England presents an even tougher challenge, but the Black Ferns have won all four Tests against the Red Roses on Canadian soil, including the 2006 Rugby World Cup final in Edmonton. Champions Monalisa Codling, Stephanie Mortimer, Victoria Heighway and Amiria Rule scored tries that day. Can today’s Black Ferns summon the spirit of those champions or will the World Number 1 roll to a 19th consecutive victory?
This will be the first meeting on Canadian soil since New Zealand ran out 26-7 winners in the Women’s Rugby Super Series in July 2015. Amy Cokayne, Abbie Ward, Marlie Packer, Emily Scarratt and Alex Matthews played that day for England and are back in Canada for WXV 1. Matthews scored England’s try in defeat with Scarratt kicking the conversion. There are no survivors from that match in the Black Ferns’ current squad.
Match Details: Black Ferns v England, Monday October 7, 9.00am NZT, Langley Event Centre, Langley. Watch LIVE on Sky Sport in New Zealand.
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (France)
Assistant Referee 1: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)
Assistant Referee 2: Kristine Lovatt (Canada)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Note: With 33 Tests Groizeleau is now on a full-time contract with the FFR with responsibility for developing female referees in France. As part of this role, she trains young female referees and creates initiatives to recruit and retain them in the game. England is yet to lose with Groizeleau in the middle, having won all 12 matches and only failed to score more than 50 points on two occasions (33 and 48). New Zealand has only won one of their three tests with Groizeleau in the middle, 57-0 against Scotland in the RWC 2021 pool stage in October 2022.
CH, CH, CHANGES
“We feel like we’ve let the jersey down” was the frank admission from Black Ferns assistant coach Steve Jackson following the Black Ferns shock 29-27 loss to Ireland in Vancouver.
Black Ferns Director of Rugby Alan Bunting blamed a lack of leadership and poor decision-making for defeat. Ineffective breakdown work, exits, and failure to complete line breaks, of which there were 14, were other issues in a brutal review.
There are six changes to the forwards in the starting XV from Ireland. Only Liana Mikaele-Tu’u and Kennedy Tukuafu are retained from Vancouver with a new scrum and Alana Bremner replacing her sister Chelsea at lock.
The backline is more settled. Hannah King comes in with Ruahei Demant shifting out one to second five-eighth and Ruby Tui is replaced by Ayesha Leti-Iiga on the right wing.
Will the Black Ferns modify the expansive approach which thrilled in the Rugby World Cup triumph of 2022, but appears to have fallen flat?
England is renowned for their ability to stifle and then utilise their speed on the edges. Steve Jackson responded.
“Teams are getting better, defensively they’re getting better. That’s still in our DNA, don’t get me wrong. When they see space and opportunity, our players know they have the backing from the coaching group to showcase what they can do.
“We also know we need to be able to shape teams and dominate up front… you have to win the collision areas and get go-forward ball before you are able to do those things. We’re looking to strike off set piece because that’s in our DNA and that’s not going to go away. The players know that.”
“We have to fight fire with fire. We’ve got a pretty good forward pack ourselves. There’s been a bit of pride dented from last week so there’s a hungry group of ladies who are looking forward to having another opportunity this week.”
ENGLAND ON A ROLL
England have scored 393 points in 2024, an average of 49 points per game. Centurion Marlie Packer returns to captain England for the 18th time as the Red Roses make 10 changes to the starting line-up that thumped the USA 61-21 in round one.
Hannah Botterman returns to a refreshed front row to win her 50th cap and will play alongside hooker Amy Cokayne, who has scored two hat tricks against the Black Ferns, and Maud Muir.
Zoe Aldcroft is back in the second row and partners Abbie Ward, one of three survivors from the pack that started last weekend.
Morwenna Talling retains the blindside berth and Alex Matthews, while relinquishing the captaincy, gets another run out at number eight. Matthews was player of the match when England beat the Black Ferns 24-12 at Twickenham on September 15.
Natasha Hunt plays her 75th Test for England as halfback and partners Holly Aitchison with Tatyana Heard and Helena Rowland at centre. The Red Roses’ back three of Abby Dow, Ellie Kildunne and Jess Breach is electric. Dow and Kildunne scored at Twickenham with Kildunne scoring 12 tries in 2024.
Last week’s starting front row – Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern – all drop to the bench. Emily Scarratt is the leading point-scorer in international women’s rugby history and loose forward Maddie Feaunati briefly played for the Wellington Pride.
TEAMS
Black Ferns (15-1): 15. Renee Holmes (20), 14. Ayesha Leti-I'iga (22), 13. Sylvia Brunt (19), 12. Ruahei Demant (39), 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo (12), 10. Hannah King (5), 9. Maia Joseph (6), 8. Kaipo Olsen-Baker (7), 7. Kennedy Tukuafu (25), 6. Liana Mikaele-Tu'u (24), 5. Maia Roos (27), 4. Alana Bremner (23), 3. Tanya Kalounivale (16), 2. Georgia Ponsonby (25), 1. Chryss Viliko (8)
Reserves: 16. Atlanta Lolohea (3), 17. Kate Henwood (6), 18. Amy Rule (25), 19. Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu (3), 20. Layla Sae (9), 21. Iritana Hohaia (12), 22. Mererangi Paul (10), 23. Ruby Tui (18)
England (15-1): 15. Ellie Kildunne (46), 14. Abby Dow (47), 13. Helena Rowland (32), 12. Tatyana Heard (24), 11. Jess Breach (41), 10. Holly Aitchison (33), 9. Natasha Hunt (74), 8. Alex Matthews (70), 7. Marlie Packer (107), Morwenna Talling (16), 5. Abbie Ward (67), 4. Zoe Aldcroft (56), Maud Muir (33), Amy Cokayne (77), 1. Hannah Botterman (49)
Reserves: 16. Lark Atkin-Davies (60), 17. Mackenzie Carson (18), 18. Sarah Bern (64), 19. Rosie Galligan (17), 20. Maddie Feaunati (8), 21. Lucy Packer (24), 22. Zoe Harrison (52), 23. Emily Scarratt (114)