Ferns back in action to build on three-year plan
Black Ferns management have been clear from the outset that they have a three-year plan working towards the 2025 World Cup.
Last year, it was about building foundations. Now, as they prepare to resume their journey with the Pacific Four tournament starting in Hamilton on Saturday afternoon, the next step has been initiated.
“This year is all about consistency and momentum of those foundations,” Black Ferns assistant coach Tony Christie said. “There are some areas of our game we need to get better at that we found out following the England game in particular, and that’s a big focus for us, particularly around being able to play multiple styles as a Black Ferns team.”
“The England game” was the 33-12 loss in the final round of the inaugural WXV 1 tournament last year in which the Red Roses largely dominated the Ferns, restricting their possession and putting them under immense pressure when they had the ball.
It was a tough way for the season to end, not just because of the way the game went, but because the result saw the Black Ferns finish the lowest of the three Pacific Four teams in that tournament. (The United States finished fourth in the Pacific Four, so played WXV 2 instead).
Christie said the coaches were keeping a close eye on how athletes were performing during the Super Rugby Aupiki season, using a popular device to compare notes.
“The performances of Aupiki were a lot better this year. We did a thing as coaches each week — we would select our form team of the week, and that was consistently changing,” said Christie.
“It was just a method we used to make sure we didn’t have biases hanging from the previous squad. As a coaching group, we’d get together, pick our form XV and, like selection, there’s always debate, which is healthy because we all see it from different angles and views, depending on our roles within the team.
“With form and performances, it changes between each week. But we looked at it overall, then there were discussions around what girls have already done in the black jersey.”
That boiled down to the 30-strong squad selected for the Pacific Four, which features uncapped players Maama Vaipulu, Hannah King and Maia Joseph, returning players Aldora Itunu and Marcelle Parkes, and a host of key 2023 contributors including Ruahei Demant, Kennedy Simon and Mai aka wan ak au la niRoos.
The week ahead will be key for the Black Ferns players as they look to stake their claim for a starting role on Saturday, and Christie said the management team were taking an open mind into selections.
“At the moment, [there is] no longterm planning. It’s just about making sure everyone gets the opportunity to impress through practices.”