2022 Rugby League World Cup: Aotearoa Kiwi Ferns vs England Semi-Final Preview
After a delightful encounter against Australia, Aotearoa's Kiwi Ferns take on England in the Women's Rugby League World Cup. This semi-final will be played on Tuesday morning Aotearoa time and despite losing to Australia, Kiwi Ferns can take confidence from their last group stage game against the world's best team.
There were many wrinkles to the 8-10 loss against Australia that form foundations for Kiwi Ferns to build upon in the semi-final. Coach Ricky Henry has named his squad to face England with Madison Bartlett and Charlotte Scanlan returning. Bartlett and Scanlan should be in a full strength Kiwi Ferns outfit, neither played against Australia. NRLW champion Shanice Parker is a notable absence and the Knights outside back is probably battling injury niggle.
Scanlan's gritty mahi through the middle provides balance to the Kiwi Ferns forward pack and if she is selected in the top-17, she is likely to replace Christyl Stowers or Otesa Pule. Bartlett is as good a winger as any other wahine in the world, although Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly and Katelyn Vaha'akolo are excellent wingers themselves.
Mele Hufanga made her Kiwi Ferns debut on the wing against Cook Islands before being selected to start at centre against Australia. Centre seems like Hufanga's best position where her power and skill adds attacking flair to the Kiwi Ferns backline. Should Hufanga get a starting spot against England, her epic dual-code journey will continue and Hufanga's rise represents Aotearoa's strong grassroots foundations.
Kiwi Ferns played a fabulous game against Australia without Bartlett and Scanlan who both have NRLW experience. Hufanga looked comfortable at this level with no NRLW experience and while she does have Super Rugby experience, Hufanga was selected for Kiwi Ferns via her mahi with Ponsonby in Auckland Rugby League. Christyl Stowers has Maori All Stars experience and she also looked comfortable in a rugged battle against Australia, after being selected from Manurewa.
The starting halves combination against Australia featured the best half in the world Raecene McGregor and a Kiwi Ferns debutant in Abigail Roache. Roache didn't just make her debut, she made a leap up from wahine footy in Auckland with Richmond to play her role against Australia. Roache wasn't even in the initial RLWC squad and an unfortunate injury to forward Kararaina Wira-Kohu resulted in Roache's call up, which is even funkier as that announcement highlighted Roache as a utility who can cover multiple positions.
That utility from Auckland made her Test debut against Australia and now appears likely to start in the halves for a RLWC semi-final against the host nation. While not conducive with building combinations for slick footy, Aotearoa's depth is on display in rolling out three different halves combinations in their three group stage games.
vs France: Raecene McGregor, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly
vs Cook Islands: Raecene McGregor, Laishon Albert-Jones
vs Australia: Raecene McGregor, Abigail Roache
Albert-Jones earned a Kiwi Ferns call up earlier this year from her footy in Auckland with Richmond. Having multiple play-making options is a fabulous sign of Aotearoa's depth and Karli Hansen is also in the Kiwi Ferns squad, operating as 18th-wahine in the last two games. Hansen is part of the Titans NRLW mix but didn't play in their most recent season. That's four young wahine who provide a halves option alongside McGregor.
Kiwi Ferns narrowly lost to Australia with a Test debutant in the halves, their tihrd halves combination in a row, with three players from Auckland grassroots footy and without two hearty Kiwi Ferns internationals. The mana of the emerging talent helps and Kiwi Ferns also have a bunch of the best players in the world.
McGregor is the best half in the world. Georiga Hale is the best lock in the world. Amber Hall is the best edge forward in the world. Krystayl Rota might be the best hooker in the world. Apii Nicholls didn't start RLWC as a contender for best fullback in the world as her first season with Titans in NRLW was niggly and she was shifted from fullback to centre as Titans searched for wins. Nicholls has been fantastic at fullback for Kiwi Ferns and her burst of speed through defenders helps Kiwi Ferns roll forward.
There is not better example of Kiwi Ferns mana, or young folks mana than Mya Hill-Moana who is already an NRLW champion with Roosters and is among the best middle forwards in the game. The Taniwharau junior is a fantastic example of the development pipeline on offer to Aotearoa wahine as she impressed in Aotearoa, found opportunities in Australia and is now a cornerstone of Roosters.
Similar opportunities will come to the youngsters in Kiwi Ferns who have impressed throughout RLWC. Aotearoa's talent is on display for all to see and NRLW teams with the best scouting/recruitment will be busy snapping up talent from this campaign, as well as future footy. NRLW teams are looking for that advantage and Kiwi Ferns also pounced in recruiting Brianna Clark, Shanice Parker and Otesa Pule.
Parker made a bunch of Australia rugby/sevens teams in the same way that the McGregor sisters represented Australia in various levels of rugby union. Pule has already represented Queensland Under 19s and if she makes the top-17 against England, watch out for her on one edge as she is almost as dynamic as Hall on the other edge. Then there is Clark who has been part of Queensland wahine squads before and her mobility through the middle, plus her goal-kicking have quickly become assets for Kiwi Ferns.
Aotearoa Kiwi Ferns have a game to win against England and they will be eager to line up against Australia again for the RLWC final. This Kiwi Ferns group reflects the strength of wahine rugby league with exciting youngsters from NRLW and grassroots footy, as well as world-class veterans who are fabulous servants of Aotearoa footy.
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Peace and love.