Whangarei's Leilani Perese has made it into the Black Ferns team for upcoming tests against the Wallaroos. Photo / John Stone
Whangarei's Leilani Perese has made it into the Black Ferns team for upcoming tests against the Wallaroos. Photo / John Stone
After being in the wider training group for five years, Whangārei woman Leilani Perese has made it into the Black Ferns' squad for two tests against the Australian Wallaroos.
The trainee physical education teacher at Whangārei Boys' High School is excited and nervous knowing she has to up the ante in terms of performances in the famed black jersey.
"It hasn't really sunk in. It will be hard to fill the shoes of those players who won the World Cup in Ireland last year.
"My new goal is to make the Black Ferns team to the new World Cup next year."
Born and bred in Whangārei, Perese recalled accompanying her mother to club games when the latter played for Horahora and that motivated her to take up rugby.
But it wasn't until she was at Whangārei Girls' High School that Perese started playing rugby herself.
"I was bigger than the other girls so I played for Horahora as well as my school rugby team. My mum used to play lock but I started as a flanker or No 8.
"When I moved to Auckland to study a Bachelor of Physical Education at University of Auckland in 2010, my coaches told me my body type was best suited as a prop."
Leilani Perese of Whangarei has been selected for the Black Ferns after being in the wider training group. Photo / John Stone
Currently weighing 124kg, she will have to shed 4kg in time for the two tests against the Wallaroos starting in Sydney on August 18 and the return match at Eden Park a week later.
A week prior to the first test, the Black Ferns will have a game of three periods in Tauranga against Bay of Plenty and Auckland.
Perese played for Ponsonby for a year before playing for Manurewa premiers for seven years.
She currently plays for Counties Manukau alongside fellow Northlander and World Cup Sevens winner Portia Woodman.
The five-year wait to make the national team was worth it, she said.
"At the end of last year, we went into camp and in March I was offered a Black Ferns contract although I wasn't in the squad. I was already getting paid to train between 14 and 20 hours a week so I just needed to work hard and make the team."
Black Ferns assistant coach Wesley Clarke broke the news of her selection to Perese via phone on July 16.
"The feedback I got from my coaches was they like the way I run with the ball, my offload, I am a good scrummager, my lineout and defence are good. My fitness isn't the best though which I'll have to work on," she said.
Perese is very aware of the expectations of being a Black Fern, on and off the field.
"I have to be more professional when out in the public, the way I deal with people. I have to watch my diet, and I'll have to train a lot harder and my games have to be better."
She's excited at fulfilling three of her goals in life.
The first was to get a degree in physical education, second to make the Auckland Storm side which is the women's version of Auckland Blues, and playing for the Black Ferns.
Her younger sister plays for the New Zealand U15 Korus, the national korfball team, while another sister is in the Horahora team.
