Black Ferns 2025

[Bovidae]

The BFs got badly exposed by England on the edges, so that needs to be addressed. And defending mauls, of course.

Let's see how Bunting fits all the star players into the backline.

[Bovidae]

https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-xv-to-play-two-matches-against-the-springbok-women-in-south-africa

[Bovidae]

The selections will be more interesting once the BF7s women are available.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-kickstart-2025-campaign-against-australia

[Bovidae]

Black Ferns v Canada

1 Chryss Viliko
2 Georgia Ponsonby
3 Amy Rule
4 Alana Bremner
5 Maiakawanakaulani Roos
6 Layla Sae
7 Kennedy Tukuafu (Co-captain)
8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u
9 Maia Joseph
10 Ruahei Demant (Co-captain)
11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga
12 Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt
13 Amy du Plessis
14 Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
15 Braxton Sorensen-McGee

16 Atlanta Lolohea
17 Kate Henwood
18 Tanya Kalounivale
19 Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu
20 Kaipo Olsen-Baker
21 Iritana Hohaia
22 Hannah King
23 Mererangi Paul

Portia is the only BF7s player included. Liana Mikaele-Tu'u back from injury. Canada beat NZ at this ground last year, and this will be the toughest match of these three.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/new-black-ferns-named-for-redemption-match-against-canada

[kev]

@Bovidae I would like to see Woodman at centre. Looked great for the Blues there. Maybe they might make that move 2nd half. They need their lineout to be a lot better. Horrible vs Aussies. Kicking game was better in 1st half but faded a bit.

[Bovidae]

I think that will happen, with Paul going to the wing. I would rate Brunt and du Plessis as the 4th and 5th midfield options. Waaka and Setefano haven't even featured yet.

Canada have also brought some of their sevens players in.

[Auckman]

Du Plessis isn't good enough to start IMO. Bench option at best. She did have a good Aupiki season but was shown up in the Aupiki final by Demant and Woodman. Du Plessis also fluffed a 4-1 overlap last week. I guess Bunting is being cautious against Canada but it would've been a far more potent backline to reunite the Matatu halves (Joseph/King) and unite the Blues midfield (Demant/Woodman). That then gives room for a Leti-Iiga/Sorensen-McGee/Vahaakolo back-3 with Waaka/Setefano on the bench.

Also thought the loosies are wrong. Not sure why Sa'e keeps starting. She was the least impressive of all the loosies in Aupiki. I'd have put Mikaele-Tu'u at six, Olsen-Baker at eight, and start Tukuafu at seven but with Miller on the bench. Mikaele-Tu'u is the lineout option among those three.

[booboo]

@Auckman said in Black Ferns 2025:

Du Plessis isn't good enough to start IMO. Bench option at best. She did have a good Aupiki season but was shown up in the Aupiki final by Demant and Woodman. Du Plessis also fluffed a 4-1 overlap last week. I guess Bunting is being cautious against Canada but it would've been a far more potent backline to reunite the Matatu halves (Joseph/King) and unite the Blues midfield (Demant/Woodman). That then gives room for a Leti-Iiga/Sorensen-McGee/Vahaakolo back-3 with Waaka/Setefano on the bench.

Also thought the loosies are wrong. Not sure why Sa'e keeps starting. She was the least impressive of all the loosies in Aupiki. I'd have put Mikaele-Tu'u at six, Olsen-Baker at eight, and start Tukuafu at seven but with Miller on the bench. Mikaele-Tu'u is the lineout option among those three.

I'm a fan of du Plessis, but she lacks a bit of pace.

[antipodean]

I thought du Plessis was very good against Australia.

[kev]

Putting Woodman on the wing was such a waste. Looks a level above other players and then they sub her with 15mins. Not sure they know what they are doing?

Unless they are managing her mins.

Tactically they need a lot of work.

[Bovidae]

@kev du Plessis offers little at centre. No pace and seldom makes a line break. We need some x-factor at centre, so either Stacey or Portia. Joseph is also a handbrake at halfback at times. I'll be interested to see what Pouri-Lane can do. If the BFs want to play up-tempo you can't select a halfback who is so deliberate before passing. Woodman-Wickliffe needed her hands on the ball.

And defending the lineout drive. England will brutally expose them there.

[kev]

@Bovidae Agree. Joseph had average 1st game so surprised to see her start.

They didn’t exit well - England will kill them close to line. At restart the receiver often had time to kick and clear but the default was to pass to runner to take it into contact.

[Auckman]

The inability to defend a maul is still a major Achilles heel of this BF team. Also need a fetcher at 7. Tukuafu isn’t up to it. She needs to be Les Elder’d and dropped completely. I thought she might reproduce her Aupiki form with her turnover rate but nope. Miller needs to be picked here but I’m worried Bunting will still start Tukuafu next week. Miller needs to get the full game to get her minutes up.

However, the inability to give good ball to the wings is also a major problem. The ball dies when it gets to AdP. She needs to be dropped. The fact that Bumting only got rid of her with 5mins to go instead of shifting Woodman to centre is a huge concern - it means Bunting actually rates AdP and she might well be going to the World Cup possibly at the expense of far better midfielders like Setefano and Waaka. That’ll be a massive selection error if he does that. She’s not up to it. Brunt played well though.

Agree on Joseph. Her passing is so slow it’s a massive liability.

England will destroy this BF team. Bunting really doesn’t have a clue.

[Bovidae]

The roles of the loose forwards aren't matching their jersey number. Tukuafu was often stationed out wide and made plenty of metres carrying. Mikaele-Tu'u was fairly anonymous against Canada with the ball.

[Bovidae]

The rest of the BF7s players start, as well as some debutants.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-named-in-must-win-match-against-usa

1 Kate Henwood
2 Georgia Ponsonby
3 Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu*
4 Alana Bremner
5 Maiakawanakaulani Roos
6 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u
7 Jorja Miller*
8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker
9 Risaleaana Pouri-Lane*
10 Ruahei Demant (cc)
11 Katelyn Vahaakolo
12 Theresa Setefano
13 Stacey Waaka
14 Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
15 Braxton Sorensen-McGee

16 Vici-Rose Green*
17 Awhina Tangen-Wainohu
18 Tanya Kalounivale
19 Chelsea Bremner
20 Kennedy Tukuafu (cc)
21 Maia Joseph
22 Hannah King
23 Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt

[Yeetyaah]

@Bovidae said in Black Ferns 2025:

3 Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu*

Incredible stuff at 20 years old. Major knee surgery first year out of school, a debut season in the FPC last year, Aupiki debut this year and finally an intertnational debut all in under 12 months.

[booboo]

@Bovidae said in Black Ferns 2025:

The rest of the BF7s players start, as well as some debutants.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns-named-in-must-win-match-against-usa

4 Alana Bremner
19 Chelsea Bremner

I thought they had dropped one of the Bremners? My bad

[Bovidae]

@booboo said in Black Ferns 2025:

I thought they had dropped one of the Bremners? My bad

Chelsea had been dropped but has been added to the squad as an injury replacement for Dhys Faleafaga.

[Bovidae]

The x-factor of the BF7s players is evident, and see what a difference a halfback who passes quickly makes to the attack.

[Mattasaurus]

@Bovidae said in Black Ferns 2025:

The x-factor of the BF7s players is evident, and see what a difference a halfback who passes quickly makes to the attack.

Very good, Georgia Miller has been impressive.