WXV1 is finally here!
And so are all the changes
My hope is that you read this from your seat at Sky Stadium. I know it’s coming through at the 11th hour but what a week I have had! A big thank you to Whisper for asking me to jump on my first gig as a producer. We’ve spent the week wrangling some content for the WXV1 teams to help you get to know the athletes taking part.
We had a lot of fun. So much so, you will likely hear my laugh in the edit even though I did try to stifle most of them. Hopefully you enjoy the end result too once it’s up on the WXV channels.
But we are now mere hours away from the kick of WXV1, so let’s crack in!
It seems like a lifetime ago that Australia and England almost drowned at Waitakere Stadium in Auckland. And my, how things have changed!
Simon Middleton has now officially been replaced by John Mitchell. Yes, that John Mitchell. Although he’s just loitering at the moment with interim head coach, Louis Deacon, still running things on this tour.
This match against Aussie is the one where will see the most experimentation from England. Which is why you don’t see Amy Cokayne, Sarah Bern and Ellie Kildunne feature in this lineup despite being in this WXV squad.
Stars from last year’s World Cup campaign, Sarah Hunter and Emily Scarratt are gone. Hunter now in the coaches box and Scarratt recovering from a serious injury. I had named Sadia Kabeya as a player to watch at this tournament so of course she was then promptly sidelined with injury. Sorry Sadia.
England are an interesting beast right now. They are still the benchmark in terms of programme to develop talent and the amount of green but also yellow in the graphic above shows things are ticking along nicely. I know they will have a real point to prove at this tournament, for themselves as much as anything else.
From what I’ve caught in the warm-up, they are playing a freer flowing game than they were under Middleton. It’s great to see their backs be given the license to play heads up rugby. Let’s be honest, it had got to the point where you could have watched their game with your eyes closed and know what was happening. A maul obviously.
I want to see a Red Roses side more comfortable with taking chances and going off script. And who better to spark this off than Mo Hunt. Her return to this squad to my mind, rights a tactical wrong made in last year’s selection of the World Cup team.
Fi Thomas reckons we might see the introduction of drop goals in the women’s game (paywalled). It appears to have been hinted at in the England press conferences and given England’s full strength lineup boast three competent kickers in the backline, you have to ask the question why not? They were one of the first sides to build the cross-field kick pass into their game plan which is now a corner stone of many team’s attacking options, so this feels like a natural progression.
Let them test it and then the Black Ferns can pinch it aye?
Meanwhile, Aussie have also rolled through the changes in the last year. However this side looks pretty consistent with what they have fielded against New Zealand this season.
Losing Grace Hamilton to league must hurt as she was a strong force in the forward pack. But should they manage to hold on to their ball, it’ll be great to see Ivania Wong square up against Abby Dow. Wong is actually one of my favourite wingers in the world at the moment. She just needs a clean ball in a little space and she’ll light things up.
The other big talking point ins Carys Dallinger at 10. This is a tough assignment for the former Manawatū cyclone but with Arabella McKenzie named alongside her at 12, that should give her the extra boost needed to put on a good show.
THIS GAME IS HAPPENING SO SOON!
Kick off is at 7pm tonight NZT. Please tune in on Sky or at Sky Stadium or if you’re overseas on Rugbypass.tv
I am intrigued to see how this match goes. Wales are on those part-time professional wages while Canada is under a collective agreement which sees them paid match fees and per diems. I give this context because both are still knocking on the door of what these sides could truly be capable of.
No better example amongst these players than Tyson Beukeboom. She recently notched her 60th cap for Canada but if you’ve followed her career, her form has been in fits and starts. That’s no doubt in large part reflective of the fact her playing opportunities were too.
Post Rugby World Cup though, Beukeboom relocated herself to England to play in the PWR for the Trailfinders and her game has levelled up with this experience. She was simply a menace during the Pacific Four Series. All of this underlining once again that while we spend all the time in the world trying to come up with all these different strategies for player development, the one that simple cannot be beat is playing time.
Give folks regular, high quality rugby and they will give it back to you. Wild I know.
I am excited to see the continued ascent of Welsh prop, Sisilia Tuipulotu. Shortlisted for player of the tournament at this year’s Six Nations, no doubt she will find more than a few of her cousins, if not fans, in the stands at this tournament.
Pleased as well to see the return of Alisha Butchers to the Welsh side. I saw her go down at last year’s World Cup (honestly that Whangarei pitch felt cursed for knees!) so it’s fantastic to see her make her triumphant return to the field. She was so crucial for them in the pool play last year and will no doubt be keen to pick up where she left off.
I am a neutral for this game but Gabi Senft gave me the literal shirt of her back this week so, I will be wearing Canada’s colours.
KICK OFF: 4pm Saturday NZT. Get your butt to Sky Stadium.
France have named the most French lineup possible and by that I mean, it’s completely unexpected.
Caroline Druion won’t be reliving that kick as she’s returned to the sevens circuit. Romane Ménager and Agathe Sochat are out injured. Jessy Trémoulière, Céline Ferer, Marjorie Mayans, Safi N’Diaye and Laure Sansus have all retired but Hermet just isn’t captain anymore?? Meanwhile Grisez and Deshaye are just gone??
There has been a change up with coaching with my old Richmond teammate, Gaëlle Mignot, promoted from assistant to co-head alongside David Ortiz. So perhaps these selections are reflective of their preferences. Or maybe, like New Zealand, it is that France are looking to use the whole 3 year cycle to build the depth of their national team.
This isn’t something we are used to seeing yet in the women’s game. We just expect the best to play every week because let’s be real, up until now it’s only been a couple of weeks each year. But as the schedule grows and the demands on players bodies does too, we might see the introduction of that thing New Zealand rugby fans loathe most, ROTATION.
I am looking forward to a front row seat tomorrow to the Gabrielle Vernier and Marine Ménager. Ménager came off the wing into the midfield to good effect for the French during the Six Nations, so this will be fascinating to watch opposite Sylvia Brunt and Amy du Plessis.
The backline for the Black Ferns is where we see the most marked difference from the last time these two sides met with the sevens stars all returning to the circuit. Kendra Cocksedge has been confidently replaced by Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu. Brunt and du Plessis are new to the French but have been the regular pairing this season.
This test marks the return of everybody’s favourites Ruby Tui from sabbatical and Renee Holmes from injury. Holmes experience in particular at the back will be vital for Katelyn Vaha'akolo and Martha Mataele should she get a run. Both these wingers are horses for courses selections, in that they will be more than up for weathering the physicality of the French.
Chryss Viliko is perhaps a surprise option at replacement prop but I think she will thrive opposite the French. She is a nuggety player but man, give her just a sniff of from space and she’s away.
I would just like tomorrow to be slightly less stressful than last year please. And I am praying that Wellington turns out. Cause forget our city, you can’t beat women’s rugby on a good day!
KICK OFF: 7pm Saturday NZT I BETTER BLOODY SEE YOU THERE!
With you,
Alice