Ultimate challenge for the Black Ferns
Just two months ago Rebecca Wood pulled on the Black Ferns jersey for the first time in her debut against Australia in Christchurch.
Tomorrow, Wood will play on rugby’s biggest stage in the Rugby World Cup final against defending champions England in Ireland.
The 30-year-old lock only started playing rugby three years ago and says she has to pinch herself knowing she is about to walk out on to a World Cup final.
The Black Ferns’ road to the final has yielded a 44-12 thrashing of Wales, a 121-0 try-fest against Hong Kong, a 48-5 win over Canada and a seamless 45-12 victory over the United States in the semifinal.
England are the only team to beat the Black Ferns this year when they rode a dominant rolling maul to a 29-21 win in Rotorua in June.
With this in mind, Wood says she and the team won’t be taking them lightly, but have an idea of what England may throw at them.
‘‘We’re expecting a very tough game. It will be pretty physical and I am not expecting to go out there and take them lightly. We definitely have the goods.’’
The Black Ferns have owned the show in Ireland with the most tries (42), most points (258), top tryscorer in Portia Woodman (13), who also doubles up as the top points scorer (65), followed closely by halfback Kendra Cocksedge (51). Black Ferns players are also top in metres gained, offloads, clean breaks and lineout steals.
If betting by the numbers was a sure thing, the Black Ferns have already won the World Cup.
But it isn’t and Wood said the nerves are high in the Black Ferns camp. While this is her first cup, many of the team know the feeling of losing, as they were booted out in 2014 by Ireland.
‘‘Mate, the nerves. I cannot believe it is two days away.’’
Wood started playing in Auckland in 2014 before playing for East Coast Bays and North Harbour Hibiscus, for whom she played every game during the 2016 Farah Palmer Cup, catching the eye of the Black Ferns selectors.
Wood was introduced to rugby first through sevens and loved it so much she took up the XVs game.
While she has her dream job outside of rugby as a firewoman for Fire and Emergency New Zealand, she has realised a dream she never even knew she wanted.
‘‘I fell in love with this team. I went along to one of the trainings last year because they were short on numbers so I jumped at that opportunity.
‘‘They invited me back as they must have liked what they saw and now I’m here.
‘‘I wish I played at school because now at 30 I feel like I’m at the end of my career. This was my last opportunity to get here.’’
Wood very nearly gave up on rugby, but decided she would give the Black Ferns a crack before hanging up her boots.
‘‘I decided to give it my everything and if it didn’t pay off I was going to give it up. It was now or never.’’