As the Black Ferns graduate to the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup, selections are crystallising for coach Wayne Smith. And Theresa Fitzpatrick, undefeated in the black jersey, may have claimed the No.12, Jim Kayes reports.
Theresa Fitzpatrick could be the Black Ferns' lucky charm.
The 27-year-old has yet to lose a test match in the black jersey, and her form suggests she'll hold her place at second five in a hotly-contested midfield as the Black Ferns enter the World Cup playoffs with a quarterfinal against Wales in Whangārei next Saturday.
“I didn’t know that,” she says when told of her no-loss record. Saturday was her 15th test and win. Kendra Cocksedge is the Black Ferns most capped player with 65 tests and 14 defeats.
From Saturday’s starting XV against Scotland, wing Renee Wickcliffe has played 47 tests with nine defeats and a draw, and prop Pip Love has played 22 tests with six defeats.
Others in the squad who've played more than 10 tests include Ruahei Demant, Sarah Hirini, Portia Woodman, Stacey Fluhler and Hazel Tubic - and none have Fitzpatrick’s unblemished record.
“Wow,” she says, before downplaying her own success. “I’m just happy to be back in the team. I’m really enjoying the environment and playing alongside an awesome bunch of ladies.”
Fitzpatrick returned to the Black Ferns XVs this year after opting out of the squad that played France and England last November, as she'd been part of the Olympic gold medal-winning sevens team.
That ingot joined a glittering array of medals in her collection, that includes a 2017 XVs World Cup winners' medal, a silver in sevens at the 2016 Olympics, gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and bronze this year, and gold at the 2018 Sevens World Cup.
Despite all those triumphs and the stages they were played on, the crowd of 16,571 in Whangārei on Saturday left Fitzpatrick in awe.
“It was unreal. When we were coming in on the bus and saw the crowd on the banks and then heard them, it gives you goosebumps," she says. "It’s something we're not used to and it's really cool having the nation behind us.”
Black Ferns head coach Wayne Smith reckoned the first 40 minutes at the old Okara Park, when the Black Ferns scored 45 unanswered points, was the best they’ve played under his leadership. And he suggested it was always going to be tough to maintain that sort of form in the second half.
He emptied the bench and the Blacks Ferns lost their shape, scoring just two tries, but keeping the Scots scoreless, to win 57-0.
The Black Ferns march into the playoffs as the best attacking team in the competition, but the test will be whether they can find space and opportunities if they come up against France and England. If New Zealand make the semifinals, they'll play the winner of the France v Italy quarterfinal. England will need to beat Australia this Sunday to progress and meet either Canada or the USA in the other semi.
Fitzpatrick was central to the attack against Scotland (and a week earlier against Wales) - scoring a try and having a hand in many of the eight others New Zealand scored.
She's everything you want in a second five with strong defence, pace off the mark, an eye for the gap, a kicking game and good connections with those either side of her.
Former captain Les Elder, now a TV commentator, thought Fitzpatrick's player of the match performance had cemented her spot for the playoffs. Smith was keen to share the praise.
“I thought nine, 10, 12 and 13 were outstanding in that first half. The moves were good, they ran hard and they kept the ball alive.” He's talking about captain and halfback Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Hazel Tubic at first five, Fitzpatrick and centre Amy du Plessis.
The challenge for the Black Ferns over the next three weeks will come up front, especially if they get past Wales and play France and England in the semifinal and final.
Both of those nations have terrific packs, first fives who can dominate and control a game, and excellent defence. They both beat the Black Ferns twice last November and while New Zealand went into that tour having played almost no rugby due to the pandemic, Smith has admitted to sleepless nights thinking about French and English driving mauls.
His slumber is less disturbed now.
“The forward pack was way better today,” he said of the Black Ferns after the Scotland win. “They had had some shots fired at them [internally]." Smith began singling out different players for praise without realising he’d covered all of the starting pack.
“They really stepped up. It’s making things clearer.”
His backline may be clear in his mind, too, just as he knows some excellent players won’t get to start.
“I know, I know. There are going to be some disappointed women," he says. Some who may not get on the field again in this tournament.
Backs Woodman, Fluhler and Ruby Tui didn’t play in Whangārei after feeling sore from training on a sand-based field in Auckland. They will be assessed during the week and if she's fit, Tui's starting position could determine who the wings are.
Reene Holmes was solid at fullback against Scotland and converted six of the nine tries. If she starts against Wales, then Woodman and Tui loom as the wings, despite Ayesha Leti-I'iga’s successful return from injury on Saturday.
But Tui can play fullback which would allow Leti-I’iga and Woodman to be on the wings with Fluhler and Fitzpatrick in the midfield. That’s a rather handy back five.
Halfback is also intriguing. Cocksedge is the veteran, but Marino-Tauhinu captained the Ferns on Saturday and has a snappy pass and good running game. Ariana Bayler, who started against Wales, is excellent, too.
“I’m not stressing about the backs,” Smith said. “We could play any of our backlines and they will give everything. They have an attacking intent.”
Fitzpatrick, who has put a medical degree on hold to focus on rugby, is enjoying playing under one of New Zealand’s greatest rugby minds.
“Smithy lets us play with a lot of freedom; he likes a free-flowing game. He gives us tough love when we need it and also supports us when we do something right. There's a good balance there," she says.
“He's an epic human being, a very smart coach and we are really lucky to have him guide us through this World Cup.”
But it's Fitzpatrick who could yet be the talisman for the Black Ferns.
* The Black Ferns will play Wales in the quarterfinals in Whangārei on Saturday, after perhaps the closest pairing, France versus Italy. The Italians took time to shake off Japan, 21-8, yesterday, but the Azzurre have the keen memory of beating France in their final warm-up match before coming to New Zealand.
At Waitākere Stadium on Sunday, Australia meet England - who went on a 13-try scoring spree (12 of them from their forwards) against the departing South Africans, to win 75-0 yesterday. Then Canada play USA - a replay of yesterday's pool match where the Canadians' triumphed 29-14.
