New Zealand sevens player Theresa Fitzpatrick will play her first Test since 2019 when starting in the midfield for the Black Ferns against Australia in Christchurch on Saturday.
Fitzpatrick, part of the 2017 World Cup winning Black Ferns, will start alongside centre Amy du Plessis in what will be du Plessis’ third Test and first on her home ground.
Tyla Nathan-Wong, another sevens specialist, has been named on the bench and is in line to make her Test debut. Prop Awhina Tangen-Wainohu is also in line to make her debut off the bench. Former sevens specialist Ruby Tui will start on the right wing in her third Test.
In 20 Tests, the Black Ferns have never lost to the Wallaroos and this match will be highly anticipated given the form of the Wayne Smith-coached side in the recent Pacific Four Series in June. The Black Ferns last played in Christchurch five years ago.
The second of the two-Test O’Reilly Cup series will be held in Adelaide on August 27.
The series will play an important part in the Black Ferns’ build-up to the World Cup held in New Zealand starting in October.
Loose forwards Kennedy Simon and Charmaine McMenamin are named in the starting line-up, both returning from injury for their first Test of the year.
Simon will wear the captain's armband alongside Ruahei Demant, who led the team during the Pacific Four Series. The Waikato loose forward was named Black Ferns Player of the Year in 2021 but missed June's series with a knee injury.
Black Ferns Head Coach Wayne Smith said there was real significance in defending the O’Reilly Cup in the city where Laurie O’Reilly had such an influence on both the men's and women's game.
“My want to get involved with the Black Ferns started as a tribute to Laurie who was a great mate and mentor of mine; he inspired me to be a coach and I feel really fortunate to have had such a great relationship with him," Smith said.
“Every Test match is special, but the significance of playing for this trophy in Christchurch this weekend is not lost on our team."
The Black Ferns team to play Australia at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday, kick-off 7.05pm is (caps in brackets):
1. Pip Love (17)
2. Georgia Ponsonby (5)
3. Tanya Kalounivale (2)
4. Joanah Ngan Woo (8)
5. Chelsea Bremner (3)
6. Alana Bremner (6)
7. Kennedy Simon (8) – co-captain
8. Charmaine McMenamin (25)
9. Kendra Cocksedge (60)
10. Ruahei Demant (18) – co-captain
11. Ayesha Leti-I’iga (15)
12. Theresa Fitzpatrick (11)
13. Amy du Plessis (2)
14. Ruby Tui (2)
15. Renee Holmes (3)
Reserves:
16. Luka Connor (6)
17. Awhina Tangen-Wainohu – debut
18. Amy Rule (5)
19. Tafito Lafaele (2)
20. Kendra Reynolds (3)
21. Tyla Nathan-Wong – debut
22. Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai’I (Sylvia) Brunt (2)
23. Hazel Tubic (14)
SHARE ME