‘‘The ladies are tired of beating each other up.’’ Allan Bunting says the Black Ferns are fired up for the Olympics.
The Black Ferns sevens have been one of the most dominant international sports teams on the planet since losing to Australia in the 2016 Rio Olympics final.
Olympic gold is the ultimate prize in sevens, something the New Zealand women’s team have yet to win after the game’s introduction to the Olympics in Rio, and that opportunity could be taken away if the Covid-19 situation doesn’t improve in Japan.
The 12-month postponement of the Tokyo Games ensured the Black Ferns sevens’ hot streak couldn’t peak perfectly for last July, following Commonwealth Games and World Cup victories in 2018, as well as three of the four World Series titles since Rio.
The Kiwis, co-coached by Allan Bunting and Cory Sweeney, were clear leaders of the women’s World Series before the Covid-19 shutdown last March.
The pandemic has since limited the sevens programmes to inter-squad and domestic matches, but the men’s and women’s teams have been confirmed for an international return against Australia in an Auckland tournament on May 21-23.
‘‘The ladies are getting tired of beating each other up,’’ Bunting told the Sunday Star-Times, saying their matches among the squad players are as competitive as any World Series clash. However, welcoming Australia, the reigning Olympic champions, is much better preparation for Tokyo.
Bunting has been involved with the women’s sevens programme for almost a decade and has enjoyed more time at home after years of globetrotting, but plans for his team’s return have constantly changed because of Covid-19.
‘‘I’ve spent so much time away, but this time has allowed me to reconnect more with family,’’ he said.
‘‘I think that’s been the case for everybody, being able to connect with back home.
‘‘It’s something we’ve probably really missed.’’
The Olympics, starting on July 26, remain the only scheduled global sevens competition.
An invitational Wellington tournament in April, alongside the men, will feature stars of the likely Tokyo team, such as Portia Woodman, Stacey Fluhler and Michaela Blyde.
Next is Australia’s visit to Auckland in two weeks.
Bunting said they didn’t deserve to beat Australia for gold in Rio and have to earn that right in Tokyo.
‘‘Everyone starts from zero,’’ he said.
‘‘Even though we won the last World Series and have been dominant, it doesn’t matter.’’
Canada, France and the US are the other main medal contenders, although New Zealand and Australia are favourites.
The Kiwi sevens teams are hoping to travel to Australia for an Oceania tournament in June, with the Australians and Fiji, before departing for a training camp in Okinawa to acclimatise to Japan’s intensely hot and humid summers.