The world champion Black Ferns have a big year ahead.
There are more top-level tests on home soil than ever before, and the players will have to get used to a new coaching staff.
The team had their first camp of the year in Wellington this week where they discussed the new pressures — and new opportunities — in 2023.
Last year, the Black Ferns went from a team that lost four straight games to England and France, to a side that beat both of those foes on the way to a World Cup title.
The New Zealanders were underdogs then but that’s not the case now. This year’s group is expected to win almost every game they play.
It’s a pressure new squad member Rosie Kelly has been told to embrace.
“We talk about in this group that pressure is a privilege. It’s something we want to have because it means we’re doing things right. We’ve already talked about keeping that momentum moving from the World Cup.”
To maintain that momentum, the players will have to adjust to an entirely new coaching staff, with head coach Allan Bunting and assistants Tony Christie, Steve Jackson and Mike Delaney replacing Wayne Smith, Whitney Hansen and Wes Clarke.
Veteran lock Joanah Ngan-Woo said the new group wouldn’t be making any radical changes.
“It will be very similar to last year. But, the new coaches will bring their own perspectives of the game and challenge us. So that will build our knowledge and add to the toolbox of the girls.”
First-five Kelly believes they will try to build on the fast-paced, expansive game plan that was implemented by Smith and led them to a world title.
“They’re trying to carry over a lot from last year because it was so successful and I think that style really suited the girls. The exciting thing is that now we have a lot longer, with three years to the 2025 World Cup, to learn and perfect that style. Last year they had to cram it all in about nine months.
“There’s also obviously some new coaches in here who have brand new ideas and add to that flair to continue to play that really exciting game to watch.”
Kelly is new to the Black Ferns environment but she has worked under assistant coach Tony Christie at the Super Rugby Aupiki side Matatū.
“He’ll give you those little gold nuggets that no one else would think of that make a huge difference in your game.
“His focus for the Black Ferns is defence, which is exciting because he’s always been an attack coach. I think having that idea of wanting to get the ball back and turn it into attack is sort of a game changer and where he’ll try and make his mark on the team.
Christie concedes switching from an attack to a defence coach will be a challenge, but one he’s confident of overcoming.
“Having been an attack coach, I think that’s a real strength that I’ll bring to this group because I’ve been able to profile a lot of our players [during Super Rugby Aupiki working with Matatū] and come up with attacking plans. So I know the girls quite well around their defence strengths and also what they need to work on.”
The Black Ferns kick off their season at the end of next month with the Pacific Four and O’Reilly Cup series against Australia, the US and Canada, but they also have World Rugby’s new WXV competition to look forward to, with the top six international teams coming to Aotearoa in October for nine tests over three weekends.
The Black Ferns will have to win games during the Pacific Four to qualify for the WXV, but pitting themselves against beaten World Cup finalists England again is something Kelly and the team are excited about.
“It’ll be amazing to play here in front of our home crowd again and to have the opportunity to play against the likes of England and France again, it’s pretty much like a mini World Cup, so it’s pretty awesome.”
For now though, Kelly has just one goal in mind: making her Black Ferns debut.
“It would be everything. I’ve played rugby since I was 4 years old. I just always knew that I wanted to do it fulltime. I don’t even know what it would feel like when I put on that jersey to be honest. It would be a dream come true.
Kelly has just over a month before that dream could become a reality: the Black Ferns kick off their season against Australia in Brisbane on June 29.
