Black Ferns’ Vaha’akolo ‘living the dream’ with 4-try haul versus Wallaroos

With a blood stain smudged into the white collar of Katelyn Vaha'akolo’s otherwise black jersey, the wounds of a rugby battle between groups of rivalling warriors were clear for all to see. But after an 80-minute masterclass, the Black Fern still had every reason to smile.

New Zealand recorded their second comprehensive win over traditional rivals Australia in a 50-day span and Vaha'akolo was the star of the show. The Black Ferns speedster scored four tries, and almost had a fifth, in a relentless 62-nil demolition in Brisbane.

Vaha'akolo, 24, reeled in a well-worked Sylvia Brunt grubber kick to score in the 22^nd minute and reaped the rewards of some more backline magic about 13 minutes later. But it’s almost impossible to be perfect, even on an afternoon like this one.

Two-Test Wallaroos Biola Dawa did enough to stop her opposite from completing a first-half hat-trick with a solid defensive effort in the dying stages. With a desperate lunge, Dawa did just enough to force a knock-on from Vaha'akolo.

With two more tries during the second 40-minute period, Vaha'akolo was a clear winner for Player of the Match honours. It was a sensational performance overall but that one knock-on is a moment the winger would love to have back.

“I knocked it on on the line because of that great defence from that No. 14,” Vaha'akolo told a trio of reporters including one from RugbyPass.

“That was all I could think about,” she quipped with a laugh.

“But no, just going to move onto the next.”

Vaha'akolo couldn’t stop smiling after the big win. With fans from both Australia and New Zealand swarming the players on the field at Ballymore Stadium, the Black Fern's No. 11 was in good spirits as she continued to live “the dream.”

The outside back is a dual international after also representing New Zealand and the Maori All Stars in rugby league. In Vaha'akolo’s five appearances for the Kiwi Ferns, she had a strike rate of one try pre-match at international level.

But after playing at the 2021 Women’s Rugby League World Cup, Vaha'akolo jumped codes after putting pen to paper in rugby union. Blues Women ended up taking the cross-code star on and they certainly made the right call there.

She was named the Blues’ Player of the Year.

The Blues also won Super Rugby Aupiki with a Grand Final triumph at Eden Park.

Vaha'akolo was named World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year for a women’s 15s player in 2023 and it’s not hard to see why. The try-scoring machine has been electric in Super Rugby Aupiki and also on the grand international stage.

There might not be a better winger in women’s rugby at the moment.

“I’m really living the dream and I have so much support around me so it’s like there’s no excuse for me to not be able to succeed,” Vaha'akolo explained.

“Obviously, coming from a contact sport with league has helped me bring it into union.

“I’m really happy where I am and I’m exactly where I should be.”

With Vaha'akolo playing a starring role in both wins over Australia this year, the New Zealanders have now won back-to-back Tests for the first time this year.

The Black Ferns’ only defeat so far was during World Rugby’s Pacific Four Series where they went down in a shock defeat to Canada in Christchurch. But the women in black back have bounced back with two cricket scores against the Wallaroos.

“Having those two wins is helping us build our confidence going into Twickenham versing England.

“We know it’s going to be a really, really hard game so we’ve just got to keep building, keep making shifts like we have been the last couple of weeks.

“It is really great. It’s awesome. I like beating Aussie but they’re out sisters,” she added.

“Hopefully they get full-time contracts soon… so they are in a position to verse teams like us and we can be similar levels of skill.”