Sisters fizzing for rare home test
Five years ago, Alana Bremner sat in the stand at Christchurch’s Rugby Park watching the Black Ferns crush Australia.
It will be a very different scene tonight with the blindside flanker running out in the black jersey at Orangetheory Stadium against the same opposition.
Joining Bremner will be her older sister, lock Chelsea – a late bloomer to rugby, who was more interested in putting the ball through the hoop, playing netball in 2017.
For the Canterbury sisters, who hail from the Banks Peninsula town of Little River, playing for their country together in Christchurch is the stuff of dreams.
This won’t be the first time they have both taken the field for New Zealand, doing so in June against Australia in Tauranga when Chelsea made her debut.
‘‘I remember coming down in 2017 [to Rugby Park] and watching the Black Ferns play for the Laurie O’Reilly and now to be here playing next to Chels, I wouldn’t have really thought that would happen five years later,’’ Alana said.
With this only the third time the Black Ferns have played a test in Christchurch in 25 years, it will be a special moment for the homegrown duo.
Their grandparents proudly watched on at yesterday’s captain’s run. Parents Phil and
Sharon will be at Orangetheory Stadium tonight, along with younger brother Michael.
Father Phil was a talented senior lock for Banks Peninsula in his playing days and ‘‘where we got our height from’’, Alana said.
‘‘We’ve seen dad shed a couple of tears recently [watching us play], so it means a lot to them.’’
The Bremners are only the fifth pair of sisters to take the field for the Black Ferns, joining the Richards (Anna and Fiona), Itunus (Linda and Aldora), Laveas (Justine and Vania), and Demants (Kiripatu and Ruahei) – the latter who will co-captain the team against Australia.
Six Canterbury players will feature in the starting XV for the first Laurie O’Reilly Cup test with prop Pip Love, hooker Georgia Ponsonby, experienced halfback Kendra Cocksedge, and centre Amy du Plessis the others.
Chelsea, who was a passionate netballer growing up, had Alana to thank for helping her discover the rugby bug.
Seven years ago, Alana’s Lincoln University Ewes club side was short of players and Chelsea stepped in to make up the numbers.
She quickly developed a rugby and hasn’t looked back.
‘‘I just remember I loved the space. I came from being a goal shoot in netball, so I had a very limited area I could play on, but I feel like in rugby there’s so much opportunity to grow,’’ Chelsea said.
‘‘You can always be fitter, faster, stronger.
‘‘There’s so much tactics in the game, especially being a lock having the knowledge of lineouts and always growing in that area too is really exciting.’’
A teacher at Christchurch’s Hornby High School, Chelsea has taken a year of unpaid leave from her job to give herself the best chance to crack the Black Ferns’ World Cup squad later this year.
Several Hornby High students were in the crowd cheering her on at the captain’s run. thirst for
At a glance
What: O’Reilly Cup series, Black Ferns v Australia
Where, when: Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch; 7.05pm tonight
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand)
Black Ferns: Renee Holmes, Ruby Tui, Amy du Plessis, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Ruahei Demant (co-c), Kendra Cocksedge; Charmaine McMenamin, Kennedy Simon (co-c), Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Tanya Kalounivale, Georgia Ponsonby, Pip Love. Reserves: Luka Connor, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Amy Rule, Tafito Lafaele, Kendra Reynolds, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Sylvia Brunt, Hazel Tubic.
Pauline Piliae-Rasabale, Mahalia Murphy, Georgina Friedrichs, Cecilia Smith, Ivania Wong, Arabella McKenzie, Iliseva Batibasaga; Grace Kemp, Shannon Parry (c), Emily Chancellor, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Bridie O’Gorman, Ashley Marsters, Bree-Anna Cheatham. Reserves: Adiana Talakai, Emily Robinson, Eva Karpani, Atasi Lafai, Piper Duck, Layne Morgan, Trilleen Pomare, Lori Cramer.
She was proud she could be an inspiration to them about working hard and accomplishing goals in life.
‘‘I know a lot of the children – not everyone has role models growing up – so even just having someone they know and seeing me putting in the training hours
and they’ve seen how hard I’ve worked to get where I am, it’s really cool they’ve been on my journey with me,’’ Chelsea said.
‘‘They were there when I was going along to camps and they were there when I missed out on tour and they understood that disappointment and when I made the team they were all so supportive.’’
Beating Australia and defending the Laurie O’Reilly Cup over this two test series (the second game is in Adelaide next Saturday) is the main focus for the Bremners. The Black Ferns have never lost to the Wallaroos in 20 previous tests.
With the World Cup fast approaching, the Bremner sisters and their Black Ferns team-mates will be desperate to impress and push their selection claims.
Not looking too far ahead was important, Alana said.
‘‘Every game no matter what you’re playing, whether it’s club at the start of the year or now the Farah Palmer Cup, you just want to put your best foot forward.
‘‘There’s a whole lot of talent in the women’s game at the moment and it’s really just on performance and being a great person on and off the field.’’