2022 Black Ferns
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@canefan See my previous post. This Pacific Four Series is basically the continuation of the International Super Series, in which they've replace France with Australia. The highest ranked team below the BFs is Canada, but both Canada and USA were also smashed by England, last year IIRC. Of the PIs, only Fijiana shows enough progress to maybe be included in the future. IMO, they should go for a Pacific 6 Nations, and add Fijiana and Japan (that beat both Australia and Fijiana in May) to the Pacific Four nations.
See the women's world rankings here:
Women's and Men's Rankings | World Rugby
Information about the World Rugby women's and men's rankings
Edited to add that I think the Aussies only have Super W.
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@canefan said in 2022 Black Ferns:
@Toddy said in 2022 Black Ferns:
Has there ever been any mention of the BF's playing a NZ male age grade team to up their experience? NZ netball play a male team to help with their prep, why can't the BF's play an under 18 (or older or younger to help get the intensity right) male team to help with their prep?
We need a formal competition like TRC. But who else can we include aside from Australia? What is the strength of the Pacific Island sides? And what sort of top level provincial comp do the Aussies have, if any? A SRA comp for the women would also be a good thing
Well as above,, the Pacific 4, expanded with Fijians and A N other, would be good. There will be native mismatches, but 6N is the same. More important is for Aupiki to be at an absolute minimum home and away, semis and finals, for more pro rugby. Get outside teams in as well, maybe, tho they are closer to NPC level
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@Stargazer said in 2022 Black Ferns:
@Bovidae Do you know whether all games will be shown delayed? Or at least the BFs tests?
The short answer is, I don't know. I only saw this advertised on Newshub. Spark Sport and Newshub have a deal for the RWC games so maybe they will be showing the BF tests in the Pacific Four at least.
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I don't want this post to result in a political discussion, but for who doesn't know, here's some background info on rookie prop Tanya Kalounivale.
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@Stargazer said in 2022 Black Ferns:
I don't want this post to result in a political discussion, but for who doesn't know, here's some background info on rookie prop Tanya Kalounivale.
What an amazing story.
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@Crucial said in 2022 Black Ferns:
@Stargazer said in 2022 Black Ferns:
I don't want this post to result in a political discussion, but for who doesn't know, here's some background info on rookie prop Tanya Kalounivale.
What an amazing story.
Paywalled for me
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@Machpants said in 2022 Black Ferns:
@Crucial said in 2022 Black Ferns:
@Stargazer said in 2022 Black Ferns:
I don't want this post to result in a political discussion, but for who doesn't know, here's some background info on rookie prop Tanya Kalounivale.
What an amazing story.
Paywalled for me
Is for me now as well. Possibly the writer got so many hits that he switched his account to subscriber only.
Short story is that when Tanya Kalounivale was very young her father was caught up in the various coups in Fiji, got on the wrong side of Bainimarama and was possibly tortured and executed. She has a brother who was a very promising player whose rugby career in Fiji was vetoed and the family then left the country as 'refugees' which has resulted in Tanya playing for her adopted country.
There's a few more twists and turns and detail if you want to sign up for a trial read. I found it interesting.
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https://www.allblacks.com/news/world-cup-hopefuls-go-head-to-head-in-black-ferns-trial/
Dubbed Ngalingali v Rawata (‘possibles’ in Tongan and Fijian) the match will kick off at 7.05pm on Friday 8 July at Navigation Homes Stadium and will be broadcast live on Sky Sport.
Leading coaches Anna Richards, Scott Manson, Crystal Kaua and Victoria Grant will lead the two teams, with the Black Ferns coaching group of Wayne Smith, Wesley Clarke and Whitney Hansen watching on.
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The trial teams are:
Rawata: Eloise Blackwell, Chelsea Bremner, Ruahei Demant, Amy du Plessis, Victoria Edmonds, Maia Joseph, Tanya Kalounivale, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Krystal Murray, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Georgia Ponsonby, Kendra Reynolds, Chelsea Semple, Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Pia Tapsell, Steph Te O-Haere-Fox, Kelsey Teneti, Hazel Tubic, Ruby Tui, Chryss Viliko, Renee Wickliffe.
Ngalingali: Lucy Anderson, Alana Bremner, Kendra Cocksedge, Luka Connor, Carys Dallinger, Natalie Delamere, Les Elder, Di Hiini, Carla Hohepa, Renee Holmes, Tysha Ikenasio, Tafito Lafaele, Patricia Maliepo, Charmaine McMenamin, Angel Mulu, Jackie Patea-Fereti, Leilani Perese, Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Amy Rule, Charmaine Smith, Grace Steinmetz, Monica Tagoai, Janna Vaughan, Kelsie Wills
Players unavailable for selection include Pip Love, Grace Brooker, Ariana Bayler, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Ayesha Leti-I'iga and Iritana Hohaia.
https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-triallists-named/
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@Machpants said in 2022 Black Ferns:
@Bovidae unavailable Ayesha Leti-I'iga
Yeah they don't want any of the other ferns hurt or embarrassed!
If they have their sevens players available I still don't think she starts in the top XV.
@Crucial Bayler and Hohaia are also amongst the injured list. Strange that one of the starting halfbacks from the other Aupiki SR teams aren't ahead of her.
No Kennedy Simon in either team, or amongst the injured group.
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A good story about Hazel Tubic. She was playing rugby in Japan before returning in 2020.
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@Bovidae Also interesting to read about the influence of Smith on how the Ferns train and how important professionalisation has been and that trickles further down to NPC. Which kind of makes it harder for Championship teams without Black Ferns to catch up, too, unfortunately.
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@Stargazer said in 2022 Black Ferns:
What's the meaning of the team names Rawata and Ngalingali?
Yeah according to the Maori Dictionary, nothing!
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Full time score:
Rawata 59 - 5 NgalingaliIf an equal contest between both teams is what the coaches wanted, they had their selections wrong. Tough job selecting a World Cup squad based on this game, because I'm sure some players of the Ngalingali team would have been able to show more if they had been on the other team, because they'd have better or more ball.
I've not looked at individual players to closely (I was multitasking), but if one thing was clear, it was that Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali was way better than Patricia Maliepo. Hazel Tubic was very good, too.
Fiji rugby and Bainimarama’s vengeance
