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Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut
By Finn Morton
You couldn’t wipe the smile off Braxton Sorensen-McGee’s face after the Black Ferns beat the Wallaroos 38-12 in Newcastle last weekend. At just 18, the teenager was rewarded for a stunning debut with Player of the Match honours, having scored two tries in the Test.
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Sorensen-McGee had starred alongside the likes of Ruahei Demant, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Maia Roos during the Blues’ run to the Super Rugby Aupiki and Champions Final titles in 2025. Alongside giants of the sport, the teenage sensation stood tall.
When the Black Ferns unveiled their initial squad for the Pacific Four Series, and later the 23 to take on the Wallaroos, Sorensen-McGee’s name featured heavily in headlines as rugby fans waited in anticipation for the general talent’s international debut.
Sorensen-McGee was named at fullback for the Black Ferns’ first of this Rugby World Cup year, with Director of Rugby Allan Bunting selecting just the one debutant in the 23. Demant and Kennedy Tukuafu were once again tasked with co-captaining the national team.
It took quite some time for the young fullback to get involved, with Sorensen-McGee carrying the ball once for three metres during the first 29 minutes of play. But them, almost out of nowhere, Sorensen-McGee scored a speculator try on debut.
Backrower Kaipo Olsen-Baker was the Player of the Match front-runner deep into the Test, but Sorensen-McGee’s second try swung that honour in the debutant’s favour. New Zealand retained the Laurie O’Reilly Cup, and Sorensen-McGee couldn’t stop smiling post-game.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s a pretty amazing feeling, even getting Player of the Match I wouldn’t think that I’d get it,” Sorensen-McGee told RugbyPass at McDonald Jones Stadium.
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“Being able to experience this with the team, with my family that flew over from New Zealand, it’s really good and really special to me.
“It’s been surreal but it’s not really a new feeling. Coming from Blues it was quite similar and that’s what’s made it easy to come into the Black Ferns arena.
“It was really cool. A special moment for me,” she added. “One that I’m going to hold dearly to my heart because having my mum and my sister fly in from New Zealand is honestly special and most people want do that. Them going above and beyond for me, no words can explain how happy I am.”
It was an unforgettable debut from one of the brightest up-and-coming talents in New Zealand rugby, but Sorensen-McGee’s first try as a Black Fern wasn’t without controversy, with replays suggesting the youngster may have dropped the ball.
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Sorensen-McGee has done superbly well to even get into a position to score, beating a tackle attempt from Australia’s in-form winger Desire Miller with a stunning somersault finish just inside the right sideline.
Wallaroos players protested the score but the try stood. Sorensen-McGee didn’t hesitate when asked about the five-pointer about 15 minutes after the Black Ferns lifted the Laure O’Reilly Cup, saying with confidence that it wasn’t a knock-on in the act of scoring.
“I feel like I did,” Sorensen-McGee said.
“Little bobble but in the end if you stop it when the ball’s down my hand was on it.”
The Black Ferns have started their season with a bang but it doesn’t get any easier for them, with a shot at revenge on the line this weekend in Christchurch. New Zealand lost to Canada at the very same venue last year, but will have a shot to rewrite history against the same foe.
After that Test on May 17, New Zealand will turn their focus to a Pacific Four Series clash with Ilona Maher’s USA at Albany’s North Harbour Stadium on the 24th. That’ll be another important marker for this team ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which starts on August 22.
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After watching how impressive the 7’s players inside the Canadian team played I couldn’t understand why the Ferns didn’t utilise our own 7’s players. I am hoping this might change before the World Cup or we may be watching England destroy us again. I liked that Canada saw that no matter whether a 6’s player or a 25’s player it is the best available players chosen for the national team. The Ferns tried hard but lacked the polish needed to be the top side.
I have watched them play Australia before and thought that we kept them in the game and were no where near as good as we were and we almost played the sane game we did in 2024 against Canada only lucky to hold on to a draw. I think our mana could use a lift by introducing some 7’s power and precision.
I admire our woman’s and men’s teams and always will but some changes need to be made to put us back to the top of our game.
Of course this is only my opinion
7’s power and precision? Power’s not what the 7s format is about at all, it is becoming the domain of sheer speedsters; and if Bunting thinks that he can do what Smith did at the last RWC, which was basically play 7s rugby, I think they are doomed to poor results. Remember France should have put us out of the last RWC in the semis, but for flubbing a simple penalty kick, and England have proved they are much better than then.
Real issues upfront mainly around selection policy.
Bunting seems to be obsessed with using a short, mobile, back five. His use of our best blindside flanker Alana Bremner at lock is nuts.
This approach was unsuccessful last year when beaten up by ENG twice, exposed in losing to IRE, especially in tight/loose play, & in the loss to CAN. And was again exposed v AUS who disrupted our lineout at will & at times looked stronger upfront as the game wore on.
I’ll be interested to see this week’s selections. But so far, we seem to have learned zero from last year’s poor efforts by our pack.
I doubt whether she will have another knock on “try” given any time soon.
I’m hoping Allan Bunting & Co will consider making a couple of tweaks to 23 for remaining two Pac Four games to ensure continuity especially against Canada even if it’s only on the IMPACT bench! 😎
Yes, surely they need to give everyone some game time prior to WC. I’m not sure though that they should experiment against Canada, No2 team in the world.