‘We prove that time and time again’: Ireland brace for Black Ferns battle

Ireland are anticipating “a huge physical battle” with New Zealand in the final round of pool play at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, about 11 months on from their upset win over the Black Ferns at WXV 1 in Vancouver.

Renee Holmes scored a second-half penalty in that Test on September 30, 2024, but they were the only points the New Zealanders scored during that 40 minute period. Ireland put themselves into a point-scoring position with less than two minutes to play, and they’re rewarded in the end.

Erin King crashed over for a famous try late in the piece, before Dannah O’Brien added the match-winning extras. That was Ireland’s second win over the Black Ferns, having beaten the New Zealanders at the 2014 World Cup – ending their 20-Test unbeaten run.

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New Zealand have actually only ever beaten Ireland once before, with winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scoring a hat-trick during a 38-8 triumph in 2016. But the Black Ferns will take a wealth of confidence into Sunday’s Test after a strong start to the Rugby World Cup.

Both Ireland and New Zealand are two-from-two at the tournament, having beaten Japan and Spain in pool play. Whoever wins this round three clash at Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium will take the number-one seed out of the pool into the quarter-finals.

“It’s probably a natural thing that you want to get a reaction but we’re expecting a huge physical battle without a doubt,” Ireland assistant coach Denis Fogarty told reporters in Brighton.

“Obviously they have incredible players and athletes all around the park so for us it’s about making sure we’re on it, both from a set-piece point of view and a defensive point of view because we’re very aware of the threats they have.

“It’s about getting our game right, making sure we’re playing in the right areas of the park, and not giving them easy entries. We’ve spoken about that and put things in place to make sure we don’t do that.

“The challenge has stepped up, the margins are smaller, the games are tougher, but we are prepared and we prove that time and time again.”

Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan is “in contention” to face the Black Ferns after leaving the match against Spain in the 24^th minute. Monaghan was replaced by Brittany Hogan, who partnered Eimear Corri-Fallon in the second row.

It’s also understood that Aoife Wafer, who was named the 2025 Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship, is in the mix to play as well. Wafer was once in doubt for the World Cup after undergoing knee surgery, but the loose forward is back doing full contact at training.

Wafer was also named Player of the Match after Ireland’s win over New Zealand last year.

“She (Monaghan) stepped aside out of precaution. She was not moving well after the hit during the game. But now, after the install session today, everyone is ready and in contention,” Fogarty added.

“First and foremost for us, if people are fit and ready to play we want to get them on the park because ultimately we’re going out to perform and win the game.

“That’s been the goal for us all this time. I understand that there’s a quarter-final but the way we’ve been building and training, we’re fully focused on this game, to make sure that we have the performance in place to give us that momentum to take us into the quarter-finals. So if people are ready to play we’ll want to get them on the pitch.”