July 25, 2025 • 10 mins
Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant is promising they'll peak at the right time in their Rugby World Cup title defence.
A 33-player squad has been confirmed for the tournament starting in England next month.
The hosts are hot favourites - but Demant says they'll be up for it.
Jason Pine caught up with Demant as well as Ayesha Leti-I'iga after the squad announcement in Upper Hutt.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Thirty three strong squad tasked with defending the Black Ferns
title as Rugby World Cup champions has been announced. Not
too many surprises in the squad named in Wellington last night.
The main talking point was the o mission of outside
back Ruby Tooey. She's featured only once off the bench
for the team this year, after being a pretty integral
(00:33):
part of the team that won the World Cup at
the back end of twenty twenty two. No room for
her in the outside backs, the selectors instead opting for
Poorsha Woodman, Wickliffe, Renee Holmes, Asha Lettiinger, Caitlin colll and
Braxton Sorenson McGee. Veteran Cali Brazier has earned a place.
She's the backup first five to co captain Audola hey Dumont.
(00:56):
She's only played Calli Brazier twice for the Black Ferns
since twenty twenty one, but has done enough to convince
the selectors they needed her in the squad for what
will be her fourth World Cup. I was lucky enough
to be at the squad announcement yesterday out in Upper
Hut and it was a terrific occasion. I have to
say it was very family focused. All of the players
(01:17):
came into the room and up onto the stage accompanied
by a family member. There was a real family feel
to the whole thing and genuine excitement. I think about
this team, even though they won't go to the World
Cup as favorites, I've got a lot of work to
do to try and defend it, particularly against a very
very strong England side who will be on home soil.
(01:39):
But there was a real sense of optimism in the
room yesterday about their ability to do that. I caught
up with a few of the players during the event.
One of those was Hurricane's poor winger Asha Letty, ainger
who was off to her second World Cup. So how's
she feeling about that?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Overwhelm with the motions, I guess We're doing this in
my hometown in Wellington and I get to have all
my family here and to go to another World Cup again. Yeah,
it's a pinch me moment all over again.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
It hasn't been a straight line for you either, has
it since the last World Cup? How do you reflect
back on that time out of the game, that what
nearly two years.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah. I guess with my injury, doing my AC hour
kind of made me more hungry to come back for
the squad and to even make the World Cup squad again.
So that was always my goal, my driving god, to
get back. So yeah, pretty stoked.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
What's that?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
What sort of kept you going in those darker moments?
Were you able to look ahead to twenty twenty five
and think, right, that's what I'm aiming for.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I guess with injury comes challenges, and one of those
is south doubt. Will you ever play like how you sue?
But my goal was always to make another World Cup again,
so there was the driving force for everything, and also
my family as well. Although I was injured, it gave
me time with family just to refresh, to come back.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Are you back to where you were? Is that how
you feel?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Oh? If I'm being honest, I think I'm better than
what I was. I'm in better shape mentally and physically.
So yeah, let's go and win another World Cup.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
I love that. I love that. How often do you
think back to twenty twenty two, the last one? I
know you've got to put it behind you at some stage,
but how often do you think back to that night.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
You can never put that behind you. I guess when
do you ever play a World Cup at home, right
in front of your families and just their last moment
with Jonah getting their last line out there will always
replay my head and every time I rewatched the game,
I always cry at the inside yeahs.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And you look at the outside backs in this team,
it's stacked, man, there are some talented outside backs. How
do you balance up eron moster play but doing what's
best for this team?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I guess we all know our role in this team, man.
I know selections will be based off who was better
for the team that we play against, and we're just
trying to make each other better. And it's all healthy
competition out there.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
And there's word up on the stage that you're sort
of the spark plugging this team. I know you yelled
out that you were you're actually white, shehy, It didn't
seem like it. What do you can you talk a
bit about the culture off the field in this Blackfins team?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I guess you could say the girls are pretty a
tiny group. We all come from big family, so it's
pretty easy to mingle against each other. But also we're
together for long periods of time, so we only have
each other. We actually enjoy each other's company off field.
We love good board games and stuff like that, and
we love to have a laugh.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So yeah, all right, you reckon This team can go
back to back?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Why not? Right?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Of course there'll be a challenge.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
We're playing England at their home turf, but we're up
for their challenge.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
So yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That is Aisha Littiainga who was a big star at
the last World Cup when New Zealand won in twenty
twenty two, then had that long lail with injury. Great
to have her back and fit and firing by the
sounds of it, and her words are better than she
was before. Also spoke with co captain or doo Hey DeMont,
the veteran of forty five test matches. I asked her
(05:04):
if she remembered the feeling of being selected for her
first World Cup as many of her teammates experienced yesterday.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Yeah, I remember I missed the car because I was
on a flight, so I got a text when I
turned my phone back off flight mode. And the overwhelming disbelief,
you know when you have a goal and you work
so hard towards it. And for so long that goal
seems like it's out of reach, and so to be
(05:34):
named for the first time is a feeling I'll never forget.
And I see that when I look at my teammates
who are experiencing their first time, you know, and just
seeing the happiness, the tears, and to cap it off
with our family being here just makes this moment so
much more real and so much more full circle. I guess.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, it's going to get real pretty quick, isn't it.
When you I think another week or so here and
then you're on the plane and away you go. In
a month or so, you'll be out there. How ready
do you feel to defend the World Cup? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I think the beauty of the World Cup is that
you kind of want to peek at the right time,
you know what I mean? Like, I have full confidence
and trust in our team that we will be exactly
where we need to be when we need to be there.
I hope that answers your question.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
It answers it perfectly. It's a great answer. The blend
of youth and experience in the team. It was talked
about up there on stage. How crucial is that in
a World Cup iss you need those who have been
there before, for those who are a little bit naive
really and just play without bear.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I think those players that in some cases are even
more important than the players who have been there, done
it before and know what to expect. I think of
players like Young Bay, one of the new props within
our team, who hasn't played many tests, and she reminds
me of many of us who experienced our first World
(07:01):
Cup back in twenty twenty two, and just the excitement
that we had walking towards anything and nothing seen as
pressure because it was a privileged pressure, and we flip
that into enjoyment. And that's what I see when I
look at my teammates who who are inexperienced when it
comes to World Cups, they have that youthful enthusiasm and
welcome and embrace every challenge as an opportunity and as
(07:23):
something to be celebrated.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
So it's extremely important and one of our values of joy,
and those players bring joy to those moments where some
of us have experienced in before and kind of remind
us what it's like and how it should feel.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
That's amazing, But of course, you know, cool heads under
pressure are needed, and that's where experience does come and
you're going to be guiding this team around from the
ten jersey most probably are you ready for that challenge?
How do you feel about the responsibility of doing that again?
Speaker 4 (07:51):
I feel excited, first of all, that I'm even here
and I'm able to don this jersey and guide this team.
It's a privilege that I don't take for granted, so
I'm excited at that. I feel that our coaching staff
have worked really hard behind the scenes to make sure
that we have a game plan.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Where we're really adaptable.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
We're able to shape opposition and understand, you know, solutions
to different pictures. Our analysts is another awesome guy who
works behind the scenes. He does a lot of scouting
for us and identifies with the opportunities, you know, like
many analysts do, and so it makes our jobs as
players on the field. It makes my job as a
game driver so much more easier. That we have plan A,
(08:33):
Plan B, Plan C. And we've experimented with a lot
of those plans this year. Some have come off and
some haven't, and we've had a lot of time to prepare.
Like you said, we've got another week and a half
here in Wellington where we're still assembled as a squad
and training, and we get more time to get those
training pictures, iron out a few kinks before we get
(08:53):
on the plane and head over for our first game.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And obviously everybody's talking about England, and rightly so, they're
a very good team. But are you able to look
at this as not just you against England? It's an
actual tournament. You want to get to the final first, right,
So can you approach it game by game? Is that
actually possible?
Speaker 4 (09:10):
I think so? I mean, for us, we've got the
big third in our poolers Ireland, and so that's the
first one for us. You know, we also know that
well England is, yes, a very good team. Can there's
also another great team that we've had opportunity to play
in the last few months, and potentially we might have
the opportunity to then play a game before that, before
that final. So I think it is still a game
(09:32):
by game approach. And while some you can kind of
bank that you'll most likely you know, get the dub
in some games, there's still a lot of preparation as
you look forward towards some of those harder games and
take those games game by game.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Do you still feel the same excitement that a young girl,
oh Hey Dumont felt when she got off the plane
and got the text that day.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Oh I still do, and it's probably exacerbated by just
the magnificence of this event. I remember, you know, I
recall back to the last World Cup team naming and
not even all the team was there, you know, it
was just another day. Our finos weren't there. And so
the time and the effort that's gone into making this
(10:14):
particular what announcement, they're extra special. It does bring back
those feelings and emotions and excitement of being named for
the first time.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
For me, go, well, everybody is behind you.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Jason, Hey DeMont, hope you can hear okay over the
background music there. I think we got it okay.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Thirty three strong squad tasked with defending the Black Ferns
title as Rugby World Cup champions has been announced. Not
too many surprises in the squad named in Wellington last night.
The main talking point was the o mission of outside
back Ruby Tooey. She's featured only once off the bench
for the team this year, after being a pretty integral
(00:33):
part of the team that won the World Cup at
the back end of twenty twenty two. No room for
her in the outside backs, the selectors instead opting for
Poorsha Woodman, Wickliffe, Renee Holmes, Asha Lettiinger, Caitlin colll and
Braxton Sorenson McGee. Veteran Cali Brazier has earned a place.
She's the backup first five to co captain Audola hey Dumont.
(00:56):
She's only played Calli Brazier twice for the Black Ferns
since twenty twenty one, but has done enough to convince
the selectors they needed her in the squad for what
will be her fourth World Cup. I was lucky enough
to be at the squad announcement yesterday out in Upper
Hut and it was a terrific occasion. I have to
say it was very family focused. All of the players
(01:17):
came into the room and up onto the stage accompanied
by a family member. There was a real family feel
to the whole thing and genuine excitement. I think about
this team, even though they won't go to the World
Cup as favorites, I've got a lot of work to
do to try and defend it, particularly against a very
very strong England side who will be on home soil.
(01:39):
But there was a real sense of optimism in the
room yesterday about their ability to do that. I caught
up with a few of the players during the event.
One of those was Hurricane's poor winger Asha Letty, ainger
who was off to her second World Cup. So how's
she feeling about that?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Overwhelm with the motions, I guess We're doing this in
my hometown in Wellington and I get to have all
my family here and to go to another World Cup again. Yeah,
it's a pinch me moment all over again.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
It hasn't been a straight line for you either, has
it since the last World Cup? How do you reflect
back on that time out of the game, that what
nearly two years.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah. I guess with my injury, doing my AC hour
kind of made me more hungry to come back for
the squad and to even make the World Cup squad again.
So that was always my goal, my driving god, to
get back. So yeah, pretty stoked.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
What's that?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
What sort of kept you going in those darker moments?
Were you able to look ahead to twenty twenty five
and think, right, that's what I'm aiming for.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
I guess with injury comes challenges, and one of those
is south doubt. Will you ever play like how you sue?
But my goal was always to make another World Cup again,
so there was the driving force for everything, and also
my family as well. Although I was injured, it gave
me time with family just to refresh, to come back.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Are you back to where you were? Is that how
you feel?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Oh? If I'm being honest, I think I'm better than
what I was. I'm in better shape mentally and physically.
So yeah, let's go and win another World Cup.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
I love that. I love that. How often do you
think back to twenty twenty two, the last one? I
know you've got to put it behind you at some stage,
but how often do you think back to that night.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
You can never put that behind you. I guess when
do you ever play a World Cup at home, right
in front of your families and just their last moment
with Jonah getting their last line out there will always
replay my head and every time I rewatched the game,
I always cry at the inside yeahs.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And you look at the outside backs in this team,
it's stacked, man, there are some talented outside backs. How
do you balance up eron moster play but doing what's
best for this team?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I guess we all know our role in this team, man.
I know selections will be based off who was better
for the team that we play against, and we're just
trying to make each other better. And it's all healthy
competition out there.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
And there's word up on the stage that you're sort
of the spark plugging this team. I know you yelled
out that you were you're actually white, shehy, It didn't
seem like it. What do you can you talk a
bit about the culture off the field in this Blackfins team?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I guess you could say the girls are pretty a
tiny group. We all come from big family, so it's
pretty easy to mingle against each other. But also we're
together for long periods of time, so we only have
each other. We actually enjoy each other's company off field.
We love good board games and stuff like that, and
we love to have a laugh.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So yeah, all right, you reckon This team can go
back to back?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Why not? Right?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Of course there'll be a challenge.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
We're playing England at their home turf, but we're up
for their challenge.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
So yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
That is Aisha Littiainga who was a big star at
the last World Cup when New Zealand won in twenty
twenty two, then had that long lail with injury. Great
to have her back and fit and firing by the
sounds of it, and her words are better than she
was before. Also spoke with co captain or doo Hey DeMont,
the veteran of forty five test matches. I asked her
(05:04):
if she remembered the feeling of being selected for her
first World Cup as many of her teammates experienced yesterday.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Yeah, I remember I missed the car because I was
on a flight, so I got a text when I
turned my phone back off flight mode. And the overwhelming disbelief,
you know when you have a goal and you work
so hard towards it. And for so long that goal
seems like it's out of reach, and so to be
(05:34):
named for the first time is a feeling I'll never forget.
And I see that when I look at my teammates
who are experiencing their first time, you know, and just
seeing the happiness, the tears, and to cap it off
with our family being here just makes this moment so
much more real and so much more full circle. I guess.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, it's going to get real pretty quick, isn't it.
When you I think another week or so here and
then you're on the plane and away you go. In
a month or so, you'll be out there. How ready
do you feel to defend the World Cup? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I think the beauty of the World Cup is that
you kind of want to peek at the right time,
you know what I mean? Like, I have full confidence
and trust in our team that we will be exactly
where we need to be when we need to be there.
I hope that answers your question.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
It answers it perfectly. It's a great answer. The blend
of youth and experience in the team. It was talked
about up there on stage. How crucial is that in
a World Cup iss you need those who have been
there before, for those who are a little bit naive
really and just play without bear.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I think those players that in some cases are even
more important than the players who have been there, done
it before and know what to expect. I think of
players like Young Bay, one of the new props within
our team, who hasn't played many tests, and she reminds
me of many of us who experienced our first World
(07:01):
Cup back in twenty twenty two, and just the excitement
that we had walking towards anything and nothing seen as
pressure because it was a privileged pressure, and we flip
that into enjoyment. And that's what I see when I
look at my teammates who who are inexperienced when it
comes to World Cups, they have that youthful enthusiasm and
welcome and embrace every challenge as an opportunity and as
(07:23):
something to be celebrated.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
So it's extremely important and one of our values of joy,
and those players bring joy to those moments where some
of us have experienced in before and kind of remind
us what it's like and how it should feel.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
That's amazing, But of course, you know, cool heads under
pressure are needed, and that's where experience does come and
you're going to be guiding this team around from the
ten jersey most probably are you ready for that challenge?
How do you feel about the responsibility of doing that again?
Speaker 4 (07:51):
I feel excited, first of all, that I'm even here
and I'm able to don this jersey and guide this team.
It's a privilege that I don't take for granted, so
I'm excited at that. I feel that our coaching staff
have worked really hard behind the scenes to make sure
that we have a game plan.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Where we're really adaptable.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
We're able to shape opposition and understand, you know, solutions
to different pictures. Our analysts is another awesome guy who
works behind the scenes. He does a lot of scouting
for us and identifies with the opportunities, you know, like
many analysts do, and so it makes our jobs as
players on the field. It makes my job as a
game driver so much more easier. That we have plan A,
(08:33):
Plan B, Plan C. And we've experimented with a lot
of those plans this year. Some have come off and
some haven't, and we've had a lot of time to prepare.
Like you said, we've got another week and a half
here in Wellington where we're still assembled as a squad
and training, and we get more time to get those
training pictures, iron out a few kinks before we get
(08:53):
on the plane and head over for our first game.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And obviously everybody's talking about England, and rightly so, they're
a very good team. But are you able to look
at this as not just you against England? It's an
actual tournament. You want to get to the final first, right,
So can you approach it game by game? Is that
actually possible?
Speaker 4 (09:10):
I think so? I mean, for us, we've got the
big third in our poolers Ireland, and so that's the
first one for us. You know, we also know that
well England is, yes, a very good team. Can there's
also another great team that we've had opportunity to play
in the last few months, and potentially we might have
the opportunity to then play a game before that, before
that final. So I think it is still a game
(09:32):
by game approach. And while some you can kind of
bank that you'll most likely you know, get the dub
in some games, there's still a lot of preparation as
you look forward towards some of those harder games and
take those games game by game.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Do you still feel the same excitement that a young girl,
oh Hey Dumont felt when she got off the plane
and got the text that day.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
Oh I still do, and it's probably exacerbated by just
the magnificence of this event. I remember, you know, I
recall back to the last World Cup team naming and
not even all the team was there, you know, it
was just another day. Our finos weren't there. And so
the time and the effort that's gone into making this
(10:14):
particular what announcement, they're extra special. It does bring back
those feelings and emotions and excitement of being named for
the first time.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
For me, go, well, everybody is behind you.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Jason, Hey DeMont, hope you can hear okay over the
background music there. I think we got it okay.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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