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Black Ferns captain Hirini can't wait for the opportunity to play in Hong Kong

Players of New Zealand perform a haka after the final game of the World Rugby Seven Series 2023 BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on March 5, 2023. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

For the first time in 22 years, New Zealand Rugby will send an official women’s team to the Hong Kong Sevens when the Black Ferns Sevens compete in the sixth round of the HSBC World Sevens Series.

The last time New Zealand’s women played at the iconic Hong Kong Stadium was in 2001.

With World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Anna Richards and pioneering legends Annaleah Rush and Dianne Kahura to the fore, New Zealand won the tournament without conceding a point.

Black Ferns Sevens captain Sarah Hirini can’t wait for the opportunity to add Hong Kong to her 56-tournament list.

“I have always wanted to play at the Hong Kong Sevens and to now have this opportunity is going to be amazing,” Hirini said.

“Hong Kong is the home of sevens and has always been the biggest event of the men’s sevens calendar.

“I feel the greatest games have been played in Hong Kong and a memory that stands out for me would be the Jonah Lomu try that went 104 metres from the in goal to the try line.”

That Lomu try was in 1994, the first year of play at the Hong Kong Stadium, where New Zealand ended up beating Australia 32-20 in the final.

The Black Ferns have beaten all in sundry the last four tournaments to establish an almost unassailable 14-point lead in the World Series Standings with two events to play.

In 2022 Australia largely had the Black Ferns measure. What’s changed since the XV’s World Cup in October and November?

“I think the group has gotten even more competitive,” Hirini said.

“Players took their chance to show why they are in the team and are proving why they should be wearing the black jersey.

“It’s been awesome coming back and seeing the growth everyone has had and having to work even harder to make the team.”

It would be remiss when reflecting on the history of New Zealand female Sevens in Hong Kong not to mention the impact of Aotearoa Maori, an unofficial women’s seven team sent to represent New Zealand.

In 2002 Peter Joseph and his wife Shelly auctioned their house in Rotorua to ensure a Kiwi presence at the tournament with the newly put together team. Aotearoa Maori then became a juggernaut winning five tournaments in a row.

They featured Black Ferns legends like Honey Hireme-Smiler and Selica Winiata. In 2010, schoolgirl Sarah Hirini featured for the side.

“He literally started my sevens career. He gave me an opportunity when I was 17 to play for the Aotearoa Maori and I will always be grateful for that experience.”

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AM 42 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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