No room for Ferns captain
Black Ferns assistant coach Wesley Clarke says Les Elder could still be selected for the Rugby World Cup after she wasn’t named in this year’s first squad.
Elder, the Black Ferns captain since 2019, was not in their 31-strong squad announced in Auckland yesterday.
Neither was lock Eloise Blackwell, who was one of the vicecaptains on last year’s troubled northern tour when the Black Ferns were heavily beaten in all four tests against England and France.
Clarke said Elder was among several players, including Blackwell and veteran outside back Renee Wickliffe, who were not yet right physically to play in next month’s Pacific Four Series against Australia, Canada and the United States.
‘‘There are a number of players who have various niggles and things like Covid disrupting their preparation,’’ Clarke said.
‘‘It’s important that those players get a really good opportunity to put their best foot forward for selection for the World Cup.
‘‘This is an opportunity for them to get their bodies right and get themselves in good condition.’’
The Black Ferns, the reigning world champions, have five tests locked in before their World Cup opener against Australia at Eden Park on October 8.
Clarke wouldn’t outline specifics but said Elder, the 35-year-old who took a year out of the game in 2020 to become a mother for the first time, was still in their selection plans.
‘‘Les has a clear plan and is extremely hard-working. She’s a smart, quality human,’’ he said of the 22-test loose forward.
Elder captained the Chiefs to victory in the inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki in March but is not 100% fit for the June tests.
Others unavailable because of injury are loose forwards Charmaine Mcmenamin and Kennedy Simon, prop Aleisha-pearl Nelson, midfielder Grace Brooker and lock Kelsie Wills.
Instead, Blues skipper Ruahei Demant will captain her country for the first time in the Pacific Four Series, with doubleheaders in Tauranga, Auckland and Whangārei.
Demant, 27, has played 15 tests since her debut in 2018 and was the starting first five-eighth on last year’s tour, but she struggled – as did most of the players – and lost the No 10 jersey to veteran Kelly Brazier for the final test against France, a 29-7 defeat in Castres.
Among the 10 uncapped players were sevens star Ruby Tui, a gold medallist at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, and Wellington No 8 Kaipo Olsen-baker who impressed in an Aupiki competition which was disrupted by Covid-19.
The other eight uncapped players were hooker Natalie Delamere, props Lucy Anderson, Tanya Kalounivale and Angel Mulu, lock Chelsea Bremner, loose forward Tafito Lafaele, and backs Amy du Plessis and Grace Steinmetz.
Clarke said other sevens converts would be in the mix later this year, such as Brazier, Portia Woodman and Stacey Fluhler, who are with the Black Ferns sevens after their return to the World Series. That trio all played for the 15s team on last year’s tour.
It’s been a turbulent start to the year for the Black Ferns after a damning review into the team’s culture was released last month.
The next test against Australia in Tauranga on June 6, will be only five months before their first World Cup match.
Time is running out for the new coaching team, led by Wayne Smith after Glenn Moore’s shock resignation last month, to settle on a side that can win the World Cup for a sixth time.
Clarke said it has been a chal
lenging time for the Black Ferns, but it’s critical they move on.
‘‘Wounds are still open in a few places. We have to move on but also acknowledge it happened,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve got to start looking forward and have already done a bit of healing.’’