The Black Ferns First XV has been reshuffled for their toughest clash yet against Ireland in the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The whole squad was available for selection, with coach Allan Bunting saying made the job "tough" and the best team has been chosen for now.
"Obviously, we’ve got two injuries that are coming back too and a few of the ladies full training today and competition within the squad… you know there’s still millimetres so our trainings are pretty… they’re tough and confrontational and that’s everything we’ve asked for in this environment."
Of the three players injured in the opening pool match against Spain, winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga will return as an impact player after recovering from her ankle injury.
In the past two games, all players have been given the opportunity to show their skills on the world stage, but from this point of the competition Bunting said there’ll be a focus on consistency and cohesion.
A number of players are returning to positions they held in the first pool match of the competition against Spain, including Renee Holmes at fullback, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u at the back of the scrum and Braxton Sorensen-McGee on the right wing.
"She’s elusive, instinctive and she can kick really well," Bunting said about 18-year-old Sorensen-McGee, who achieved a hat-trick against Japan in the last game.
"Renee Holmes played well really well in the first game and come on and played at 10 so their skillsets going to be really important," he said.
Ireland have strength in their tactical kicking.
Co-captain Kennedy Tukuafu has been relegated to the bench, having started against Japan in the last match as openside flanker after beginning the World Cup recovering from injury.
"I know every week’s a battle for a spot in the 23 so I just know that wherever I’m put in the team I’m going to put my best foot forward and do everything I can to help our team succeed,” she said.
"At the end of the day we understand it’s high performance and you’ve got good days, bad days but you’ve got to stack them all together and make all your touches of the ball count.”
Bunting said the team are improving every week in their game, with multiple areas of focus.
“Bit of stuff round our set piece, you know our break down, it’s more probably around our mindset and our ladies really playing our game and being clinical when we need to be.”
All players have now been given the opportunity to show their skills on the world stage In the past two games. (Source: 1News)
Lock Alana Bremner said she’s happy with how the team’s been performing and agreed being in clinical is the focus.
“That’s what we want to do so working our hardest at training to make sure we’re executing – that’s probably our key thing so when we’re creating, we really want to finish those opportunities and it’s going to be extremely important this weekend,” she said.
Tukuafu said after selection announcements, players support each other and there’s also support from back home.
She said the growing number of whānau arriving in England for the competition are bringing a “sense of home” and the jersey presentation event, that family can attend, is getting larger each week.
Fellow lock Maiakawanakaulani Roos said the stadium for the match in Brighton and Hove is "amazing" after visiting the venue.
“We’re just kind of stunned at the amount of support and effort and money that’s gone into the women’s game over here and it’s been reflected in our training facilities and our recovery facilities and everything that we have… we’re just very grateful.”
This week the Black Ferns have been training in Brighton College’s gym and on the field.
Some students have been enjoying watching the world champions train.
“It’s amazing, just like seeing them outside your classroom as well, just always kind of training, they’re such strong women,” Brighton College student Lauren Wills said.
A coupe of students who will play their first rugby game of the season this weekend have been learning from the Black Ferns approach, saying it will help their game.
“These line outs going on right now, they’re so fast, the accuracy and then just like the sink is incredible,” student Ethan Swanepoel said.
“For the backs I’d say the speed of play is just… it’s unreal, yeah so fast!” teammate Ted Warner added.
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