Ferns captain happy to fly the flag again
Almost nine months have passed since an Olympic gold medal was draped around her neck, but the memories of that magical campaign still give SarahHirini goose bumps.
When Black Ferns sevens skipperHirini led the team to a 26-12 victory over France in the final in Tokyo last year, it catapulted them into the spotlight around the planet.
Hiriniwas to later win three major prizes at the New Zealand Rugby awards, including the supreme Kelvin R Tremain Memorial player of the year, and then captained the Hurricanes Poua in Super Rugby Aupiki.
She’s had plenty to keep her occupied since celebrating with her team-mates on that memorable evening at Tokyo Stadium on July 31 but Hirini still feels a surge of emotionwhen asked about the final.
‘‘It’s a complete buzz. Even now, you get goose bumps talking about it,’’ Hirini said from Canada, where the team is preparing to rejoin the world sevens circuit for the first time in more than 800 days.
‘‘There were quite a few of us, who worked for 10 years for that dream, for it to become a reality.
‘‘That’s really, really special for us. You know that target is on your back, the target is now completely on our team.’’
Given their success in Tokyo, there was never any chance of the Black Ferns sneaking into the tournament in Langford in British Columbia without being labelled as the side to beat. Covid-19 prevented the Black Ferns participating on the world circuit for more than two years which means they are seeded 16th. It’s not like they have been rewardedwith easy games in their return: England, the United States and Fiji are in their pool for games on the first day on Sunday. Hirini is pragmatic. Conversations with opposition players in the hotel near the venue have reinforced what she already knew would be inevitable;
that they were looking forward to playing the Olympic champions, and gunning for the chance to say they rolled them in their comeback tournament.
That hardly comes as a news flash to Hirini. She expected nothing less. It’s up to her and the rest of the team to accept they must deal with the pressure.
‘‘We have always had a target on our back, playing in the black jersey. That is just a given. Now we are in the black jersey, with a gold medal, it probably adds to that.’’
Prior to the pandemic, the Black Ferns had won four consecutive tournaments. Their enforced absence means they slipped down the world series ladder, with the Australians leading the charge.
Yet, for all that, the Black Ferns can’t avoid the fact they are going to be in everyone’s sights.
As Hirini notes, the New Zealanders, who prepared for the Canadian tournament by playing in Fiji earlier this month, must be take it upon themselves to evolve under coach Cory Sweeney, who is solely in charge after co-coach Allan Bunting departed.
Bunting, who coached the ChiefsManawa to a title win in Super Rugby Aupiki, was this week announced as amember of the Black Ferns 15s management team ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand in October and November.
‘‘I love it,’’ Hirini confirms. ‘‘We do a lot of analysis, we watch a lot of games and teams that don’t necessarily play too well against some countries. We know when they play us, they are going to be better than what we have seen in the tournament.’’
‘‘We have always had a target on our back, playing in the black jersey. Now we are in the black jersey, with a gold medal, it probably adds to that.’’
Sarah Hirini