Back to back World Cups for Black Ferns

BLACK FERNS 19 ENGLAND 9

The Black Ferns successfully defended the Women's Rugby World Cup with a 19-9 win over England in the final at Barcelona's Olympic Stadium today.

The team turned back a searching challenge from the semi-professional England side in a tight and fairly untidy match.

The Black Ferns were inspired by halfback Monique Hirovanaa and blindside flanker Cheryl Waaka, who both capped commanding games with a try apiece.

New Zealand's other points came through two first-half penalties to fullback Tammi Wilson and a late three-pointer from replacement back Hannah Myers.

England's points all came from the boot of first five-eighths Shelley Rae, who was also her side's best player, along with hard-running loose forward Claire Frost and barging second-five Selena Rudge an expatriate New Zealander.

The New Zealanders as in previous games let themselves down by conceding a string of penalties at the breakdown, and ultimately outstanding lock Victoria Heighway was sinbinned in the second half.

However there was plenty to be impressed about in the Black Ferns'performance.

Their remarkable defence refused to yield a try to the English, in fact no points were conceded while they were a player down and when they turned to the kicking game of Wilson, Hirovanaa and first-five Anna Richards in the second half, England spent virtually the entire 40 minutes pinned in their own half.

The Black Ferns also applied plenty of pressure with their rolling mauls and athletic lineout jumpers, and although for once they were edged in the scrums, their territorial dominance and continuity of play in the second half shut England out of the game.


The victory was highly satisfying for the team as coach Darryl Suasua, captain Farah Palmer, and up to half the squad of 26 intend to hang up their boots this year.

"I'm stoked to finish like that. It will probably be the last Test for a few of the girls, so we've gone out on a high, winning back to back titles, and that's pretty special, Suasua said today.

England had rated themselves as a technically smarter side than New Zealand before the final but it was they who were ultimately out-thought by the Black Ferns.

Suasua explains: "We tried to mix it up first by running a few sequences and a few phases because I thought they might hang back for our kicking game, which they did .

"As soon as they realised that we were running it, rather than kicking it, they started to come forward. It was a matter of being patient but as they got shallower on defence, we switched back to the way we played against France, where we kicked for territory and kept them down there with our defensive play.

"In the second half there were only a couple of times that they got out of their 22. The other big thing was that our line wasn't crossed again, so we haven't conceded a single try in the whole tournament, and I'm just stoked about that."

The victory was also sweet revenge for the Black Ferns, who were beaten 22-17 by England last year -- the New Zealanders first defeat in over 10 years.

- NZPA