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

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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“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.”

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.


The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.


Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.


There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.


I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.


When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.


You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

Not bizarre, but needed. Everyone usually lifts their game against the Boks. Now instead of facing reality, they prefer to live in the past and look hopefully toward the score of the WC semi, hoping they can recreate that result and by some miracle snatch a victory.


It's better than the alternative knowing what is going to happen. Especially looking at the experimental squads the Boks put up against the Wallabies in the RC, not using their best team. That same Wallabies beat them last week.


Now the Boks isn't using an experimental squad. They put out as close to the strongest team the Boks have available at the moment. That must scare the pants off of them. If an experimental squad can destroy the Wallabies, what would the strongest team be able to do to the English?


Instead of sinking into dispear, they prefer to hope that their players can match the Boks. Even though they know what is coming. The English are scared and they won't show it.


Now imagine how Wales must feel knowing they are up next weekend? They don't even have the dubious record of at least close losses like the English. It's a complete nightmare for these 2 countries and rightly so.


The Boks usually take the pedal of the medal post WC's, but not this Bok team. They are better than the WC winning Boks of both '19 and '23. They are stronger up front. They are faster at the back. They can hit front and back. In broken play they are the most dangerous team. They have the best defence and attack also scoring the most tries.


In a way I feel sorry for both the English and Wales. Only those with blinders on expects a close game. Looking at both teams man to man, strategy to strategy, play to play, they are so outmatched it would be a joke if it wasn't so serious. We need the NH to be strong and we need the gap to become closer in rugby so the game stay exciting because runaway scores sometimes is fun, but it doesn't bring as much joy as a close game won.

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