Black Ferns XV v Manusina

It might technically be a friendly but lol, no.

The Black Ferns XV will be taking on the Manusina in what will act as a talent shuffling mission for New Zealand and a WXV2 warm up for Samoa. It’s technically a friendly but lol, it won’t be. I know for a fact Samoa will be wanting to make a statement in this game.

The Black Ferns last assembled a development team in 2019, when they played in the Oceania Rugby Championship. They took this competition out, finishing with 234 unanswered points. This squad had 8 players who would go on to feature in the 2021 Rugby World Cup; Kendra Reynolds, Luka Connor, Amy Rule, Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Hazel Tubic and Joanah Ngan-Woo.

There will be a number of next generation players named in this current Black Ferns XV side that will be aware of that fact and will want to recreate this pathway for themselves to Rugby World Cup 2025.

What didn’t happen at the 2019 Oceania Rugby Championship though was a match between the Black Fern development team and Samoa.

The two nations may have barely played each other on the world stage but the players regularly square off each other in club and domestic matches here in New Zealand. To steal a rugby league-ism, it’s mate against mate, state against state. So expect a LOT of feeling in Pukekohe.

As of the time that I am writing this (Friday afternoon), Manusina haven’t yet published their team list. So I’m gutted I can’t give you a detailed breakdown of their team. Wild winds earlier this week, delayed the assembly of the squad so no doubt are part of the reason this starting line up has been tricky to nail down.

The squad of 27 named by New Zealand has been whittled down to a playing 23. Waikato’s Lela Iremia, Canterbury’s Maddi Robinson and Manawatū’s Sam Taylor are missing out on playing time. While Grace Gago has been recalled to the Black Ferns WXV squad after Natalie Delamere went down with a knee injury this week.

Fun fact here is that Eilis Doyle appears to be the only player to feature in both this 2019 squad and the 2023 rebrand.

When it comes to these type of one-off invitational teams, it’s usually a pretty tough ask to have the on field connection straight out the gate. Timing, while it can be rehearsed at training, needs to be forged on the footy field. These split seconds can be the difference between hitting a gap and hitting a shoulder. So the Black Fern XV are at a disadvantage coming up against a Manusina team who has spent more time on the pitch together.

Having said this, the Black Ferns XV have named a spine of Matatū players who will be more familiar with each other. In the forwards, they make up 4 of the starting 8 and provide the starting half back and midfield pairing.

Bolters of this starting 15 are Canterbury locks, Laura Bayfield and Holly Wratt-Groeneweg, Auckland’s number 8, Elizabeth Moimoi and winger, Angelica Mekemeke-Vahai as well as Wellington winger Harmony Kautai. Each secure their starting spots off FPC form and haven’t yet featured in Super Rugby Aupiki.

Surely they will pick up contracts on the other side of this match. If not, what are we doing leapfrogging them in there?

Forgive me while I now indulge in some educated guesses to provide you with some things to look out for tomorrow:

• Marcelle Parkes making her debut off the bench at prop
  This selection was by far the most talked about when the XV squad was named. Look, it’s not unheard of to convert folks to the front row. I’m an example as are the more impressive Shanaugh Brown (flanker to prop) and Sarah Bern (midfield to prop). What is outrageous is doing this in an international match.

  
  I remember my debut match in the front row which I had to play against Auckland which was bad enough. Seiuli Fiao'o Fa'amausili pinned my forehead to my knee at scrum time for the longest 80 minutes of my life. I grew to make scrums my favourite part of footy so I wish the same for my mate Parkes… just hopefully without the shit bit first.

• Battle of the loosies
  New Zealand have had a long line of formidable loose forwards of Samoan heritage, Linda Itunu anyone?? So expect this to be key battleground in this match. You will likely have captain Sui Pauaraisa, alongside maybe wily old dog, Nina Foaese (I’m allowed to call Ninja that cause we have known each other for 20 years!).

  
  Both work hard and are rugby smart. When they stole the win from Fiji to qualify for WXV2, it was these two in the in-goal area, geeing their team up with minutes to go when everything looked lost.

  
  They will be up against the Energizer bunnies of South in Leah Miles and Holly Wratt-Groeneweg who are a very different style of flanker. Less enforcer, more badgers, expect them to target breakdowns to steal Samoa’s ball.

• Midfield muscle

  Nina Foaese could also end up here as she is trying to buck the trend and finish her career in the backs rather than the forwards. More likely you’ll have Melbourne Rebels’ Hope Schuster at 13.
  
  My question is, will they slip Cassie Siataga to 12 to contain Grace Brooker? Brooker will be a key attacking prospect for the XV and Siataga is regularly called on to carry Samoa’s hopes. Is this the role they will ask of her tomorrow? Or will they stick with their trusted option of her at 10?

• The blue bleed begins
  With more matches for our sisters in the Pacific and eligibility laws loosening expect to see more New Zealand based players putting their hand up for Samoa. One such player I know has been in camp for the first time this week is Wellington’s Sinead Ryder.

  
  Ryder is a good player who has been overlooked by the New Zealand Rugby system. She’s been a consistent performer for the Wellington Pride for the past 5+ years but this form hasn’t been rewarded. So it’s no wonder she’s been picked up by Manusina.
  
  I know for a fact at least one Black Fern has put in for transfer. She will not feature in this year’s action so I won’t be naming names… yet. When it is though, I’ll bring you an interview with her (I’m just assuming she is gonna say yes to me haha). I predict that once she is named, more will follow. That’s the pull of a leader like her.

I am really looking forward to this game. It might not be for silverware but there is plenty on the line for all of these players.

With you,
Alice