Black Ferns v Wallaroos: Pacific Four series ends in style for New ...

Black Ferns co-captain Kennedy Simon fends off Arabella McKenzie of Australia. Photo / Photosport

Black Ferns 67

Wallaroos 19

Closing out their Pacific Four series with a 67-19 demolition of the Wallaroos in Auckland on Saturday, the Black Ferns can take stock of a tournament that revealed plenty about where they are placed.

In some ways it’s a shame that the Black Ferns’ tussle against Canada didn’t close out the series, but perhaps that loss was needed in order for the New Zealand side to respond like this; equalling their highest-ever points total against their Australian counterparts.

With coach Allan Bunting naming a refreshed starting XV as he looks to build on the depth in his squad, a refreshed performance was exactly what the side delivered.

Kaipo Olsen-Baker’s stocks surely surged as she started at No 8. Olsen-Baker dominated the game through the middle and was a force off the back of attacking scrums, scoring the opening try of the game and setting up others. Alongside Liana Mikaele-Tu’u and Kennedy Simon, it was a loose trio that punished the Australians at every opportunity.

There was plenty of individual brilliance on show from the backs; Sylvia Brunt and Katelyn Vahaakolo with a couple of eye-catching runs and Mererangi Paul again showing her try-scoring nous with a second hat-trick in three games.

The new-look distribution duo of halfback Iritana Hohaia and No 10 Hannah King moved the ball along nicely, not overplaying their hands as the Black Ferns looked to play with width and speed, while the pack were strong for the most part, loosehead prop Chryss Viliko doing plenty of good work across the park.

There were some areas where they were exploited though. Wallaroos first five-eighths Arabella McKenzie twice went through the Black Ferns’ defence with a show-and-go to score, while the visitors made more inroads through the second half.

The discipline was better from the home side, helped by them controlling the majority of possession and more often than not making that count.

It was always going to be hard work for the Australians, who were well beaten by Canada before losing to the USA as well, but if they were going to feature in the WXV 1 tournament this year, they had to beat the Black Ferns.

The hosts made the perfect start, with Maiakawanakaulani Roos charging down an attempted clearance, before an Australian knock-on saw them come under immediate pressure, Olsen-Baker crossing the line in the fifth minute.

While McKenzie beat Roos on the inside to draw the scores level at seven apiece on the 10-minute mark, the rest of the first half was one-way traffic.

The Black Ferns ran in six more tries in the first half to lead 45-7 at halftime. The Australians found a bit more success as they opted to keep ball in hand rather than kick more in the second half, scoring a couple of tries, but the Black Ferns were too much, outscoring the Wallaroos 11 tries to three for a convincing win.

Black Ferns 67 (Mererangi Paul 3, Kennedy Simon 2, Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Sylvia Brunt, Georgia Ponsonby, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Chryss Viliko tries; Renee Holmes 6 cons)

Wallaroos 19 (Arabella McKenzie 2, Maia Stewart tries; McKenzie 2 cons)

HT: 45-7

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.