Black Ferns made to work for win over Wallaroos
AUCKLAND: With six weeks to go before they kick off the World Cup, the Black Ferns’ battling victory over Australia confirmed there is still work to be done.
Wayne Smith’s side remained unbeaten during his tenure by beating the Wallaroos for the second straight week on Saturday, but this performance and result were far less convincing than the first.
The coach warned Australia was better than the 525 scoreline in Christchurch had indicated, and that proved true in the rematch at the Adelaide Oval.
‘‘We knew that the Aussies were going to scrap,’’ cocaptain Ruahei Demant told Stan Sport.
‘‘Playing at home and playing in front of their families, we knew that they were going to bring a different energy.
‘‘They brought the physicality and we were chasing them at the start of the game. It took us a long time to try and get into a groove, and when we did they did really well to stop our momentum.’’
Disrupted around the ruck in particular, Smith’s muchchanged side was short of its dynamic best, lacking fluidity and displaying little sign of the enterprising rugby he wanted to instil.
New Zealand never seriously looked like losing to Australia for the first time in 22 tests, the home side’s second try coming from the final play of the game. The Black Ferns’ set piece was again dominant and, after falling behind early, they controlled possession and field position throughout the match.
But Smith will want improvements before the sides meet again in the opening fixture of the World Cup at Eden Park — and he may be sweating on the fitness of a couple key players before he names his squad for that tournament.
Cocaptain Kennedy Simon was helped off midway through the first half and the No 8 was on crutches after the match, while Chelsea Semple’s afternoon ended early after she appeared to be knocked out in a nasty head clash.
Those injuries were not the only blemishes in a first half that would have left Australia believing a historic upset was possible.
After the Wallaroos escaped an initial attempt by their opponents to maul their way ahead, they seized the early initiative and attacked with fluidity to stretch the Ferns but blow a try in the corner.
Australia was not denied for long, though, a carboncopy move again allowing space for new cap Bienne Terita to cross, the wing this time holding on to the ball.
Adding insult to what appeared a painful injury, Semple was sinbinned for a head clash in the buildup to the try, the dazed midfielder having already headed for the sidelines.
Once restored to their full complement, the Black Ferns scored their first try through more conventional means than their coach might have desired, eschewing attacking freedom in favour of phase play.
The patient strategy found reward as Luka Connor burrowed across after a succession of snipes around the fringes, giving the visitors their first lead.
When Atasi Lafai was shown yellow after Australia was guilty of repeated offsides, the Black Ferns had a golden chance to build on that advantage before the break.
But despite enjoying a wealth of possession near the opposition line, New Zealand could not find a way through, as the Wallaroos’ defensive physicality came to the fore.
That general pattern continued in the second spell, spent largely in Australian territory. The visiting side’s setpiece command and the home side’s illdiscipline created plenty of extra opportunities and, eventually, a couple more tries.
Prop Santo Taumata — having come off the bench for her debut — played a big part in the first, completing a strong carry that outstanding lock Joanah NganWoo capitalised on. And the second came in similar style as Kendra Reynolds showed her strength to cross after her side had again set up camp on the Australian line.