September 12, 2025 • 8 mins
The Black Ferns are through to the knockout stage of the Women’s Rugby World Cup after an impressive 40-0 victory over Ireland.
They now face a powerful South African side at midnight in the quarterfinals.
Black Ferns centre Stacey Waaka joined Piney ahead of the match to discuss the Ferns’ plans to overcome that challenge.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Black Ferns meet South Africa in the quarterfinals of
the Rugby World Cup and exitter tonight kickoff at midnight
New Zealand time.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Letting leaking up on the outside, Sorrenson McKay, Georgia Miller
trying to get on the outside poor buck and found
what have we just same?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
What are the tries of the world job? Yeah, brilliant
tried to wrap a forty nerl win over Ireland in
the final Paul match. Black Ferns center Stacy Waka is
with us ahead of her milestone thirtieth test tonight. Stacy,
how happy of the players and coaching staff been with
your unbeaten run through Paul Pay?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, we're pretty sloked as a squad. We've obviously built
over these last three games. Haven't put out the perfect
so much yet, but we have found some things that
we can work on Stole, which is exciting because we
haven't really reached our peace again. There's definitely more potential
in the squad. But have we all thought we've done
so far? We just we know we've more to gift.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So in terms of those improvements and those growth areas,
anything in particular you've been focusing on, Oh, I think.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
For us, it's just extracution of our game plan at
the right time in the game and in the right
parts of the field. Few little eras and penalties that
I think the first week we had like twenty five
plus or something and the end we're we sharpened that
down to nine, only nine against Island. So that was
a massive growth area for us. And we know that
(01:40):
if we give those penalties away, or we give silly
eras away the other teams, we let them into the game,
then you know, it starts to become a chasing one
instead of us kind of being in control and full flow.
So yeah, hopefully a little less of those in the
next coming weeks and then we'll be good to go.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
The game against Island forty nil, I think most people
expected it to be, you know, your toughest Paul game,
but you really put on a great performance. Were you
as pleased with the nil as you were with the
forty that day?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, Look, honestly, I think we're happy with the nil
more so than the forty. I think we could have
probably put a few more tries on the board in
certain parts of the game, where like I said, we
gave way too many bottleties and we didn't have the
ball as such or as much in the second half.
So yeah, pretty please. With our defense, it's obviously been
a rick on from the last two of the first
(02:27):
few pool matches, so yeah, we'll keep grinding away at
that and hopefully we can give a few more donuts
to these next teams.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
How much do you expect the intensity to ramp up
now that we're at knockout time?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Oh, it's nuts.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
It's going to ramp up, peeps. And one not only
is it lookout around, but to the pressure. South Africa
has never been in this position before, so they're excited.
They've got absolutely nothing to lose. They're a really strong
and physical team, so I expect them to throw everything
at us, which is fair enough. It's a big game
and a big moment. But yeah, we've got some good
(03:02):
plans up our sleeves, so I can't wait to get
out there and play.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I said that I've named a seven to one bench
split as well, Yeah, which I mean, man, it's just
like obviously something their men's team has done to great
effect as well in recent times. What do you think
that says about the way that they want to play
the game.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, well, I mean it's not rocket science to know
that their forward's dominant team. If you watch their last
three matches, they love picking and going at the ruck.
They love using their big, strong forwards to get them
go forward and momentum. And they obviously have trust in
their backs when they need to. But it's heavily dominated
in the forward. So that's what they want to do, right.
They want to try and go through us, keep going
(03:42):
through us, keep going through us, and then recycle. That
was their seven to one split. But hey, when I
stopped that, we've practiced it all week. We've seen all
the footage that we need to see, and yeah, I
just say bring it on.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Good stuff. And I mean, all things being equal, as
you're saying, for them, nothing to lose really never been
this far. They can just throw the kitchen sink at it.
Nothing to lose for them from your point of view,
all things being equal, station you should beat South Africa.
So how do you avoid any possible complacency?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Look, I think we've talked about that the last three weeks.
We can't be complacent in any situation. Every team that
plays against us almost grows another arm in the leg
because the black jersey is so sacred or is so special.
And I've got a few team teammates, sorry, players in
that team who have played against on the World seven series,
and they said, you know, we've always been the nation
(04:32):
that they've looked up to that have inspired them to
want to be better. So it's easy for us to
kind of look at it like, oh, this is their
first time. But then where we're all I suppose humble
and excited players who just want to be better and
everything that we do, and so we'll never stay complacent
in what we have or what we've done. We're always
(04:52):
finding ways to be better. It's the fours, that's the
backs and everything in our skill sets. So I'm pretty
confident that the girls will find their superpower this weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
So for you personally, you've been out of the Black
Ferns since the last Rugby World Cup sevens and obviously
Rugby league as well. How did you transition so seamlessly
back into fifteens when you returned in May of this year.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
I wouldn't say it was a seamless transition. I think
I think I did that.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
It's a lot of work.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I never really had ambitions to be here at first.
If you'd asked me three years ago, I thought, man,
that's me done at fifteens. But obviously jump out opportunities
when I can, but say no when this year came around.
And for me, it's easy physically to kind of transition
because you know, I'm fit, fas strong, whatever you need
(05:46):
to be in the condition. It's more the mental mindset
around understanding and learning new game plans, working with combinations
and connections with different teammates. Who will you know, we
all come from different regions, so coming together in this
fifteen set up for a World Cup is quite hard.
The detail in the game plan from the coaches is
obviously very different to some of these from last RealD Cup,
(06:08):
so you've had to put in a puttle work behind
the scenes. So obviously get up to speed or learn
everything and see all these different pictures. Because you play
seven's to just play to the space. There's a game plan,
but not really you just catch past run then that's it.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I just want asking me to a couple of your
teammates she got a couple of the youngsters who are
catching the eye, Georgia Miller and Braxton Sorens and McGee man.
How much energy have those two in particular brought to
the to the fifteenth environment.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah, well, actually they're both completely different people. So Brexa's
energy is very different. She's a bit more mellow and
shel You obviously see more in her actions than you
do with her kind of persona. Georgia Milo, on the
other hand, she's a bit loud and a bit out there.
She's very comfortable in your own skin, which I love.
But we do have a lot of banter with her.
(06:57):
She doesn't seem like she's only twenty one either. It's
like she's been here forever. But it's really cool, it's
real refreshing, it's really exciting. I mean, I'm glad they're
on our team because the flair and the skill that
they bring to our team is absolutely massive. So yeah,
it's call seeing them flow, flourish in every single way
doing their thing on the fields. Obviously real natural talent,
(07:20):
really gifted players, and yeah, I'm happy for them and
the marks they have stamped so far in the Wood Cup.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Indeed, and just to finish, Dacey, your third World Cup,
of course, how much guidance have you found yourself giving
to some of the younger players, some of the players
who are at their first one.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah, I think honestly, it still goes both ways, Like, yes,
it's my third World carp and this is my thirty test.
It's taken ten years, so a little bit of a
few years to get there. But the confidence in these
girls young days is awesome, Like I'll share what I share,
but most of the time they already know, so it's
technically quite cool. And then they share things on me
(07:58):
and I'm like, oh, yeah, it's cool that you see
it this way. So that's probably the culture that we've
bought and we've made here is you know, everyone's been
putting in New South. Everyone has a voice. Ifyone's here
for a reason, So why do the old look younger
ones have to listen to old ones or other way around?
You know, as long as we can collaborate and work
(08:18):
in ways together, it will be beneficial for the whole team.
I definitely think that's how we work these days.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Well, over here, we're all stocking up on the coffee,
Stacey for the next three ois all the best please, yeah,
all the best agains South Africa in the first instance.
Thanks so much for taking the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
No worries, thank you, and thank you for your early mornings.
I know it's hard and you'll put on a good show,
so stay with us.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
We'll stay with you. Don't you worry about that, Stacy.
Thanks indeed, Stacey waka from the Black Ferns ahead of
their quarter final on the Rugby World Cup tonight just
after midnight New Zealand time is when that one kicks
off against South Africa.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk z B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Black Ferns meet South Africa in the quarterfinals of
the Rugby World Cup and exitter tonight kickoff at midnight
New Zealand time.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Letting leaking up on the outside, Sorrenson McKay, Georgia Miller
trying to get on the outside poor buck and found
what have we just same?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
What are the tries of the world job? Yeah, brilliant
tried to wrap a forty nerl win over Ireland in
the final Paul match. Black Ferns center Stacy Waka is
with us ahead of her milestone thirtieth test tonight. Stacy,
how happy of the players and coaching staff been with
your unbeaten run through Paul Pay?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, we're pretty sloked as a squad. We've obviously built
over these last three games. Haven't put out the perfect
so much yet, but we have found some things that
we can work on Stole, which is exciting because we
haven't really reached our peace again. There's definitely more potential
in the squad. But have we all thought we've done
so far? We just we know we've more to gift.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So in terms of those improvements and those growth areas,
anything in particular you've been focusing on, Oh, I think.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
For us, it's just extracution of our game plan at
the right time in the game and in the right
parts of the field. Few little eras and penalties that
I think the first week we had like twenty five
plus or something and the end we're we sharpened that
down to nine, only nine against Island. So that was
a massive growth area for us. And we know that
(01:40):
if we give those penalties away, or we give silly
eras away the other teams, we let them into the game,
then you know, it starts to become a chasing one
instead of us kind of being in control and full flow.
So yeah, hopefully a little less of those in the
next coming weeks and then we'll be good to go.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
The game against Island forty nil, I think most people
expected it to be, you know, your toughest Paul game,
but you really put on a great performance. Were you
as pleased with the nil as you were with the
forty that day?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, Look, honestly, I think we're happy with the nil
more so than the forty. I think we could have
probably put a few more tries on the board in
certain parts of the game, where like I said, we
gave way too many bottleties and we didn't have the
ball as such or as much in the second half.
So yeah, pretty please. With our defense, it's obviously been
a rick on from the last two of the first
(02:27):
few pool matches, so yeah, we'll keep grinding away at
that and hopefully we can give a few more donuts
to these next teams.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
How much do you expect the intensity to ramp up
now that we're at knockout time?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Oh, it's nuts.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
It's going to ramp up, peeps. And one not only
is it lookout around, but to the pressure. South Africa
has never been in this position before, so they're excited.
They've got absolutely nothing to lose. They're a really strong
and physical team, so I expect them to throw everything
at us, which is fair enough. It's a big game
and a big moment. But yeah, we've got some good
(03:02):
plans up our sleeves, so I can't wait to get
out there and play.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I said that I've named a seven to one bench
split as well, Yeah, which I mean, man, it's just
like obviously something their men's team has done to great
effect as well in recent times. What do you think
that says about the way that they want to play
the game.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah, well, I mean it's not rocket science to know
that their forward's dominant team. If you watch their last
three matches, they love picking and going at the ruck.
They love using their big, strong forwards to get them
go forward and momentum. And they obviously have trust in
their backs when they need to. But it's heavily dominated
in the forward. So that's what they want to do, right.
They want to try and go through us, keep going
(03:42):
through us, keep going through us, and then recycle. That
was their seven to one split. But hey, when I
stopped that, we've practiced it all week. We've seen all
the footage that we need to see, and yeah, I
just say bring it on.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Good stuff. And I mean, all things being equal, as
you're saying, for them, nothing to lose really never been
this far. They can just throw the kitchen sink at it.
Nothing to lose for them from your point of view,
all things being equal, station you should beat South Africa.
So how do you avoid any possible complacency?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Look, I think we've talked about that the last three weeks.
We can't be complacent in any situation. Every team that
plays against us almost grows another arm in the leg
because the black jersey is so sacred or is so special.
And I've got a few team teammates, sorry, players in
that team who have played against on the World seven series,
and they said, you know, we've always been the nation
(04:32):
that they've looked up to that have inspired them to
want to be better. So it's easy for us to
kind of look at it like, oh, this is their
first time. But then where we're all I suppose humble
and excited players who just want to be better and
everything that we do, and so we'll never stay complacent
in what we have or what we've done. We're always
(04:52):
finding ways to be better. It's the fours, that's the
backs and everything in our skill sets. So I'm pretty
confident that the girls will find their superpower this weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
So for you personally, you've been out of the Black
Ferns since the last Rugby World Cup sevens and obviously
Rugby league as well. How did you transition so seamlessly
back into fifteens when you returned in May of this year.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
I wouldn't say it was a seamless transition. I think
I think I did that.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
It's a lot of work.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I never really had ambitions to be here at first.
If you'd asked me three years ago, I thought, man,
that's me done at fifteens. But obviously jump out opportunities
when I can, but say no when this year came around.
And for me, it's easy physically to kind of transition
because you know, I'm fit, fas strong, whatever you need
(05:46):
to be in the condition. It's more the mental mindset
around understanding and learning new game plans, working with combinations
and connections with different teammates. Who will you know, we
all come from different regions, so coming together in this
fifteen set up for a World Cup is quite hard.
The detail in the game plan from the coaches is
obviously very different to some of these from last RealD Cup,
(06:08):
so you've had to put in a puttle work behind
the scenes. So obviously get up to speed or learn
everything and see all these different pictures. Because you play
seven's to just play to the space. There's a game plan,
but not really you just catch past run then that's it.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I just want asking me to a couple of your
teammates she got a couple of the youngsters who are
catching the eye, Georgia Miller and Braxton Sorens and McGee man.
How much energy have those two in particular brought to
the to the fifteenth environment.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah, well, actually they're both completely different people. So Brexa's
energy is very different. She's a bit more mellow and
shel You obviously see more in her actions than you
do with her kind of persona. Georgia Milo, on the
other hand, she's a bit loud and a bit out there.
She's very comfortable in your own skin, which I love.
But we do have a lot of banter with her.
(06:57):
She doesn't seem like she's only twenty one either. It's
like she's been here forever. But it's really cool, it's
real refreshing, it's really exciting. I mean, I'm glad they're
on our team because the flair and the skill that
they bring to our team is absolutely massive. So yeah,
it's call seeing them flow, flourish in every single way
doing their thing on the fields. Obviously real natural talent,
(07:20):
really gifted players, and yeah, I'm happy for them and
the marks they have stamped so far in the Wood Cup.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Indeed, and just to finish, Dacey, your third World Cup,
of course, how much guidance have you found yourself giving
to some of the younger players, some of the players
who are at their first one.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yeah, I think honestly, it still goes both ways, Like, yes,
it's my third World carp and this is my thirty test.
It's taken ten years, so a little bit of a
few years to get there. But the confidence in these
girls young days is awesome, Like I'll share what I share,
but most of the time they already know, so it's
technically quite cool. And then they share things on me
(07:58):
and I'm like, oh, yeah, it's cool that you see
it this way. So that's probably the culture that we've
bought and we've made here is you know, everyone's been
putting in New South. Everyone has a voice. Ifyone's here
for a reason, So why do the old look younger
ones have to listen to old ones or other way around?
You know, as long as we can collaborate and work
(08:18):
in ways together, it will be beneficial for the whole team.
I definitely think that's how we work these days.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Well, over here, we're all stocking up on the coffee,
Stacey for the next three ois all the best please, yeah,
all the best agains South Africa in the first instance.
Thanks so much for taking the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
No worries, thank you, and thank you for your early mornings.
I know it's hard and you'll put on a good show,
so stay with us.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
We'll stay with you. Don't you worry about that, Stacy.
Thanks indeed, Stacey waka from the Black Ferns ahead of
their quarter final on the Rugby World Cup tonight just
after midnight New Zealand time is when that one kicks
off against South Africa.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk z B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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