Why Black Ferns aren’t fancied to hold on to Nancy

The Black Ferns are the world champions, and with five Rugby World Cup wins in seven tournaments, have been one of the dominant international sports teams on the planet for 31 years. Over the next six weeks, they are hosting their first World Cup.

However, while the demanding rugby public expects its national teams to succeed, the Black Ferns are not favoured to lift the World Cup trophy they have gripped so tightly to the extent they have given it a nickname, Nancy.

The Black Ferns should be considered third favourites behind European heavyweights England and France after last November’s difficult northern tour, with England odds-on after a record winning streak of 25 tests since 2019.

Yes, with a revitalised coaching team led by Wayne Smith and after six wins in a row in a season less disrupted by Covid-19 chaos, the Black Ferns are more prepared for the challenge after arriving in Europe last year underprepared, undercooked and under the constraints of a pandemic which also made touring more uncomfortable than ever.

And, once last summer’s culture review into the team revealed major shortcomings in the support for high performance women’s rugby, New Zealand Rugby is providing the Black Ferns with greater foundations to function as a fully fledged professional outfit.

But it could be too late.

The Black Ferns went 27 months without test rugby before facing world No 1 England and lost 43-12 – a record defeat in their 100th test that was beaten the following week when England won 56-15.

Their third and fourth-heaviest defeats followed in the next two weeks against France (38-13 and 29-7) and it was clear the balance of power had shifted to the north.

New Zealand Rugby won hosting rights for the World Cup in 2018 – eight months after announcing it would give the Black Ferns semi-professional contracts for the first time – but England and France accelerated their women’s rugby programmes and were more professional sooner.

They have also had regular, high-quality fixtures throughout a competitive Six Nations during the pandemic.

The Black Ferns, meanwhile, were restricted to matches against themselves, as their home World Cup was delayed 12 months because of Covid-19.

Almost 11 months after the troubled tour, gauging the progress of the Black Ferns has been difficult.

They have returned to winning ways to regain confidence, with three victories against Australia and wins over Canada, the United States and Japan, but they were expected to win each test and do so comfortably, something they managed in all but two of the successes.

Players have been moved on, such as former captains Les Elder and Eloise Blackwell, while 29 have made their test debut since November, and 19 of last year’s tour squad are in the 32 for the World Cup.

Smith admitted two weeks ago, before the 95-12 rout of Japan, that he still wasn’t sure of the best team and the composition of the backline, with the addition of sevens stars Portia Woodman and Stacey Fluhler the major selection headache.

Unlocking their attacking talent with the more expansive game plan the Black Ferns have adopted under Smith is a tactic they hope will trouble the solid, cohesive English and French units, although they, too, have excellent attacking structures.

Also, like it or not, the rolling maul which the Black Ferns could not stop in Europe last year could come back to haunt them.

The Black Ferns’ forwards must compete better after they were scattered like pinballs and not concede penalties to invite pressure.

That could decide their destiny and if they are to retain the champion team’s old mate, Nancy. PONSONBY