Rugby: Wall's future is all black

By Suzanne McFadden

Louisa Wall is back as a Black Fern after she failed to become a Silver Fern again.

But the double international is a little worse for wear from all her moving around.

Wall, a star in New Zealand's victory at the women's rugby World Cup last year, has put off shoulder reconstruction surgery so she can play for the Black Ferns in next week's international tri-series.

The Ferns wing had quit rugby this season to try to re-ignite her netball career with the Silver Ferns and play at last week's world championships.

But it did not work out like that.

"I went back to netball for all the wrong reasons," she said. "After I missed the final trial for the Silver Ferns, I terminated my contract the next day and played a club game of rugby.

"Playing netball only highlighted how much rugby is part of my life. It's good to be back - they are really professional girls."

Wall is feeling the effects of the contact sport, though, and is nursing a few injuries before the series against two of New Zealand's stronger rivals, the United States and Canada, in Palmerston North next week.

"Training for netball and rugby are not transferrable," she said. "I was totally unprepared for rugby when I came back."

Wall is in need of surgery to rebuild a shoulder in which the ligaments have pulled off the bone. Both ankles are injured, she has bruised ribs and a heavily bruised knee.

She plans to have the shoulder operation at the end of the season, and will need four months' rehabilitation to get it right.

Wall watched in disbelief as the Silver Ferns lost the world championship final by a single goal on Saturday night.

Eight years ago, Wall played in the final in Sydney with the same result. She felt some empathy with Ferns goal-shoot Donna Loffhagen as she missed New Zealand's last shot. Some people blamed Wall for throwing away a crucial pass in the dying seconds of the 1991 final.

"I guess we [the Black Ferns] will have to carry the bastion of women's sport for another year. We are still No 1 in the world," Wall said.

New Zealand's World Cup victory has had a stirring effect on the sport, drawing in a huge number of players.

"In the time I've been away, the standard of women's rugby has improved so much," Wall said.

"There was a time when the team would select itself. But we're at the stage now where there are 60 people who could get in.

"I have a big reputation in the game but I can't live on that any more. I have to be prepared to put in the work to earn my place in the team now."

The Black Ferns beat the United States in last year's World Cup final, while Canada made the semifinals.

For the first time, the players will stay at the Institute of Rugby in Palmerston North.