Women’s rugby carries momentum

Black Ferns players Ruahei Demant (left) and Amy du Plessis battle against Australia during the...
Black Ferns players Ruahei Demant (left) and Amy du Plessis battle against Australia during the recent O’Reilly Cup, in Hamilton last month. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
A new 18-team international women’s 15s rugby competition kicks off tomorrow with some games taking place in Dunedin.

WXV brings together the world’s best rugby teams into three tiers — WXV1, WXV2 and WXV3 — to compete this month and next month.

The top level, WXV1, features Australia, Canada, England, Wales, France and New Zealand, who will compete in three matches against one another for three consecutive weekends, starting in Wellington tomorrow.

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson said last year’s Rugby World Cup unified and inspired the nation.

"We witnessed the passion and the enjoyment Aotearoa has for the women’s game.

"We look forward to seeing New Zealanders throw their support behind women’s sport as New Zealand once again becomes the focal point for international women’s rugby."

The WXV1 matches will include three games at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

England will face Canada, for the first match, on October 27.

The following day New Zealand will tackle Wales, before later in the evening France will go into battle against Australia.

Black Ferns midfielder Amy du Plessis is looking forward to playing in Dunedin.

Born in South Africa, she migrated to New Zealand with her family when she was 7, settling in Invercargill.

"I’m really excited to play in Dunedin because I have so many friends and family from Southland that will make the trip up.

"It will be the only game that I will have both sides of my family and even family from South Africa coming.

"I’m really looking forward to it and I think it’ll be a great crowd."

Earlier in her career, she travelled to Dunedin three times a week to play Farah Palmer Cup women’s rugby union competitions.

"I played for Alhambra Rugby Club and Varsity but didn’t play much club as it was tough to travel for a lot of the games."

Some of the challenges during the WXV would be the northern hemisphere teams, she said.

"I think the northern hemisphere teams have played a lot more test rugby playing against teams like England, France, etc, so the girls have more test experience."

She was expecting some big physicality in the games, "but nothing we haven’t trained for". She said the team was looking forward to testing itself against such teams.

Du Plessis was looking forward to playing England and France for the first time.

"It’ll be a good chance to see where I’m at as an individual, but also as a team.

"I love big games and love doing it with my mates in the black jersey."

Playing against Wales on October 28 was special because it would be the first Black Ferns game in Dunedin and there would be so many fans, she said.

"I also can’t wait to see where we are at post-World Cup," du Plessis said.

Looking back to when she was first starting out in rugby, du Plessis said a message she would give her younger self would be never to doubt herself because of other people’s opinions.

She had learned how important hard work was and that it was possible to dream big.

"Be yourself and do what you think is right. Authenticity — no matter what."

simon.henderson@thestar.co.nz