The Black Ferns’ eight-tries-to-one victory over Australia in Christchurch on Saturday has been rated as only satisfactory by head coach Wayne Smith, who is demanding improvements before next week’s rematch in Adelaide as they build towards the World Cup.
For Smith, who watched the Black Ferns win 52-5 to retain the Laurie O'Reilly Cup at Orangetheory Stadium and hold out the Wallaroos until the final minute of the game, the scoreline was pleasing but some of the execution by his players was not.
Smith and co-captain Ruahine Demant have made no secret of their desire to have the Black Ferns playing with pace and ambition during the World Cup which kicks off on October 8, but with that comes the need for precision.
“You’ve got to be happy with the score, no doubt about that,” Smith said. “But we’re a bit disappointed with some of the skill level. We had a really good week working hard on playing an expansive game and we probably left about five or six tries out there.
“We got a little too flat or just dropped the ball. It’s good, we’ve still got a bit of work to do.
“Were pushing these girls to play at a really high pace. It takes good execution to be able to play at that pace. We’re three or four months into it and building as we go.”
With the Black Ferns’ pack muscling up at the set piece and showing good continuity with their passing game, the backline led by little general Kendra Cocksedge and first-five Demant had plenty of possession and mostly made good use of it.
But it has almost been accepted that the home side will struggle to match it up front with European heavyweights England and France during the World Cup which is why they want to get to the point where they can run any team of their feet.
And with Cocksedge, Demant, and left wing Ayesha Leti-I’iga, who scored five tries between them, in such good form, who knows?
“We do a lot of work in the dojo,” Smith said. “We’re conditioned for combat and more and more we’re starting to put it on the field. But you’ve got to be realistic as well. We’re not going to out-muscle some of those bigger teams so we’ve got to be smart about how we play – raise the tempo of the game.
“For me I want to reflect this country. We’re a pioneering country, we’re inventive. That’s what I want us to be.”
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Demant said: “I’m way fitter than I’ve ever been before because of the game we’re trying to play.
“We hold ourselves to a high standard and there’s still that desire to keep pushing for more and more. We still have plenty more in the tank.”
The Black Ferns, after their disastrous northern tour last year, have won the Pacific Four Nations and appear fully aligned and indeed inspired under their new coaching group, and that desire to play for each other can be seen in their defence.
“I thought our defence was absolutely outstanding,” Smith said. “Our numbering off and the execution of the tackle I thought was superb. The pack played really well, there some good performances there. We put some pressure on their lineout and scrum. We gave a few penalties away at the breakdown which was disappointing but we can fix that pretty easily.”
How much the Black Ferns have progressed won’t be truly apparent until October. Australia are also in the Black Ferns’ pool but while New Zealand’s winning run against the Wallaroos now stretches to 21-0, Smith said no nation could be counted out.
“Having been to a few World Cups, other teams march behind their flags. You can’t judge them on these games. They grow an arm and a leg. We had a long period with the All Blacks when we got surprised by that.”
Cocksedge, 34, and nearing the end of her career was inspirational for the Black Ferns in what may be her final Test at home.
Asked to sum up her performance after suggesting Cocksedge appeared a “step ahead” on Saturday, Smith replied: “She’s a step ahead of the world, isn’t she?”
Demant added Cocksedge had asked to lead the haka and in doing so displayed the courage she wants to encourage among her teammates.
“It was a special one, a real special one, for her.”
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