“Now you can see New Zealand’s really right behind them, and I think we all want that climax of having that opportunity to play the English.
“If we’re looking at that Canadian match as well, they’re very, very lucky to get away with that result.
“I think that the Test they had against the French and getting through that, I think it’s going to set them up very nicely for this English team.
“To be honest, if we get it right and having that pressure in the moments that we had to get through… I think it sets us up very, very well for a final at Eden Park in front of a full packed stadium.”
History beckons for the Black Ferns, with rugby immortality potentially just 80-minutes away – but it doesn’t get any tougher than the Red Roses.
England are the world’s best team and rightfully deserve that moniker, having marched into the final on the back of a 30-Test winning streak.
But the Black Ferns have shown that the form book can be irrelevant in these big Test matches, as a stadium of five million prepares to get behind their team once again.
Comments on RugbyPass
Gee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
72 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
19 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
4 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
19 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
19 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
19 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
2 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
19 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
19 Go to comments