Black Ferns 'still proud' despite WXV 1 title loss
World champions New Zealand were dealt a harsh English backlash at Go Media Mt Smart Stadium last night, going down 33-12.
While the result saw them finish a disappointing fourth in the WXV 1 standings, lock Chelsea Bremner said the team was still “really proud.”
"As a team, we've got, you know, we've got lots of great leaders, obviously our two co-captains, but also leaders, you know, on the field through the action. So I think, yeah, we just knew that we had to dig deep and we knew we had to stay in the fight. And unfortunately, you know, going into that second half, we, you know, we couldn't keep up with England. And yeah, as I said, lots of learnings from that.”
Prop Amy Rule shared Bremner’s sentiments after being in the thick of a torrid battle up front with the English forward pack.
“I think we emphasize a lot of work and stuff. I’m actually really proud of the girls,” Rule said.
"I think our maul D was outstanding. We gave them a challenge to work off it and it was a battle up front at scrums, but a lot of fun at the end of the day.
"(The post-game message was) to keep our heads held high. I think as a team we had full intent on everything we did so we've got to make sure we're proud of that. We're a team first and we're people first, so making sure everyone keeps their head held high. Teams win or lose all the time. It's just what we do next is important.”
One of the bright spots in the Black Ferns’ effort was an electric performance off the bench by wing Katelyn Vaha'akolo.
“I think watching the first half, we knew that we had to do something as the bench players,” she said. “And I just was really ready to go.”
Vaha'akolo’s first touch was a clean linebreak, that ultimately led to a slick backline move that saw her score in the corner. Despite that, she was disappointed with the result.
“I don't think we expressed ourselves the way that we wanted to try to execute in certain moments. But nonetheless, I'm still really proud of our team and what we're going to be able to do in the future.”
Bremner is already looking ahead to next season, and a potential showdown with England at Twickenham.
“Like from where we came from at the start of the year, as you say, kind of a really new team, new coaches and obviously we didn't execute everything, but there's also a huge amount of growth that we've had throughout the season. So yeah, we're really excited to get into camp next year and just keep building on what we've grown this year."
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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