Black Ferns celebratory tour around the country
The Black Ferns will embark on a celebratory tour around the country from next week to thank fans after their Rugby World Cup win.
Their official ¯Facebook page announced events in Omokoroa, a small urban area in western Bay of Plenty near Tauranga next Monday, Hamilton next Tuesday, New Plymouth next Wednesday, Palmerston North next Thursday, and Christchurch and Wellington the following Monday and Tuesday respectively.
There is also an event scheduled for December 14 in Rū ā toki, the tiny Bay of Plenty town home to Black Ferns star Stacey Fluhler.
The Black Ferns beat England 34-31 in last month’s final to win their sixth World Cup at Eden Park.
A New Zealand Rugby spokesperson yesterday said the final details for the tour would be confirmed in the next 24 hours. The Black Ferns gathered in Auckland’s Te Komititanga Square to thank fans the day after they won the World Cup decider.
They haven’t yet had a public celebration outside the nation’s biggest city.
Their matches in Auckland and Whangā rei, the tournament’s only host cities, attracted unprecedented crowds.
The 42,579 in attendance for the decider at Eden Park was a world record for women’s rugby and was also the largest crowd for a women’s sports event in New Zealand.
It was the first time the women’s Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand.
Five of the Black Ferns’ six matches were attended by the five largest crowds for any women’s sports events in New Zealand, shattering the record books.
Stuff first revealed that each Black Fern would also get a $25,000 bonus payment for their victory.
● Meanwhile New Zealand’s Black Ferns sevens have opened a new season on the world circuit with a hard-fought 19-12 victory over Great Britain in Dubai yesterday. The Black Ferns sevens led 14-5 at halftime but Great Britain closed the margin to 14-12 before the Kiwis scored again.