Rugby World Cup
A thrilling win for the Black Ferns and record-breaking attendances to open the Rugby World Cup should herald a new era for the game – and for women’s sport, says Suzanne McFadden.
How do you measure the value, the impact of a single day in sporting history?
The spectacular opening day of the Rugby World Cup at Eden Park on Saturday meant so much to so many different people.
For the women who had come before, like four-time world champion and Black Ferns forward Monalisa Urquhart, it meant she could finally fill the void that was missing in her career – to witness a women’s rugby tournament, that was played in front of a huge crowd who roared for the Black Ferns instead of booing them.
To former Black Ferns captain Les Elder, who could have been on the field but was overlooked; she had suppressed her emotions – “put on my actor’s face” – until the enormity of the day broke her.
To Ruahei Demant, the Black Ferns’ current co-captain, who didn’t want the ‘magic’ night to end no matter how nerve-racking the start of their first game against Australia was.
Perhaps they were blown away by the world record crowd of 34,000, the desire to perform in front of family, the passion they put into their extraordinary haka. But after 30 minutes of uncharacteristically running backwards – and falling behind at half-time for the second time in a World Cup game – the Black Ferns finally got going to play what Demant called “nice, free-flowing rugby” and scored 41 unanswered points .
The ebullient Black Fern Ruby Tui leaps out of a tackle from Wallaroos full-back Pauline Piliae in the opening game of RWC2021; Tui was player of the game. Photo: Getty Images
To Portia Woodman, who became the highest-ranked Black Fern in World Cup history with her hat-trick of attempts – but was still “Portia of Kaikohe” on the first whistle because she knew she had her ngāpuhi whānau right in the stands behind her .
To Fijian captain Sereima Leweniqila, who was allowed to lead a Fijian team onto a Rugby World Cup pitch for the first time as a sea of light blue fans called their names. Despite being dealt against tournament favorites England (84-19), they managed to shake their opponents with their physicality and scored three spectacular tries.
And to the thousands of young girls in the crowd waving their poi madly (so much softer than the thunder of netballs) – girls who have probably never seen rugby before but may have just been inspired after an exciting triple header, up the oval ball to decide.
And what about the impact on women’s rugby and all women’s sport in Aotearoa? How do you measure that?
There is no doubt that it was momentous – by far the largest crowd to gather at a women’s sporting event in New Zealand history. And it was a turning point for women’s rugby – proving it can stand on its own without the crutch of a men’s game to support it.
We have already seen the transformative benefits of giving women’s sport their own dedicated platform to Northern Hemisphere football and league and Aussie rules in Tasmania.
RWC2021 Tournament Director Michelle Hooper, overcoming every hurdle of the pandemic and a year late, sums it up aptly. “It felt like the cornerstone of women’s rugby,” she says.
“From this point on, the possibilities are endless. Together we proved that women’s rugby can stand on its own two feet – to entertain, to inspire and to be the main event.”
She has no doubt the momentum will continue throughout the month-long tournament and is adamant the crowd will continue to show up, “showing that it wasn’t an isolated case – it was just the beginning.”
But first we have to cope with a moment – the shaky opening performance of the home side.
Wallaroo’s wing Bienne Terita stretches out for her second try against the Black Ferns. Photo: Hannah Peters/World Rugby
The Wallaroos have never beaten the Black Ferns, but they set the standard for them in the first 30 minutes on Saturday, outclassing them in every facet – territory, possession, passing, mauls and breakouts.
Their flying wings, Bienne Terita and Ivania Wong, scored three tries in that first oddly mesmerizing period, leaving the Black Ferns 17-0 and reducing the crowd to a muffled murmur.
“Maybe we’ll let the occasion come to us,” says Woodman. “Forget just play, catch the ball, run hard.”
Lock Joanah Ngan-Woo, the towering Black Fern forward of 2022, finally broke through the Australians’ dominance, crashing for New Zealand’s first try of seven. It was the “flick of the switch,” says Demant, that turned her fortunes and stopped the fans’ chills that had nothing to do with the bitterly cold breeze.
After trailing 17-12 at halftime (the only other World Cup game they lost at halftime was the 2017 World Cup final), the Black Ferns were approached by head coach Wayne Smith.
“There wasn’t a big growl in the sheds. Smithy was calm and collected, ‘Girls, we just gotta keep at it,'” says Woodman. “‘We’re going to be ‘shuffled,’ so we have to physically hit the start, tackles and attack.”
That’s something the Black Ferns acknowledge they need to clean up ahead of their second game against Wales next Sunday.
The second half was a completely different game. The experience of the Ferns’ sevens was crucial – they managed the huge crowd and the pressure of expectation and used their acceleration to smash through gaps in Australia’s defence.
Black Ferns full-back Renee Holmes celebrates another attempt by Portia Woodman against Australia. Photo: Hannah Peters/World Rugby.
Among the highlights: Woodman’s pace to score three goals in the corners (one of them after Stacey Fluhler skillfully slapped the ball over her head into Woodman’s hands); Ruby Tui’s best 15-game performance yet, shrugging off diving wallaroos to add two tries of her own.
Although it wasn’t a scenario the Black Ferns had really practiced for, they made the most of a fateful moment for the Australians after almost 60 minutes when two players (Wong and captain Shannon Parry) were booked in one move.
Parry was understandably disappointed with her side’s loss of discipline and control after that explosive first 30 minutes – and a full 80-minute performance still eludes the Wallaroos.
That was certainly missing when the Black Ferns performed on Saturday evening. While Demant was proud of how they implemented the coaching staff’s half-time messages in the second half and the impact their bench made, she was still puzzled as to why they were taking so long to get into the game.
“It wasn’t anything new we had to do, so I know we’ll go back and check how we started the game and we’ll be a better team for that in the next game.”
But nothing could detract from the performance of the 34,235 spectators in the stands (just under the expected sold-out 47,000). A good chunk of them turned up for the opening match between France and South Africa – where the French quarter erupted in song as centre-back Laura Sensus scored RWC2021’s first try in the opening two minutes (France defied a determined South African defense to win 40-5) .
Alowesi Nakoci scores against England in her first RWC game for Fiji. Photo: Phil Walter/World Rugby
The Fijian fans outnumbered the English in the second game and were rewarded with a brave start. “We enjoyed it [for the] The first 20 minutes, then we were frustrated, then we got a lesson in what it feels like to play against the world No. 1,” said captain Leweniqila. Strong and disciplined, England showed what a threat they pose in this tournament.
Australia coach Jay Tregonning credited the crowd, however patriotic, for raising his side too. “Obviously a lot of our girls aren’t professionals, they all work hard at their regular jobs and have families, so to play in front of an audience like this is an excellent recognition of their time and effort,” he said.
It was a crowd Demant will never forget, giving a goosebumps karanga (welcome call) with Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu before the Black Ferns’ haka. “It was electrifying, it was actually quite surreal walking into a packed Eden Park, seeing all the black, singing the anthem but not hearing yourself and hearing the echoes of the crowd. We’ve never heard anything like it before,” she said.
“Performing the haka and struggling to understand each other. Score goals and erupt in the roar of the crowd.”
Monalisa Urquhart soaks up the atmosphere at Eden Park on day one of RWC2021. Photo: Suzanne McFadden
In the stands, Monalisa Urquhart (née Codling) – who has always been a ‘big’ Black Ferns player – loved the Eden Park vibe. “That’s the only thing that was really missing in my sporting career,” she said.
“We are watching a new era in women’s rugby unfold. But it’s not just rugby – it’s global. People can see women playing sports and also an exciting sport
“I think people just want something different. In rugby, I think physicality and big hits ruin the men’s game. But women’s football has exploded and it’s perfect timing. We always knew it was a great product, we just had to bring it to market.”
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