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Black Ferns name Super Rugby Aupiki MVP to debut against Canada
The Black Ferns started their 2023 Pacific Four series campaign with a dominant win over the Wallaroos, notching up 50 points without leaking a single point to their trans-Tasman rivals.
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The team can expect a sterner test from their round two opponents, facing a Canadian side that fell short of third place in last year’s World Cup after a nail-biting loss to the top-ranked England side in the semi-final.
Canada themselves racked up a 50-point effort in their first match of the Pacific Four Series, claiming a 50-17 win over their neighbours, the USA.
Anticipating a tight contest, Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting has rolled out a largely unchanged starting XV for the occasion with a refreshed front row the only difference from the Brisbane Test.
Phillipa Love and Amy Rule are promoted to the starting prop positions, both members of the World Cup final-winning XV from 2022. Joining them in the starting front row is the energetic Luka Connor, coming off a sensational Super Rugby Aupiki season where the hooker led the competition in tries.
Connor’s Chiefs Manawa front-row teammates Kate Henwood and Tanya Kalounivale, along with Hooker Georgia Ponsonby, provide impact off the bench after starting against the Wallaroos.
The bench provides a youthful impact with Super Rugby Aupiki MVP Lucy Jenkins set for her Black Ferns debut in the No 19 jersey. Coach Bunting was excited to get Jenkins’ Test career underway.
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“Lucy was a dominant player during Sky Super Rugby Aupiki,” the coach said. “She is a very driven individual and has a well-rounded skill set. After taking a bit of time off through sickness, she has come back in and continued to impress in our environment. Lucy has a bright future ahead of her and we are excited to see her play and enjoy this very special moment.”
The exhilarating starting backline that punished the Wallaroos is retained for the Ottawa Test, including young star Sylvia Brunt who scored two tries and won Player of the Match in the round one win.
“Canada is a well-organised team who were very unlucky not to knock England out of last year’s Rugby World Cup,” Bunting continued. “We will need to ensure we are a bit more patient and accurate in our game this weekend but continue to play with freedom.”
Black Ferns team to face Canada
1. Phillipa Love
2. Luka Connor
3. Amy Rule
4. Maiakawanakaulani Roos
5. Chelsea Bremner
6. Alana Bremner
7. Kennedy Simon
8. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u
9. Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu
10. Ruahei Demant
11. Katelyn Vahaakolo
12. Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt
13. Amy du Plessis
14. Mererangi Paul
15. Renee Holmes
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16. Georgia Ponsonby
17. Kate Henwood
18. Tanya Kalounivale
19. Lucy Jenkins*
20. Kendra Reynolds
21. Iritana Hohaia
22. Rosie Kelly
23. Kelsey Teneti
*Denotes Black Ferns debut.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
133 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
133 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
133 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
133 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
133 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
133 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
133 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
133 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
133 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
133 Go to commentsHo hum.
133 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
133 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
133 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
133 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
133 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
133 Go to comments