'I still have people coming up to me': Black Fern Renee Holmes on her World Cup final
Dashing, clinical, and reflective, Renee Holmes is a completely different beast than she was in October last year.
The Black Ferns fullback is now a World Champion and in March scored a record 23 points for Matatu in the Super Rugby Aupiki final against Chiefs Manawa ending the Northerners unbeaten run in the competition.
Few gave Matatu a chance of toppling the defending Aupiki champions in Hamilton, a hypothesis enhanced when the visitors slipped to a 19-0 deficit in as many minutes.
“Within the group, we’d been building belief all season and adamant we were the team that was going to beat Manawa,” Holmes told RugbyPass.
“We only lost to them by eight in the round-robin, scoring the last three tries. Going behind 19-0 obviously wasn’t the ideal start but we hadn’t touched the ball.
“The first time we got the ball we scored a try and reset. Here we go. When we scored again that was crucial. We talked about building scoreboard pressure. Kicking wise, I was going to take anything 40 metres out.”
This attitude was a stark contrast to the round-robin.
Matatu was beaten 24-25 by Hurricanes Poua in Christchurch with Holmes criticised for not taking a handy penalty close to full-time which would have won the hosts the game.
“I felt I wasn’t the right person to take it. Physically, I was exhausted. I’d scored two tries and made 19 carries in that game so I felt my legs wouldn’t have the energy to get the distance,” Holmes admitted.
“I went to our two backup kickers and they weren’t comfortable either, so we went for a lineout. Imagine if we had scored.
“When we didn’t it sucked, and it took me a couple of days to get over it. I felt I’d let the team down. I won’t make that mistake twice.”
Back to the Aupiki final and Holmes nailed three penalties as Matatu stayed ahead of Manawa 33-31, a lead that could have been lost on the last play of the season.
A penalty was conceded by Matatu gifting Tenika Willison a penalty shot 15 meters out to win the title.
“I thought she’d get it. No way she’d miss. We’d run the show for 60 minutes so when the penalty happened, I felt sick. I felt like throwing up on the field.
“I couldn’t believe it when Tenika missed. I went to the left side, furthest from where Tenika placed it. When I saw it coming towards me the relief was enormous.
“My advice for Tenika is that we need to miss the winning kick to get the winning kick. Kickers are a rare breed.
“We’re courageous but we need those bad moments to build diamonds.”
Holmes was far from a diamond in the Black Ferns opening match of the World Cup against Australia at Eden Park on October 8 last year.
The starting fullback was twice skinned by Wallaroos winger Bienne Terita as the hosts slumped to a shock 0-17 disadvantage. Eventually, the Black Ferns won the match, but Holmes admits she had a rough night.
“Never in my whole life had I missed three tackles in a game, let alone three tackles in 20 minutes.
“I think the actual reality of starting a World Cup match got to me. I’ve never been one to really feel pressure, it’s the way I was brought up, but I let the occasion get to me when I needed to have more fun and express myself.
“Smithy (coach Wayne Smith) named the teams for the pool games before the tournament. I didn’t play against Wales which might have looked like I was dropped, but I wasn’t.
“Smithy was honest in his feedback after Australia and so I trained hard before Scotland which went really well.”
Holmes scored 22 points, including two tries, in the 57-0 drubbing of Scotland. By the semi-final against France, she’d caught fire. A try she set up for Ruby Tui early in the second half of a 25-24 victory was one of the defining moments of the tournament.
“I established a cool connection with Ruby and that try was textbook training. It was about having the courage to pull the trigger and being in sync with each other. I saw the fullback in the line, I’d been reading cues, I put the kick in, and Ruby is so fast. That try was huge.”
An even bigger try was the Sky Sport Fan’s Try of the Year scored by Stacey Fluhler in the World Cup final against England. Down at half-time, the length of the field effort was the first strike of the second half in the Black Ferns 34-31 triumph.
Holmes delivered the last pass to Fluhler, a moment Wayne Smith identified as his favourite moment of the decider.
Earlier Holmes thought she’d scored a length of the field try of her own.
“That intercept was the coolest, craziest no-try ever. Looking back, I still get goosebumps. The whole stadium saw it. I still have people coming up to me saying it should have been a try.
“I stretched every limb in my body to get it. When I turned around, celebrating all our players were in our in-goal area. I felt like an idiot.
“That intercept was about showing courage though. If I didn’t go for it, Ellie Kildunne would have scored for England.”
Holmes admits winning the World Cup has “changed her life.” She is more easily recognised and the expectation to perform to an even greater level is higher.
She is presently playing club rugby for High School Old Boys in Christchurch and will relink with Waikato for the Farah Palmer Cup which starts in July.
On June 29 the Black Ferns play their first Test since the World Cup final against Australia in Brisbane.
New coach Alan Bunting recently named former All Black Mike Delany and the relatively unknown Tony Christie as his assistants. Holmes had worked closely with Christie at Matatu.
“I was so happy for TC. I clicked with him right away. He has a huge passion for the game and if didn’t have an answer to a question he’d go away and find it. He does his homework and has a heart of gold.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
27 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to comments