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Second Black Fern agrees move to Premiership Women's Rugby
By Jon Newcombe
Rugby World Cup winner Alana Borland (née Bremner) has signed for Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) outfit, Trailfinders Women.
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The 28-year-old from Christchurch, New Zealand, becomes only the second Black Ferns international after Exeter-bound Amy Rule to move to English rugby’s elite women’s club competition.
Borland has won 28 caps for the Black Ferns as a flanker/lock, since making a try-scoring debut against England in Exeter in 2021. The highlight of her international career to date was winning the 2021 Rugby World Cup, in which she started five games, including the epic 34-31 win against England in the final.
Domestically, she has won the Super Rugby Aupiki title with Matatu and has been a pivotal figure in Canterbury’s domination of women’s provincial rugby.
As captain, she led Canterbury to their fourth consecutive Farah Palmer Cup title in 2020 and was named Player of the Season in recognition of her outstanding performances.
Known for her exceptional tackling, leadership, and expertise at the lineout, Borland should prove a very useful addition to the Trailfinders squad as they look to improve on last year’s seventh-place finish.
On her move to West London, Borland said: “I’m very excited to be joining Trailfinders for the upcoming season. I’m looking forward to challenging myself in a new environment and seeing what value I can add to this team.”
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I’m quite a fine of this girl, as reported she scored a try on her debut, breaking the line to score under the posts, she was also carded for cynical play defending her tryline so definitely a debut to remember. Not sure what is going on with the PWR invasion, why now, last year would have made sense as cricketers used to come to England before a big home tournament to help adapt to English conditions, but this will be after the RWC?
Wea awl da Englin playaz?
While its great to see the worlds best players in PWR and it raises the leagues standard,long term you cant help but feel its going to be detrimental to the england team with fewer and fewer young english players getting chances. When you have teams stacked with NZ, canadian,welsh,scottish etc internationals,promising 19 or 20 year olds will struggle for first team game time.and given the league is largely amateur could even decide to concentrate on other things. It is vital the league enforces EQP rules,to keep a strong flow of english players coming through. So few of this years england u20 squad were playing regularly season past.