Ponsonby and Borland 'strongest we've ever been' ahead of PWR opening weekend

If the best things come in threes, then the PWR can look forward to a triple injection of Kiwi power and flair this season.

Alana Borland and Georgia Ponsonby have signed for Trailfinders Women, and by the hand of the fixture computer, won’t have long to wait before they encounter the third Kiwi in town. Prop Amy Rule has joined Exeter Chiefs, who just happen to be Trailfinders’ opponents on the opening weekend.

It was a move that made sense for Borland and Ponsonby, who both played all six matches for New Zealand at Rugby World Cup 2025 and left with a bronze medal. It meant that once they had recharged their batteries on a variety of European beaches, they could maintain their momentum in England, rather than face an off-season in New Zealand.

“We’d worked so hard to be the fittest, fastest, strongest we’ve ever been, to go into the World Cup,” said Ponsonby. “Then we play six games and it’s all over.

“The girls have gone into off-season back home and don’t have a test match till April. We had two weeks off, and then we’re back into training for a game this weekend. I just want to keep the momentum going as we’re the best that we’ve probably been in our careers. I’m just excited to play lots of rugby.”

Second-row Borland was the first to speak to the west London outfit about a potential move. After she heard from head coach Barney Maddison, who used to feature in the engine room for Ealing Trailfinders, she and her husband John took the plunge to leave their Christchurch home.

After the 28-year-old Borland told Ponsonby about her plans, she spoke to Maddison and the hooker was soon persuaded, especially as “the forward pack is appreciated quite a bit move over here.” It also helped that they were living together in Christchurch, an arrangement that has been replicated in west London with the added bonus of being within walking distance of training.

Borland and Ponsonby, 25, played for Matatu in Super Rugby Aupiki. They are one of four teams, along with the Blues, Hurricanes Poua, and Chiefs Manawa. Sides face each other twice before the top two play off in the final. The winner then faces the Super Rugby Women champions from Australia.

They were also contracted as Black Ferns to the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), but that ended when their agreements with Trailfinders began.

With four years until the next World Cup, and two years until the first-ever women’s British and Irish Lions tour New Zealand, what then, is the likelihood of seeing more Black Ferns follow Borland, Ponsonby, and Rule to the PWR?

“We’ve definitely had a bit of interest from home just asking what it’s like over here,” said Borland.

“It’s definitely a competition worldwide that’s really well known, and it is something a lot of people want to be part of, with the attraction of the amount of teams, the amount of weeks playing, and playing with other internationals.”

This year the Blacks Ferns first international came in May, a month after the end of Super Rugby Aupiki. If the same is repeated this season, it means that at best, the Black Ferns players will have played eight times before their opening test.

In the PWR teams play 16 matches home and away, before the top four play off for the semi-finals and final.

It also means that three of the Kiwi pack who are likely to lead their attempts to regain the world title when Australia host the 2029 World Cup, will feature every week against players who they will be up against.

“We don’t play a lot of rugby compared to England,” Ponsonby said. “It’s been a point of discussion for a long time now and that’ll be something that they’ll go home and push for more. It’s not as easy as just clicking your fingers and playing more games. We’re very isolated in New Zealand, so it costs a lot of money to go and play, to fly over to here and play with all these teams. That’s the biggest growth area, and they’re well aware of that.

“From discussions we’ve had, it sounds that next year there’s going to be a few more Test matches for the girls, which is cool. They’re trying to expand Super Rugby Aupiki each year and trying to cross over with Australia, to eventually make it fully immersed with the Australian competition.

“There’s lots of areas for growth. It is just time under the belt for the girls. Even at the World Cup we were still such a young team with lots of inexperience. A lot of girls hadn’t played a huge amount of rugby, so that probably plays a huge part in our error rate and decision making that just crept into our game.”

For now, Australia 2029 is a long way off, and the pair are focused on getting to know London and the club. Borland’s husband has already run out for the men’s amateurs, and they are meeting their new team-mates, though the likes of Megan Jones, Julia Schell, and Kate Zackary- three familiar faces.

“It’s post-World Cup, so perfect timing with four years to the next,” Borland said. “We’re getting as much exposure and experience, and it’s only going to make us better players being over here. Then we’ll decide what our future looks.”

“In New Zealand, it’s pretty easy to think that you know everything,” Ponsonby added. “Being established players in our teams for so long you probably haven’t been thrown in the deep end or been the newbie for a long time.

“I haven’t been newbie in seven years, so it’s exciting to kind of come in and be here. It’s refreshing and we’re enjoying the journey so far.”

Fixture

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Trailfinders Women

12 - 24

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Exeter Chiefs Women

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