D'Arcy Waldegrave: Let's hope the Black Ferns strut their stuff and win again

The 33 have been named.  

Last night in Upper Hutt the athletes charged with winning the World Cup were announced.   

33 wāhine from across our fine motu were named as the Black Ferns to carry on New Zealand’s outstanding record at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.  

There were disappointments, notably the omission of one of the stars of the last tournament, the irrepressible Ruby Tui. I’m told Ruby was celebrating the loudest, cheering on the women picked, not sulking over her non selection. This says a lot to me about the sisterhood, the whanau, the strong bond between these women.   

And they’ll need it. Back in the halcyon days, the Ferns were the gold standard. They dominated the game, winning six titles. The first two world tournaments, won by the USA and England, didn’t have official recognition from the IRB (now World Rugby), but they have since been retrospectively given official status.  

In 1998 the Ferns became champions of the world. 

They have only been beaten once in the comp since then, and that was at the hands of England in 2014.  

Last time out they shook up the world at home, riding their luck past France in the semi then beating the English in a pulsating final at a chocka Eden Park.  

Joanah Ngan Woo was the hero that day, swiping a line out ball on her own line to stop the English surge in its tracks.  

An astonishing end to a spectacular tournament. The energy in the stadium was like nothing I have experienced in a big international rugby fixture. The testosterone that dominates All Black matches, the collective fear of defeat, the barely contained masculine rage didn’t exist. It was pure joy. It was a rugby crowd as it should be.   

Let's hope that continues in England as New Zealand strut their stuff and win again.   

Not defend their title, win it all over again.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Wildgrave from News Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
The thirty three being named last night.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
Upper Huton athletes charge with winning the World Cup were announced.
Thirty three from a cross our Fine Monty named in
the Black Firms to carry on New Zealand's well outstanding
record at.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
The Women's Rugby World Cup. Like there were disappointments in
the naming, notably the omission of one of the stars
of the last tournament, the irrepressible Ruby Tilley. I'm told
Ruby though was celebrating the loudest cheering on the women pack,
not sulking over her non selection. This says a lot
to me about the sisterhood, the funo, the strong bond

(00:50):
between these women that has seen them celebrate such success
over the years, and like they'll need that. But back
in the Helsion days, the ferns with a gold standard.
They dominated the game. The one six titles that the
first two world tournaments won by the USA in England
didn't have official recognition from the IIB now World Rugby,

(01:14):
but they have since been retrospectively given official status. So
when the first official then tournament turned up ninety ninety eight,
the Ferns became champions of the World. They've only been
beaten once in the competition since, in the final. That
was at the hands of England in twenty fourteen, so
the last time they shook up the world at home.

(01:36):
Never forget it. They rode their luck pass France in
the semifinal and then beat the English in an a
pulsating final at a choker Eden Park. Jonat nam Wu
was the hero of that day, swiping a line out
ball on our own line to stop the English surge
in its tracks. The celebration was long and wild. It

(01:58):
was an astonishing end to a wonderful tournament. That The
energy in the stadium was like nothing I've experienced in
a big international rugby fixture. The testosterone that dominates all
black matches, that the collective fear of defeat, that barely
contained masculine rage, it just didn't exist. It was pure joy.

(02:20):
It was a rugby crowd as it should be, and
let's hope that continues in England as the Black Ferns
go not to defend their title but.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
To win it all over again.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
That'll do.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
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