Black Ferns skipper bows out a world beater

Farah Palmer is dead keen to stay involved in the game. Tim Smith / Getty Images

Retiring Black Ferns captain Farah Palmer will ponder what life without football boots involves only when the glow of a third world title wears off.

Palmer, 33, was buzzing after hoisting the World Cup as skipper in Edmonton yesterday, having led New Zealand to a 25-17 final win over England.

She is the only player among a group of New Zealand veterans to confirm her retirement, ending an 11-year international career in which she has captained the Black Ferns in 31 of 35 tests.

"I have no idea what I'll do. It's been hard to say, 'Yes, definitely this is it', but I'm ready for another stage of my life," she said.

"I'd still like to stay involved in rugby.

"I think my strengths are in promoting and developing the women's game.

"Maybe I can work my way through to the New Zealand Rugby Union or the International Rugby Board. I have big dreams in that direction."

Palmer, a lecturer in sports sociology at Massey University, is also a frequent visitor to Palmerston North's rugby institute.

"Every now and then the NZRFU holds coaching courses and they might ask me to do a session on team building or captaincy. I pretty much treat the institute as my home," she said.

While sad to end her international career, Palmer was confident the next generation would continue New Zealand's reputation as a world force.

"It's exciting. We've got youngsters coming through that have played rugby since they were 5 or 6. They have a broader range of skills and are instinctive in the way they play rugby.

"We'll get better and better."

Coach Jed Rowlands said Palmer had remained a true professional in the leadup to the final, trying to steer attention away from herself.

"She didn't want to push the fact it was her last game, she wanted it to be a team thing.

"She's been a huge part of the Black Ferns' legacy, particularly with leadership.

"She has the admiration of the team and I know the players hold her in high regard."

Palmer said yesterday's title was the "sweetest" yet, mainly because of the enormous pressure placed on them by England.

"We've got amazing talent. The girls just wanted to win. That's what it came down to. It was just hard yakka."

- NZPA