Moore to come from Black Ferns
Glenn Moore is up to nine new Black Ferns for 2018, and the world champion coach could not be more excited by the continued emergence of the new wave in New Zealand women’s rugby.
Moore’s job principally is to win tests with the all-conquering Ferns, but adjacent to that he’s also growing the depth in the Kiwi women’s game as it embarks on a new era of professional contracting.
To that end he was rapt to usher in newcomers Ayesha Letil’iga (Wellington), Kilisitina Moata’ane (Otago) and Natahlia Moors (Auckland) as the latest fresh faces in his 29-strong squad to tour the United States and France in November – a group unveiled in Auckland yesterday alongside the Maori men with whom they’ll share that international stage in Chicago first up.
Moore also has uncapped Wellington forwards Joanah NganWoo and Marcelle Parkes in his touring group as players who were part of the recent series against Australia but missed out on the match-day squads.
‘‘There’s a clear understanding with all these young ones coming in around the expectations playing at this level,’’ he told Stuff at the squad announcement. ‘‘We talk openly about our responsibility to keep lifting the bar.
‘‘If you want to be a contracted player now you have to be the best in the country and you have to be able to stand out.’’
To that end, Moore says the early stages of the new professional environment have gone as well as could be expected, with the Ferns sweeping the Wallaroos with ease, and now set to complete the biggest non-World Cup year in history with tests against the US in Chicago and France in Toulon and Grenoble.
‘‘It’s been a learning process for a lot of people but by and large we are happy with how that’s going,’’ he said of the new contracting system. ‘‘What we are seeing is good depth pushing through, and some young kids coming forward really wanting to play at this level.’’
Moore is excited about adding three more talented young backs to a group spearheaded by old hands such as skipper Fiao’o Faamausili, Kendra Cocksedge and Selica Winiata, who form the senior leadership group on tour.
Leti-l’iga, a 19-year-old wing, comes into the squad in scorching try-scoring form. She has a competition-best 11 tries in the Farah Palmer Cup.
‘‘She’s young, strong, quick, knows how to break tackles and has been consistent with that all year. Ayesha is an excitement machine,’’ said Moore.
He’s equally enthused about the prospect of bringing 21-yearold midfielder Moata’ane and wing Moors up to speed with the Black Ferns way.
‘‘Tina is a genuine midfielder who can play second five and centre, and she knows where the tryline is. She breaks tackles, uses angles really well and has a massive workrate.
‘‘And Natahlia is a young girl we’ve identified has really good pace and knows how to finish.’’
Moore said player identification and retention was becoming a vital part of the game now, especially with women’s league growing on both sides of the Tasman, and other opportunities opening up internationally.
‘‘We have a lot of threats around now. Women’s sport is becoming really prominent in a lot of countries. The professional side of things is happening in the UK and France, and they’re all threats. We’ve got windows in Japan now too where they’re trying to lure players for sevens.’’