The Black Ferns kicked their season off in style with a 50-0 win over the Wallaroos last week. Photo / Getty Images
With the Black Ferns’ season under way for 2023, Christopher Reive highlights five players to keep an eye on during this year’s campaign, and chats to Ferns assistant coach Tony Christie about what to expect from them.
The Matatū fullback has been among the Black Ferns group for the past few years, but has the opportunity in 2023 to continue to make the No 15 jersey her own.
In her first appearance in the black jersey in 2023, there was a clear development in her game as she inserted herself in the attacking line more frequently, which allowed her to flash some playmaking skills to go with her speed.
“That’s something Ren’s really trying to work on,” Black Ferns assistant coach Tony Christie said. “I’m lucky enough to have coached her in Aupiki and that’s been a big work-on for her in the last year or so, getting more touches on attack. So, rather than standing on the edge waiting for it to come to her, to go out there.
“She’s got the skill set to be able to play in the middle of the field. I was really pleased with that improvement in her game.”
Adding to her attacking game will only make Holmes a more complete player on the international stage, as she is already a strong defender and brings a point of difference with her kicking. She is strong kicking off both feet, and has range and accuracy with her goal-kicking.
The strength of both of those attributes was telling in the semifinal and final of the 2022 Rugby World Cup, as Holmes was selected to start both games after losing her spot to Ruby Tui for the quarter-final, as Wayne Smith experimented with the all-out-attack trio of Tui at fullback with Ayesha Leti-I’iga and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe on the wings.
“The real strength of Ren’s game is she’s an outstanding defender at the back, both with the ball and without,” Christie said. “Her organisation when she isn’t tackling is world-class,” Christie said. “She’s also developing into a really good leader within the environment. She’s leading our back three around positioning on the field and also some of the areas where they can get into the game a bit more.
“For Ren, it’s just about continuing to build on her game.”
Those who didn’t take notice of Sylvia Brunt in her limited opportunities with the Black Ferns last season certainly took notice of her performance against the Wallaroos last week.
Brunt showed plenty of the tools that have her shaping up as a future superstar of the game, with her explosiveness and footwork helping her score two tries. While she has been playing most of her footy at centre, the Black Ferns are interested in moving her in to second five and were pleased with the initial result.
The performance saw her draw comparisons to the likes of Ma’a Nonu, but Christie said that shouldn’t be the lens through which she is viewed.
“Sylvia Brunt is Sylvia Brunt. It’s always common for people to compare them to male versions but she’s got the potential to make a name for herself.”
Brunt has been around the provincial scene for years. During the Rugby World Cup, Charmaine McMenamin said Brunt trained with the Auckland provincial side from the age of 14. Now 19, Brunt is developing into a weapon in the midfield.
This year, the Black Ferns coaching staff hope to continue to develop her distribution skills in their bid to make her into a bona fide triple threat.
“We saw she is a feared defender - I wouldn’t like to be on the end of some of those shoulders that she puts in,” Christie said.
“We know Sylvs is very strong with ball in hand. We saw that going through defenders, really good late footwork, her centre of gravity and the ability to stay on her feet is outstanding. Put that with her ability now she’s developing her distribution game, and she’s also got a nice kicking game that we’re yet to see. Put that all together and she’s going to be a hell of a triple threat in the future.”
It’s been a little while since the Black Ferns co-captain has been fully fit for international fixtures. Last year she suffered a serious injury early, before sustaining another injury just before the World Cup that limited her to a few bench appearances at the end of the tournament.
But last week’s test against the Wallaroos saw what Simon brings to the game at her best; an imposing defender who is aggressive at the breakdown, and has a good set of skills to go with her power and speed on attack.
“It’s awesome to see Kennedy back to full fitness,” Christie said. “We’re very lucky to have her in this group both as a player but also as a person. She’s an amazing leader, really supportive but also has a nice balance of expectations and standards and leading those. She’s one who leads by her actions on the field.”
Simon will be one of several key players as the Black Ferns build toward the 2025 World Cup.
Co-captaining the side alongside Ruahei Demant, the message for Simon has been a simple one from the coaching staff.
“Just let Kennedy be Kennedy. She leads our aggression on the field and the ability for her to be dominant in tackles and get the ball back for the team, we saw that on show in that first test.”
Mererangi Paul burst onto the scene with Chiefs Manawa during the Super Rugby Aupiki season, emerging as an athletic winger with an eye for the line.
With the spots on the wings being vacated by Tui and Woodman-Wickliffe after last year’s World Cup, Paul is among several young talents looking to earn the nod in those roles.
A former netball player with the Northern Mystics, Paul has terrific footwork and the need to anticipate the movement of the ball on the court has translated well onto the rugby field.
“One thing that we haven’t seen yet, but we’ve definitely seen in practice, from her netball background is her ability to read the ball in the air and make good decisions and get intercepts,” Christie said.
“Reading the cues of the attacker that has the ball - whether that’s going to be a run, a pass or a kick - then the timing of that ball in the air and whether to pluck that ball herself or make the tackle, ball and all, that’s a real strength of her game.
“Mere brings all those attributes, her speed and agility, her ability to make great defensive reads, and she brings a little bit of razzle as well with the chip and chase, and she’s got a great step from her touch days.”
Paul scored two tries on debut against the Wallaroos last week - one of the back of one of those chip and chase plays Christie mentioned - and will continue to give defenders headaches with every opportunity she gets in the high-tempo Black Ferns attack.
And those opportunities look set increase in the short-term after Leti-I’iga was yesterday ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.
Perhaps a surprise selection in the Pacific Four squad, Hohaia has benefitted from a lack of game time for World Cup squad member Ariana Bayler and has the opportunity to establish herself as a test player.
A product from the coastal Taranaki town of Ōpunake, Hohaia brings a good tempo to the game through her ability to get to the ruck and spread the ball quickly. On attack, her sevens background shows in the support lines she runs, as seen in their side’s 50-0 win over the Wallaroos last week where Hohaia scored the final try of the match, capping off a short stint off the bench for her Black Ferns debut.
A key figure in the Hurricanes Poua squad, the 23-year-old also brings a point of difference in her defence.
“I’ve coached against her and she’s really frustrating - my previous role was as an attack coach - because the way she defends, she’s up in your face and disrupts a lot of attack,” Christie said. “That’s a real strength she brings to the game as well as her ability to get to the ruck really quickly, and then her support lines as we saw from that awesome try.
“It was her ability to get to the ruck really quickly, get the ball away, and her ability to defend in the front line as a 9. It allows us an extra number in the defensive space, but she also understands when she needs to sweep in behind and cover that kick space.”
For Hohaia, the upcoming series will be about getting game time at the top level and making a mark when she is called upon.
OPINION: Shelving development squad allows rivals to catch up with NZ.