PREVIEW: Black Ferns v Ireland (Vancouver)

Get the lowdown on the Black Ferns opening game of the WXV 1 against Ireland.

Ireland and the Black Ferns have only played twice. At the 2014 Rugby World Cup, Ireland caused a seismic shock when they upset the four-time defending champions 17-14 to end the Black Ferns 20-game World Cup winning streak. 

Two years later in Dublin, the Black Ferns prevailed 38-8 after leading 5-3 at halftime. Selica Winiata 2, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe 3, and Kelly Brazier scored tries in an impressive rout of the 2013 and 2015 Six Nations champions. 

The Black Ferns were a disappointing fourth in the inaugural WXVI in 2023. Ireland are making their first tournament appearance. 

Match Details:  Black Ferns v Ireland, Monday 30 September, 3.00pm NZT, BC Place, Vancouver. Watch LIVE on Sky Sport in New Zealand. Click HERE for international broadcast details.

Referee: Sarah Cox (Scotland)

Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) & Kat Roche (USA)

Television Match Official: Leo Colgan (Ireland)

Black Ferns Wary of Ireland

“They were the team that knocked the Black Ferns out of the 2014 World Cup so I know we’ll take this game personally. We’re able to play for that team who got knocked out. We want to introduce ourselves to them and let them know that the Black Ferns are here to make a statement,” Liana Mikaele-Tu’u said before the third international between the Black Ferns and Ireland. 

Following the competitive defeat to England on September 15 the Black Ferns have made seven personal and two positional switches from Twickenham. Mikaele-Tu'u moves from blindside to eight and Ruahei Demant resettles at first five-eighth after playing in the twelve jersey against the Red Roses.

Hooker Atlanta Lolohea is named for her first start in only her third Black Ferns Test.  Marcelle Parkes will start at loosehead prop for the first time, a huge feat after only switching to the front row in 2023. Experienced tighthead Amy Rule joins the duo in a new front row. 

Chelsea Bremner and fullback Renee Holmes set to start in their 20th Test. Black Ferns Director of Rugby Allan Bunting congratulated Bremner and Holmes on their impending milestones.

“Both Chelsea and Renee are dedicated and driven around their growth. It’s been inspiring seeing them both continue to develop both on and off the field. That is a credit to their commitment to serve this jersey.”

The bench combines youth and experience with front rowers Luka Connor, Chryss Viliko and Tanya Kalounivale seeking to bring late heat. Alana Bremner can cover lock and all three back-row positions. Maia Joseph has been preferred over Iritana Hohaia in a close duel for the halfback position. Rookie Hannah King will be looking to build on her encouraging display against England and Mererangi Paul has been a prolific try-scorer in 2024.

Superior physicality, better shaping of the opposition to create space, eliminating clumsy errors, and kicking with intent to create pressure rather than relieve it are goals the Black Ferns would like to achieve in pursuit of victory. 

The Black Ferns have scored 60% of their points in the first half of matches in 2024 (131/217). New Zealand has not conceded a yellow card in the three matches since the defeat to Canada when Sylvia Brunt and Aldora Itunu were sent to the sin bin. New Zealand had more possession than any team in WXVI in 2023 and scored 99 points.

Unfamiliar Ireland

Ireland, winners of 83 of 203 internationals, have struggled to recapture their giant-killing heights of 2014, but the seventh-placed team in the world recently overpowered higher-ranked Australia 36-10 in an encouraging display. The game marked the start of the IRFU’s 150th anniversary celebrations. 

Ireland’s road to WXV1 began last year. Ireland were in WXV3 and while there were big wins against Kazakhstan (109-0) and Colombia (64-3), the final round and decider saw Ireland edge past Spain (15-13) in a much tougher test.

From there Ireland trained strenuously in Dubai before finishing third in the Six Nations as well as securing qualification for the Rugby World Cup in England in 2025. Ireland’s Six Nations results were: France (17-38), Italy (21-27), Wales (36-5), England (10-88), Scotland (15-12). 

Centre Aoife Wafer scored two tries and was player-of-the-match against Australia. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe is the third-highest try scorer in World Sevens Series history. Ireland has a strong set piece and loose forwards Edel McMahon and Brittany Hogan were strong performers in the Six Nations. 

Ireland scored 65% of their points (65/99) and conceded 66% (95/170) of their points in the second half of matches during the Championship. Two penalty tries were awarded in the Women’s Six Nations – both to Ireland. Ireland’s lineout was statistically the worst in the competition with a success rate of just 61%. Ireland were the only team not to claim possession from a single restart (0/33). Ireland had the best goal-kicking success rate with 87% of their kicks (13/15) going through the poles.

Sara Cox

Referee Sara Cox will take charge of this match for the second time, having overseen New Zealand’s 38-8 victory over Ireland in Dublin in November 2016. She was an assistant referee for Ireland’s historic 17-14 victory over the Black Ferns at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France. 

New Zealand is yet to lose with Cox in the middle, winning all seven matches as well as another when she was TMO in the World Rugby Pacific Four Series 2022. This will be her second time refereeing New Zealand in 2024, having overseen their 62-0 defeat of Australia in the second O’Reilly Cup match in July. 

Cox has refereed two previous tests on Canadian soil – as well as in the HSBC SVNS series in Langford, Victoria – with Canada’s 34-24 defeat of Italy in Langford in July 2022 and New Zealand’s 52-21 victory over their hosts in the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa last year.

Ireland have a 7-3 record with Cox as referee with the defeats coming against New Zealand, France (56-15 in 2021) and Scotland (36-10 in 2023).

Teams

Black Ferns (1-15): 1. Marcelle Parkes (6), 2. Atlanta Lolohea (2), 3. Amy Rule (24), 4. Chelsea Bremner (19), 5. Maiakawanakaulani Roos (26), 6. Layla Sae (8), 7. Kennedy Tukuafu (nee Simon) (24, Co-Captain), 8. Liana Mikaele-Tu'u (23), 9. Maia Joseph (5), 10. Ruahei Demant (38, Co-Captain), 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo (11), 12. Amy du Plessis (18), 13. Logo-i-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai'i (Sylvia) Brunt (18), 14. Ruby Tui (17), 15. Renee Holmes (19)

Reserves: 16. Luka Connor (23), 17. Chryss Viliko (7), 18. Tanya Kalounivale (15), 19. Alana Bremner (22), 20. Lucy Jenkins (7), 21. Iritana Hohaia (11), 22. Hannah King (4), 23. Mererangi Paul (9)

Ireland (1-15): 1. Niamh O’Dowd (8), 2. Neve Jones (27), 3. Linda Djougang (38), 4. Dorothy Wall (29), 5. Fiona Tuite (7), 6. Aoife Wafer (8), 7. Edel McMahon (29), 8. Brittany Hogan (24),  9. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (17), 10. Dannah O’Brien (16), 11. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, (10), 12. Enya Breen (22), 13. Aoife Dalton (15), 14. Eimear Considine (27), 15. Stacey Flood, (11)

Reserves: 16. Clíodhna Moloney (35), 17. Siobhán McCarthy (1), 18. Andrea Stock (Debut), 19. Grace Moore (15), 20. Erin King (1), 21. Emily Lane (7), 22. Eve Higgins (18), 23. Vicky Elmes Kinlan (1)

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