Black Ferns have eye on World Cup

The Australian Wallaroos are up against it in this afternoon’s first test against the Black Ferns as the Eden Park curtainraiser.

This is their first test match in more than two years, in fact since the last Women’s Rugby World Cup, while the start of the 2017 WRWC campaign kicks off now for the Black Ferns, who themselves have been inactive for 15 months. The Wallaroos have never beaten the Black Ferns and have 12 test debutantes in their match- day squad of 23.

The Black Ferns have some serious firepower in their threequarters, with Portia Woodman slotting in at centre with fullback Selica Winiata and wings Honey Hireme and Renee Wickliffe chiming in with their pace and guile.

In the pack, seasoned hooker and captain Fiao’o Fa’amausili will line up for her 40th international.

Black Ferns Sevens skipper Sarah Goss will wear the No 7 jersey, despite just one outing for the Bay of Plenty Volcanix since the Rio Olympics.

The Wallaroos laboured to a 21- 19 win on Tuesday over an Auckland Storm side that was shorn of its Black Ferns, but will be anxious to show their wares after their sevens team have, rightly, soaked up all the plaudits over recent months.

“New Zealand Rugby have put together a really good programme this year and leading into the World Cup. There are a number of test matches and competition for spots. At home at Eden Park and as the lead- in to the All Blacks is pretty special to them,” Ferns coach Glenn Moore says.

The second test of the series for the Laurie O’Reilly Cup will be on Wednesday afternoon at Albany’s QBE Stadium. New Zealand will tour England and Ireland next month for three internationals.