Ever-smiling Stacey Fluhler escapes the clutches of French fullback Emillie Boulard to score the Black Ferns' first try in Saturday's semifinal. Photo / Photosport
LockerRoom
By Jim Kayes
Music, fun and laughter have helped the Black Ferns reach the Rugby World Cup final this weekend. And Jim Kayes believes they must keep playing to have fun — and victory will come with it.
There’s more to a Black Ferns test at the Rugby World Cup than what happens on the field. Much more.
It’s not like the parties at the sevens, where if you got bored you could always turn around and watch the rugby. But it is still wonderfully festive.
And the Black Ferns are here for it.
As they waited for the kick-off in that fingernail destroying semifinal against France on Saturday, wing Ruby Tui was dancing to the music pumped out around Eden Park.
Dancing. On the field. Before the kick off in a World Cup semifinal. And against France!
France, the country that’s caused New Zealand so much World Cup heartache — and almost did again. And Tui was having a wee boogie as she waited for the kick.
“That shows the personalities in our team,” the ever-smiling centre Stacey Fluhler says. “Smithy (head coach Wayne Smith) always talks about having fun and that’s what we do.”
Music, fun, laughter — these are important ingredients to the success of the Black Ferns, and for this poi twirling tournament.
The noise is almost incessant but it’s good din. There’s no aggression in these World Cup crowds, no drunk boorish behaviour. No booing. The fans are too busy dancing.
Fluhler chuckles about how it took a while for Smith and the Black Ferns esteemed analyst, Sir Graham Henry, to get used to the constant music, from the hotel, on the bus, at training, in the sheds — everywhere.
“But that’s who we are, it’s our culture and I think if we were silent it would be weird and we wouldn’t play well,” she says.
When Theresa Fitzpatrick scored in the second half to give the Black Ferns the lead for the first time, the Eden Park DJ blasted Robbie Williams’ ‘Let Me Entertain You’.
It was so apt. These Black Ferns are great entertainers, but don’t mistake enjoyment for a lack of substance. They are not froth with no beer. They can play.
On Saturday their set piece was excellent, their defence sound and their attack very good in the face of some outstanding French resistance.
Within the team, lock Maiakawanakaulani Roos was tireless, with the Bremner sisters, Chelsea and Alana, just as good.
Sarah Hirini, the sevens skipper who has an incredible engine as a XVs openside, was sporting a decent shiner on her cheekbone after the match but a bigger smile.
She’s played at the Olympics and in some of sports greatest arenas, but nothing beats winning at home.
“We said we wanted to put on a show all week and I think we did that,” Hirini, player of the match, says.
How the fans have embraced the tournament hasn’t been missed by the players.
“It means everything — everyone who’s turned out over the last few weeks, I’m absolutely amazed by you guys, I want to thank you. But we’ve got one more game and we want to put on a show again next week here at Eden Park.”
In the backs, veteran halfback Kendra Cocksedge was busy, if sometimes a bit frantic. As she looked to increase the tempo in the second half, risked losing contact with her teammates at times.
Smith admitted some of the team’s option taking was off, but put that blame on himself. “We’ve created such an attacking attitude that they don’t want to kick. No one wants to kick in my team,” he said with a smile.
“So, we’ve got a bit of work to do on that next week. We’ve got to be smarter against England in the final.”
But the Black Ferns won’t be changing their DNA. They don’t want to arm wrestle England. Sure the vastly improved pack needs to lay a platform — the basics of the game still apply - but this team is built to attack and why wouldn’t you when you look at the backs.
Through his distinguished coaching career, Smith has talked often about players who can remain calm in chaos. Dan Carter personified that. So too does Ruahei Demant. She seldom makes mistakes, organises the attack expertly and has an attacking kicking game that is improving to almost match her great passing.
Fitzpatrick is a wonderful second five and combines superbly with Fluhler. Portia Woodman had a quiet game by her standards but won several key second half turnovers and her reputation as a try-scoring Queen is rock solid.
And then there is Tui. She is a bundle of energy on the field (and off it with the fans and media), throws herself around on defence and is always a threat with the ball.
In a backline that glitters with stars she possibly shines the brightest but the secret sauce in this Black Ferns side is that they all just love to entertain.
“We play with instinct and freedom, and that’s Smithy,” Fluhler says. “He says ‘Play with fun and freedom and no one can stop you’.”
Like any great entertainer, the Black Ferns feed off the crowd, take energy from the stands because when the crowd is having fun it’s contagious.
“I honestly reckon it gives us superpowers,” Fluhler says. “I grow into another person because everyone is here for us. They’re here supporting women’s rugby and this is why we play the game.”
Finals are funny things. Often they are dull affairs with both sides more worried about losing than they are about winning.
There were signs of that in England’s patchy semifinal win against Canada, though wing Abby Dow’s try, which started almost on England’s own line, was one of the best to have graced Eden Park.
The Black Ferns cannot go into their shells in the final. They have to embrace the occasion and be lifted by the crowd. They must keep playing to have fun — and the victory will come with that.
“If we can focus on our game plan and our core roles then we can win it - that is the mindset we have to take into the final,” Fluhler said. “Hopefully it is a sell-out.”
It already was by Sunday morning. A sell-out to watch the Blacks Ferns boogie at the big dance.
• The Black Ferns meet England’s Red Roses in the final of the RWC2021 at Eden Park on Saturday, kicking off at 7.30pm; France play Canada for bronze at 4.30pm. Live on Spark Sport and Three.
This story was originally published at Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission.
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