Black Ferns too strong for England Women
England Women's eight year wait for victory over the New Zealand Black Ferns continues after the world champions drew first blood in their two-test series with a 16-3 victory at Esher Rugby Club on Saturday, a confidence boosting win with the Women's Rugby World Cup just 10 months away.
The Black Ferns, who have beaten England in the finals of the last two Women's Rugby World Cups, had had only days to prepare for their first match in a year against their hosts who have played nine tests in 2009 in claiming a fourth successive Women's Six Nations title and a successful defence of the Nations Cup crown.
Led by new captain Victoria Heighway, the Black Ferns made the most of the windy conditions throughout, particularly in the first half when they used it to their advantage to kick into the corner and play heads up rugby to keep England pinned in their own half.
Rebecca Mahoney (nee Hull) had missed an early penalty attempt but the fly half kicked her next two attempts to edge the three-time world champions into a 6-0 advantage at the half hour mark as the Black Ferns made England pay for their infringements.
The Black Ferns lost Justine Lavea to the sin bin minutes later and then before half time were reduced to 13 players after number 8 Casey Robertson joined her teammate on the sidelines.
However, despite their numerical advantage it was not England but the Black Ferns who scored next, the tourists working a clever lineout on the five-metre line and, after their initial attack was repelled, centre Amiria Rule (nee Marsh) touched down near the posts.
Rule had been one of the stars of the last Women's Rugby World Cup in Canada, scoring a last minute try that ended England's hopes of a comeback victory to deny the Black Ferns a third successive title, and this was her first appearance on the international stage since that 2006 day.
Turning point
Mahoney's conversion sent the Black Ferns into the break with a 13-0 advantage and when the match resumed the visitors continued to defy the wind, their fly half continuing to find space in the England defence. Her penalty stretched the Black Ferns' advantage and it was past the hour mark before England were finally able to get on the scoreboard through Katy McLean's penalty.
Black Ferns coach Brian Evans afterwards labelled the try by Rule with only 13 players on the pitch as the "turning point" in the match, while his England counterpart Gary Street remained positive despite the defeat and confident they can end their long wait for victory in seven days time.
"This game was a real fact finder for us ahead of the World Cup in 2010, and more immediately next Saturday. We are not a side that lose often, and despite that I am upbeat. We have found out today that they are not super human and we are certainly ready to fight again next Saturday," said Street.
"I would have liked better playing conditions today. The wind was problematic and it would have been good if we could have got our solar power backs going, but that's no excuse.
"For 30 minutes of the game we were only 3-0 down, and if we had matched that I think it would have been a different story. Instead we made errors and they added a second penalty and a try just before half time. Then we were left chasing our tails."
The Black Ferns will play England A at Esher on Tuesday, before the second test next Saturday when the two sides will take to the Twickenham pitch after the England men tackle the All Blacks in an historic double header at the home of English rugby.
