(Reuters) – New Zealand will bank on a relatively inexperienced squad to defend the Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil from next month with only nine of the 32 players named in the Black Ferns squad on Tuesday having taken part in prior editions of the showpiece.
Director of Rugby Wayne Smith has rung the changes since taking over the five-times world champions this year and 22 of the players he selected, including all but one of the forwards, have played 10 tests or fewer.
Outside back Renee Wickliffe and scrumhalf Kendra Cocksedge will play in their fourth World Cups but there was no place in the squad for former skipper Les Elder, lock Eloise Blackwell or centre Chelsea Semple.
Flyhalf Ruahei Demant, who took over from Elder and has led the team to five wins from five tests so far this year, was confirmed as captain of the squad.
Smith, a highly regarded former All Blacks assistant coach, included several players from New Zealand’s successful Sevens programme to execute the high-tempo game he wants the Black Ferns to play.
Olympic champions Portia Woodman, Sarah Hirini and Stacey Fluhler have all been brought back into the squad after missing the test season because of Sevens duties.
“We’ve talked a lot this year about wanting to play an exhilarating style of rugby,” Smith said. “We want to play on top of the opposition and that requires a certain set of skills that we have been working really hard on.
“There are a number of players who have had long, distinguished careers in the black jersey … and we know as with any campaign of this length, we may still see some of them called into the squad.”
The Black Ferns have won five of the seven World Cups they have competed in but received a major reality check late last year when they were hammered twice by England and twice by France on a tour of Europe.
The ninth Women’s World Cup, delayed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, gets underway on Oct. 8.
Squad:
Forwards – Luka Connor, Natalie Delamere, Georgia Ponsonby, Tanya Kalounivale, Phillipa Love, Krystal Murray, Amy Rule, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Santo Taumata, Chelsea Bremner, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Alana Bremner, Sarah Hirini, Charmaine McMenamin, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Kendra Reynolds, Kennedy Simon
Backs – Ariana Bayler, Kendra Cocksedge, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Ruahei Demant, Hazel Tubic, Sylvia Brunt, Amy du Plessis, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Stacey Fluhler, Renee Holmes, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Ruby Tui, Renee Wickliffe, Portia Woodman
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
