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RWC final: How Wayne Smith's 'best goalkicker' is keeping a clear head

November 12, 2022
Fullback Renee Holmes in action for the Black Ferns against France last weekend.

Renee Holmes has two words written on her kicking tee: “calm” and “clear”.

They’re words that resonate with her, put her in the moment, drown out her surroundings.

They are the words she’ll focus on even more intently tonight, when the 22-year-old inevitably ends up being the one lining up a shot at goal in the World Cup final at a sold-out Eden Park.

New Zealanders don’t need reminding how important that role could be - Holmes included.

“Crucial moments, scoreboard pressure, everyone’s been talking abut it… For me falling back on my process has been so important for me,” the fullback tells 1News from the team hotel as the Black Ferns prepare for the biggest game of their lives.

That process has changed a lot since her debut at the end of the last year, when it wasn’t part of her job description.

“I’ve always been a goalkicker, but I’ve never really been seen - until Wayne Smith came along,” she says.

Since then her mental skills and ability to use visualisation techniques have improved, while All Blacks great Dan Carter has offered invaluable advice through the year.

“He was able to give me small words like to keep my left shoulder closed, because the second I open it up that’s when [the ball] goes all the way over there.

“And being able to follow through the gate, that’s been a huge one for me.”

They’ve also talked a lot about the process you go through when you miss.

It’s all helped prepare Holmes for tonight’s final against England, buoyed with the confidence of someone of whom Wayne Smith openly calls his best goalkicker, and who knows she has the faith of her teammates.

She also has the words of her father, and biggest fan, ringing in her ears.

“He always said to me 'bub, your goalkicking’s going to be one of the reasons you'll play at a World Cup', like he’s always drilled it into me.

“I was like 'yeah yeah okay dad', like I know I can goal kick but no one else has really given me that opportunity or seen something in me that I guess Smithy has.”

It's faith she’s ready to repay at Eden Park, where every point will matter.

Hear more from Holmes on how seven-hour round trips to training with her dad helped make her as a player, as well as from 2011 World Cup winner Stephen Donald on TVNZ1’s 6pm news tonight.

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