Rugby: Black Ferns relish the pressure

New Zealand women's rugby captain Melissa Ruscoe. Photo / APN

New Zealand are "underdone" but revelling in the pressure of maintaining their dominance at the women's rugby World Cup starting in England tomorrow.

The Black Ferns open their campaign with a tricky fixture against South Africa in Guildford, on London's outskirts, before completing their pool campaign against Australia and Wales next week.

Captain Melissa Ruscoe's team haven't played for nine months - when they lost 10-3 to England, their first defeat in nine years.

The New Zealanders are used to long stretches without games, having played just six games since their 2006 World Cup triumph in Canada - their third successive crown.

"In some ways, you could say we're underdone," Ruscoe said. "We've not had the preparation we would have liked, but we've pretty much done what we can with what we've got."

Ruscoe said the lack of New Zealand Rugby Union funding for the Black Ferns was "unfortunate" and she proposed an annual series against Australia as one solution.

But her focus for her team of amateurs now was the 17-day tournament which ends with what many predict will be another New Zealand-England final on September 5.

Chasing a fourth successive world championship was the ultimate motivation.

"It's a fantastic history and we use that, we create a little bit of pressure on ourselves. We want to be proud of our performance, it's a high standard within the team," she said. "We get very few chances to play in that black jersey so when we do, it's a privilege."

Ruscoe said rust had been scraped off in recent days and she reckoned the Black Ferns were among the more attractive teams of the 12 at the event.

"The skills are coming back pretty quickly and now it's just getting together and playing game situations so when it comes to the first one, we're into it," she said.

"I think we're going to be exciting. When you look at New Zealand rugby and the way the All Blacks are playing, we're trying to emulate that a wee bit.

"We've got pace and some exciting players and we're trying to use that but the forwards have to do the hard stuff up front first to make that space.

"History and the way the Black Ferns play is not going to change too much. Teams will know that and will have to combat us right across the park."

One player attracting interest is 45-year-old playmaker Anna Richards, who was called in as a late injury replacement for Amiria Rule.

Richards will contest her fifth World Cup, matched by Kazakhstan prop Olga Rudoy, the tournament's oldest player at 47.

"She might be the first to admit she's a little bit off the pace but you can't take away that skill of making a pass and putting another player in a hole," Ruscoe said of Richards. "We'll definitely be using that."

GAME ON: New Zealand schedule (NZT)
* Tomorrow - v South Africa
* Wednesday - v Australia
* August 29 - v Wales
* September 1 - Semifinals
* September 5 - Final

- NZPA