'Have to be more themselves': What the ABs can learn from the Black Ferns

This year’s women’s Rugby World Cup was a truly ground-breaking event, as the Black Ferns captured the imagination and hearts of a rugby-mad nation like never before.

New Zealand were crowned champions after a thrilling World Cup final at a sold-out Eden Park, as more than 42,000 supporters packed the stands at the famous venue.

But the Black Ferns are also deserving of endless praise for the example they set off the field as well, as the players embodied their roles as pioneers for both the legacy of the black jersey and women’s rugby.

The Black Ferns showed courage, determination and passion as they dared to dream of a World Cup triumph on home soil, but they also made sure to appreciate the occasion.

Star centre Stacey Fluhler was one of the players of the final, but her unwavering smile during the decider – and throughout the tournament as a whole – was both refreshing and special.

But that’s just one example.

Players were smiling during the national anthems as a chorus of New Zealanders sang in unison, and the team also appeared to have all the time in their world for their fans.

The Black Ferns had quickly become New Zealand’s team.

While the All Blacks will always hold a very special place in every New Zealanders heart, Rugby News editor Campbell Burnes believes the men’s team can learn from the Black Ferns.

“I think the All Blacks to a certain extent trying to relate to their fans, and they often do that through social media as much as anything,” Burnes told SENZ’s Afternoons.

“I think they’ve got to have a look at themselves the All Blacks and say that not all media are the actual enemy. There are some good and bad media but they’ve got to approach it with a fresh look.

“They do have to be more themselves like the Black Ferns have been.

“Whether that’s been coached out of them or coaxed out of them, I’m not too sure. I mean there’s some genuinely good guys amongst the All Blacks but we don’t always see that when they talk because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing.

“I just got the impression that the Black Ferns were just thriving on this extra media and extra attention, but they weren’t trying to be anything other than themselves.

“It was a tribute to what they’ve done under Wayne Smith.”

The Black Ferns’ road to a sixth World Cup crown is truly inspiring, as they dared to dream of the seemingly unlikely following a disastrous end-of-season tour.

New Zealand had lost two Test matches against both England and France during their November internationals, and they lost all of these Tests by big margins – but that’s been well documented.

Daylight appeared to separate the rugby world – including the Black Ferns – from England and France, until New Zealand rewrote history on home soil.

Under the tutelage of rugby guru Wayne Smith, New Zealand were able to revolutionise their game when it mattered most.

The Black Ferns beat both teams on their way to the title, and Smith was later crowned World Rugby’s Coach of the Year.

“Clearly he came in under very difficult circumstances back in March, April when the review was happening,” Burnes added.

“He wasn’t keen to step into the head coach role but the way he was able to embrace this, and all the while with the Black Ferns trying to embrace full-time professionalism.

“It wasn’t perfect, there were mistakes, their kicking game wasn’t always on point, but they played fearlessly and I think Wayne Smith just drove that.

“Clearly he made the right call to say we’re not going to be playing like England or France, we’re not going to have as much structure, and it was absolutely the right call.

“They earnt some luck the Black Ferns and I think Wayne would say this has probably been his most enjoyable assignment of his very long and successful rugby career.”