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Ruby Tui insists Black Ferns’ shock loss to Canada was ‘really good timing’

Paige Farries of Canada celebrates with teammates after scoring a try, which was later disallowed during the 2024 Pacific Four Series match between New Zealand Black Ferns and Canada at Apollo Projects Stadium on May 19, 2024 in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Winger Ruby Tui can see positives in New Zealand’s shock 22-19 loss to Canada as the reigning Rugby World Cup champions look to “smooth out these little issues” before next year’s title defence in England.

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For the first time ever, Canada defeated the Black Ferns on a now-famous rugby night in Christchurch. The Canadians also etched their names into the history books by claiming the World Rugby Pacific Four Series title.

Ill discipline and poor execution certainly cost the Black Ferns, but that can’t take away from Canada’s deserved victory in front of thousands of New Zealand supporters at the home of defending Super Rugby Pacific winners the Crusaders.

Yellow cards to inside centre Sylvia Brunt and replacement prop Aldora Itunu proved to be fairly big moments in the context of the thriller. Canada kicked the ball into touch and burst into a frenzy shortly after Itunu was sent to the sin bin.

The Black Ferns will be eager to bounce back when they take on Australia’s Wallaroos on Saturday afternoon at North Harbour Stadium. They’ve had some “honest conversations” as a playing group and they’ll be desperate to make amends of sorts.

“It’s disappointing, but trust me, we are our harshest critics on ourselves,” Ruby Tui said at a press conference. “We had some pretty honest conversations last night and over the weekend.

“I think it is really good timing to smooth out these little issues out and take these little gifts,” she added.

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“If we were a month out (from the World Cup), I think there would be a bit more yelling.”

The Black Ferns’ upcoming opponents from across the ditch are looking forward to playing a “wounded” Kiwi outfit this weekend, with the Australians seeing an opportunity to deepen the New Zealanders’ “hurt.”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins
5
Draws
0
Wins
0
Average Points scored
53
8
First try wins
80%
Home team wins
40%

Australia have started their new era under coach Jo Yapp with a 0-2 start in the Pacific Four Series. The Wallaroos need to beat the Black Ferns with a bonus point to keep their hopes of playing in WXV1 alive.

Following a heavy loss to Canada in Sydney, the Aussies couldn’t hold onto their half-time lead against the United States in Melbourne which saw them fall to a second consecutive defeat. But there’s no better opponent to bounce back against than New Zealand.

“It was definitely disappointing for us as a group but I think everyone’s really keen to turn things around,” Australia’s Maya Stewart told reporters on Tuesday.

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“Canada showed last week that New Zealand can be beaten so we’re definitely up for the challenge.

“Every game is a Test match and it’s not just a one-sided game. We’re definitely competitive and Canada showed that last week.

“(New Zealand) are going to be wounded, they’re going to be hurt and I think it’d be great for us to just climb on the back of that.”

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Ok, managed to read the full article..

... New Zealand’s has only 14 and the professional season is all over within four months. In France, club governance is the responsibility of an independent organisation [the Ligue Nationale de Rugby or LNR] which is entirely separate from the host union [the Fédération Française de Rugby or FFR]. Down south New Zealand Rugby runs the provincial and the national game.

That is the National Provincial Championship, a competition of 14 representative union based teams run through the SH international window and only semi professional (paid only during it's running). It is run by NZR and goes for two and a half months.


Super Rugby is a competition involving 12 fully professional teams, of which 5 are of New Zealand eligibility, and another joint administered team of Pacific Island eligibility, with NZR involvement. It was a 18 week competition this year, so involved (randomly chosen I believe) extra return fixtures (2 or 3 home and away derbys), and is run by Super Rugby Pacific's own independent Board (or organisation). The teams may or may not be independently run and owned (note, this does not necessarily mean what you think of as 'privately owned').


LNR was setup by FFR and the French Government to administer the professional game in France. In New Zealand, the Players Association and Super Rugby franchises agreed last month to not setup their own governance structure for professional rugby and re-aligned themselves with New Zealand Rugby. They had been proposing to do something like the English model, I'm not sure how closely that would have been aligned to the French system but it did not sound like it would have French union executive representation on it like the LNR does.

In the shaky isles the professional pyramid tapers to a point with the almighty All Blacks. In France the feeling for country is no more important than the sense of fierce local identity spawned at myriad clubs concentrated in the southwest. Progress is achieved by a nonchalant shrug and the wide sweep of nuanced negotiation, rather than driven from the top by a single intense focus.

Yes, it is pretty much a 'representative' selection system at every level, but these union's are having to fight for their existence against the regime that is NZR, and are currently going through their own battle, just as France has recently as I understand it. A single focus, ala the French game, might not be the best outcome for rugby as a whole.


For pure theatre, it is a wonderful article so far. I prefer 'Ntamack New Zealand 2022' though.

The young Crusader still struggles to solve the puzzle posed by the shorter, more compact tight-heads at this level but he had no problem at all with Colombe.

It was interesting to listen to Manny during an interview on Maul or Nothing, he citied that after a bit of banter with the All Black's he no longer wanted one of their jersey's after the game. One of those talks was an eye to eye chat with Tamaiti Williams, there appear to be nothing between the lock and prop, just a lot of give and take. I thought TW angled in and caused Taylor to pop a few times, and that NZ were lucky to be rewarded.

f you have a forward of 6ft 8ins and 145kg, and he is not at all disturbed by a dysfunctional set-piece, you are in business.

He talked about the clarity of the leadership that helped alleviate any need for anxiety at the predicaments unfolding before him. The same cannot be said for New Zealand when they had 5 minutes left to retrieve a match winning penalty, I don't believe. Did the team in black have much of a plan at any point in the game? I don't really call an autonomous 10 vehicle they had as innovative. I think Razor needs to go back to the dealer and get a new game driver on that one.

Vaa’i is no match for his power on the ground. Even in reverse, Meafou is like a tractor motoring backwards in low gear, trampling all in its path.

Vaa'i actually stops him in his tracks. He gets what could have been a dubious 'tackle' on him?

A high-level offence will often try to identify and exploit big forwards who can be slower to reload, and therefore vulnerable to two quick plays run at them consecutively.

Yes he was just standing on his haunches wasn't he? He mentioned that in the interview, saying that not only did you just get up and back into the line to find the opposition was already set and running at you they also hit harder than anything he'd experienced in the Top 14. He was referring to New Zealands ultra-physical, burst-based Super style of course, which he was more than a bit surprised about. I don't blame him for being caught out.


He still sent the obstruction back to the repair yard though!

What wouldn’t the New Zealand rugby public give to see the likes of Mauvaka and Meafou up front..

Common now Nick, don't go there! Meafou showed his Toulouse shirt and promptly got his citizenship, New Zealand can't have him, surely?!?


As I have said before with these subjects, really enjoy your enthusiasm for their contribution on the field and I'd love to see more of their shapes running out for Vern Cotter and the like styled teams.

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