Whitney Hansen: 'Six months ago we would have left 60 points out there'

Black Ferns head coach Whitney Hansen has given credit to her team for their clinical performance against France, where they piled on the points at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.

Hansen’s side claimed an 81-12 victory in the first Test of three against France, dominating from the first whistle. Black Ferns halfback Maia Joseph was the first to cross on a sunny afternoon in Hamilton, before backing it up six minutes later.

Amy du Plessis, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, and Georgia Ponsonby all got in the action during the first half, as the Black Ferns headed into the sheds leading 43-0.

The Kiwis started the second half where they left off, with tries by Leti-I’iga and Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a. France, who lacked quality and execution in Hamilton, finally hit back in the 60th minute, with left-winger Léa Murie crashing over.

Tuliau-Tua’a’s four try-second half was proof of the system that Hansen is building, and how players out of the Farah Palmer Cup and Super Rugby Aupiki are being developed for the international game.

But Hansen doesn’t want her side to get complacent, knowing they have to improve ahead of a suspected strong response from France in Whangarei next weekend.

“Yeah, look, really proud of that result today. I think we’ve talked a lot about it this week and about being clinical and about finishing those moments,” Hansen told media in Hamilton on Saturday.

“I think that game and those opportunities, maybe six months ago, we would have probably left about 60 or 50 points out there.

“And not that it’s about the outcome, and sometimes a score is not a reflection of that piece. But I think to finish and and finish with the score we did, I think it shows that ability to be clinical in those moments and finish what we’re creating.

“So I’m proud of that. That’s a big part of what we’re chasing.”

Hansen, who has now won seven of her eight Tests in charge of the Black Ferns, said that although the scoreline suggested a completely one-sided battle, France had their moments.

“Yeah, look, I think we’re too passive in the collision in that in those moments [second half], there are a few of them and we sort of saw one in the first half as well.

“We’ve taken up at the breakdown and slowed them down. And the French are a team that will take momentum and can very quickly come back and score two, three tries.

“That’s what makes them so dangerous. So it’s not just the skill set stuff within that, but I think understanding, feeling that momentum, and then taking action towards it’s got to be better.

“I’m just really proud of how we come out after halftime. Like we talked about that, like it’s really easy, I think, to allow outcome to seep in and create that complacency.

“And we won’t ever be a team that’s okay with greatness as being a destination. I want to keep being humble, keep being hungry, keep looking for where we can be better, and we saw that after halftime.”

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The Black Ferns had the luxury of bringing experienced playmaker Ruahei Demant off the bench in Hamilton, but Hansen believes the growth of other leaders has been impressive in Demant’s recent absence.

“Yeah, and I think something that’s still growing, and the exciting thing about that is they [most of the squad] are so young,” Hansen said in Hamilton.

“We’ve got a number of players in here who are sort of 25 and under. Have been the two World Cups, have been in this space since they were sort of 18 or 19, and we’re not short on the next ones coming through, and the likes of Amarante Sititi, Braxton Sorensen-McGee, and Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a.

“I think the fact that they’ve sort of had those experiences and continue to get them through the Test series that we’ve had this year it grows the leaders that we’ve got, as well as us being sort of really explicit around what leadership and leading others look like.”