Black Ferns 2023

A few paragraphs from that media release:

Sky Super Rugby Aupiki standouts, Grace Gago, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Layla Sae, Lucy Jenkins, Mererangi Paul and Rosie Kelly have secured their first fulltime Black Ferns contracts.

In addition, 2022 Black Ferns Rugby World Cup champions Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Kendra Reynolds, Sylvia Brunt and Santo Taumata have also picked up fulltime Black Ferns contracts for the first time.

Amy Rule will complete the Super W season in Australia before returning to the Black Ferns programme. NZR is also working with Ruby Tui to confirm her availability to re-join the Black Ferns programme later in the year.

Contracted players will train out of regionalised hubs in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch, where they will receive technical, tactical and strength and conditioning programmes.

In addition, each player will have one day a week committed to their personal development, focussing on the areas of career/education and work, finance and asset protection, character development, mental wellness and other professional rugby obligations and expectations.

Matatū - 11
Manawa -10
Poua - 4
Blues - 9

Excluding those players who have retired, are pregnant, or old, Cheyelle Robins-Reti seems to be the only omission from last year. Aleisha Pearl Nelson never played in Aupiki so must have a long-term injury. She is also 33. Kaipo Olsen-Baker is unlucky. There are only two halfbacks in that list too.

Not sure if I really keen hearing that NZR are waiting Ruby Tui's decision whether or not she is going to want to play. Just seems a little unfair that a player has got the union waiting without saying yep I real keen? Not a go at Tui who I got a lot of time for, and perhapds NZR know how good she is for game's promotion, still.......

Willison looks to have re-committed to Sevens. Hard to think that she would be left out otherwise.

Tui, the public face of the Black Ferns’ success, tweeted on Sunday that she would announce her next career move “over next couple days”.
In its release, NZR said: “NZR is also working with Ruby Tui to confirm her availability to re-join the Black Ferns programme later in the year. Further contracts are to be confirmed at a later date.”

I think the boat has sailed with Tui. Still has plenty to offer playing wise but she has landed an opportunity for the future that it would be silly to pass up. She's 31 and has won Olympic Gold, RWC Sevens, RWC XVs, 10 years in a black jersey.....
Bunting has also selected a new couple of out and out wings in Paul and Vahaakolo to add to Leti-I’iga

Tui and the union are better off deciding mutually that she is finished. Then they can move on with youth and she can continue to work on her budding broadcast career

@canefan said in Black Ferns 2023:

Tui and the union are better off deciding mutually that she is finished. Then they can move on with youth and she can continue to work on her budding broadcast career

My guess is that they are only waiting on her to secure some contract details with Sky. NZR don't want to jump the gun for her sake. Once everything is signed there will be a mutual retirement announcement.
Another possibility is that NZR may also be lining her up as part of their new development policy. There were a number of roles mentioned in those documents.
If she retires fully from playing she leves on a high. Has delivered both on and off the field and in NZ terms will probably be seen as the equivalent of Lomu in providing the impetus to take the game to new levels.

@Stargazer -

Re: contracted team

• Not sure how Bayler gets in ahead of Puckett. Bayler was clearly second best halfback behind Puckett for the Blues.

• A bit disappointed Willison is out and maybe back to 7s. She was excellent during Aupiki. Not sure why she played Aupiki if she’s going back to the BF7s.

• Henwood over Gago for me. Or Henwood in addition to.

• Happy for all the newbies who were all in form.

• Carla Hohepa is obviously old but my god she can still play. She was brilliant in many of the matches.

• Also I thought Jaymie Kolose deserves at least a part-time contract. As with Autumn Rain Stephens-Daly. Maybe just missed out with the overflow of talent out in the outside backs.

@Auckman said in Black Ferns 2023:

Henwood over Gago for me. Or Henwood in addition to.

Gago is a Hooker. Henwood a prop.

@Crucial Also wonder if she will be used in management team as cultural/gee up type role. I know we had someone complain about Bunting having this role in WC, but I think if we can somehow keep the special thing that team had, I would be all for it. Different teams etc perhaps have different requirements to get best out of them.

@Dan54 said in Black Ferns 2023:

@Crucial Also wonder if she will be used in management team as cultural/gee up type role. I know we had someone complain about Bunting having this role in WC, but I think if we can somehow keep the special thing that team had, I would be all for it. Different teams etc perhaps have different requirements to get best out of them.

A Culture, Diversity & Inclusion Manager already exists according to the Action Plan.

These are the new roles

6 FTEs
ɤ Head of Women’s High Performance
ɤ High Performance Administration – Women’s
ɤ Black Ferns Campaign Manager
ɤ Women’s Referee Development Manager
ɤ Head of Women and Girls Community Rugby
ɤ Women’s Commercial Sales

@Crucial said in Black Ferns 2023:

ɤ Women’s Referee Development Manager

This reminded me of the following.

Lauren Jenner moved to Treviso earlier in the year so was listed as an Italian referee in the women's 6N. She would have been the no.2 NZ women's ref. I wonder how that come about.

@Bovidae said in Black Ferns 2023:

@Crucial said in Black Ferns 2023:

ɤ Women’s Referee Development Manager

This reminded me of the following.

Lauren Jenner moved to Treviso earlier in the year so was listed as an Italian referee in the women's 6N. She would have been the no.2 NZ women's ref. I wonder how that come about.

Probably a bit like Amy Rule playing for the Brumbies or the multitude of players that dash off to Japan for the gap between Aupiki and FPC. Not to mention the cross code players.
It's a bit more fluid in the womens game at the moment. Will tighten up as more professionalism comes in.
On the note of referees there was a pommy ref that did a FPC game last year and was quite good. Had moved over here and decided that he wanted to get involved in the women's side of reffing. He was very good.

@Crucial

I’d still prefer Henwood in addition to Gago. On second thoughts, Gago did have a strong second half of the season.

Mentioned by Tui on Breakdown. Henwood was my Chiefs Manawa MVP, so well-deserved.

Iritana Hohaia Bio:
Iritana Hohaia hails from Ōpunake in Taranaki, and proudly plays for Taranaki Whio in the Farah Palmer Cup. The Hurricanes Poua halfback was called into the Black Ferns in 2021 for their northern tour but is still awaiting the opportunity to debut for the Black Ferns. She has also played representative basketball, Hohaia was a member of the gold medal winning New Zealand Sevens team at the Youth Olympics in 2018, scoring a try in the Final victory over France.

Kate Henwood Bio:
Loosehead prop Kate Henwood hails from Whakatane and has long been a notable player of the Bay of Plenty Volcanix Farah Palmer Cup side. The 34-year-old mother of three was called into the Chiefs Manawa team as an injury replacement player this year and grasped the opportunity with both hands. Henwood was soon identified as a standout player in Sky Super Rugby Aupiki, demonstrating her powerful strength and outstanding work ethic.

Chryss Viliko Bio:
Chryss is a prop to watch with a bright future. After fighting her way back from a serious knee injury, she is on a mission to make up for lost time. The mobile young prop has been part of the Auckland Storm Farah Palmer Cup squad since 2019 and plays club rugby for Marist. In 2021, Viliko was welcomed into the Blues squad for the inaugural Sky Super Rugby Aupiki competition, however debuted the following year. Chryss attended the Black Ferns trials in 2022, where she caught the eye of Black Ferns selectors.

@Bovidae the Bio sisters, good rugby family obviously

Rather stacking the contracts with front rowers
Maybe not a silly idea as it is the forwards that we need to be developing through full time training.

@Crucial said in Black Ferns 2023:

Rather stacking the contracts with front rowers

Viliko is an injury replacement for Awhina Tangen Wainohu (neck injury) so really only one extra prop added.

@Crucial 7s players can slot easier into the backline too, I guess? Until those are fully divorced like men's rugby