Black Ferns Named To Face Australia In Hamilton

New Zealand Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting has named his side to face Australia in the second O'Reilly Cup match at 4.35pm in Hamilton on Saturday.

Bunting has named three debutants on his reserves bench, Auckland prop Chryss Viliko, Manawatu loose forward Layla Sae and Canterbury winger Martha Mataele. He also has Northland lock Charmaine Smith returning to the side after initially retiring in 2019 with a neck injury, and Auckland utility Patricia Maliepo starting at fullback after she missed last years Rugby World Cup win with concussion.

The Black Ferns will also play further internationals in the inaugural WXV 1 series against France on 21st October at Sky Stadium in Wellington, Wales on 28th October at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, and England on 4th November at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

New Zealand Black Ferns: 

1-Krystal Murray, 2-Georgia Ponsonby, 3-Amy Rule, 4-Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 5-Charmaine Smith, 6-Alana Bremner, 7-Kennedy Simon (cc), 8-Liana Mikaele Tu'u, 9-Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, 10-Ruahei Demant (cc), 11-Katelyn Vahaakolo, 12-Sylvia Brunt, 13-Amy du Plessis, 14-Mererangi Paul, 15. Patricia Maliepo

Reserves: 

16-Luka Connor, 17-Chryss Viliko, 18-Tanya Kalounivale, 19-Lucy Jenkins, 20-Layla Sae, 21-Iritana Hohaia, 22-Rosie Kelly, 23-Martha Mataele

Australia Wallaroos: 

1. Bree-Anna Cheatham, 2. Adiana Talakai, 3. Eva Karpani, 4. Sera Naiqama, 5. Michaela Leonard (C), 6. Kaitlan Leaney, 7. Emily Chancellor, 8. Ashley Marsters, 9. Layne Morgan, 10. Carys Dallinger, 11. Ivania Wong, 12. Trilleen Pomare, 13. Georgina Friedrichs, 14. Maya Stewart, 15. Lori Cramer

Reserves: 

16. Tania Naden, 17. Emily Robinson, 18. Bridie O’Gorman, 19. Leilani Nathan, 20. Tabua Tuinakauvadra, 21. Jasmin Huriwai, 22. Cecilia Smith, 23. Faitala Moleka

All Blacks Named To Face Italy

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face Italy in their final pool match at the Rugby World Cup, with lock Sam Whitelock in the reserves for his potential 149th test appearance for the All Blacks.

Their are several players returning from injury in the starting side and in the reserves. Same Cane's back injury and Tyrel Lomax's knee cut have allowed their inclusion on the reserves bench while both Jordie Barrett and Shannon Frizell will both start their first games of the tournament. 

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea (capt), Dalton Papalii, Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Ofa Tuungafasi. 

Reserves: 

Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Cam Roigard, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.

All Blacks Beat Namibia

The All Blacks have beaten Namibia 71-3 in wet conditions, with halfback and man of the match Cam Roigard getting two tries.

The All Blacks scored eleven tries, with the opening one from Roigard after only a minute and a half into the match, with first five Damian McKenzie also getting a double and 26 points in the match. The All Blacks again conceded multiple penalties with he count 12-7 against them, and also lost prop Ethan de Groot to the sin-bin in the 71st minute for a shoulder to head clash in a tackle, which was upgraded to a red card from the television match official. 

The All Blacks now have a week off, and will next face Italy on the 30th September.

New Zealand: 71 

Tries: Cam Roigard 2, Damian McKenzie 2, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ethan de Groot, Dalton Papali'i, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane tries; McKenzie 8 con) 

Namibia: 3

Penalty: Tiaan Swanepoel pen). HT: 38-3

Auckland And Northland Win Farah Palmer Cup Finals

Auckland has beaten Canterbury 39-27 to win the Farah Palmer Cup for the first time since 2015, and Northland has won promotion to the Premier division for 2024 after beating Manawatu 32-29.

Auckland: 39 

Tries: Angelica Vahai 2, Eloise Blackwell 2, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Ruahei Demant, Conversions: Demant 3, Penalty: Demant 

Canterbury: 27 

Tries: Karla Wright-Akeli, Amy du Plessis, Georgia Ponsonby, Conversions: Rosie Kelly 3, Penalties: Kelly 2  

Northland: 32 

Tries: Hikitia Wikaira, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 2, Tara Turner, Conversions: Krystal Murray 3, Penalties: Murray 2 

Manawatū: 29

Tries: Te Whetumarama Nuku 2, Marilyn Fanoga 2, Ruci Malanicagi, Conversions: Corrineke Windle, Maia Davis

All Blacks Named To Face Namibia

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named the All Blacks side to face Namibia in their second pool match at the 2023 Rugby World Cup at Toulouse, 7am on Saturday 16th September.

There are multiple changes to the side, with Damian McKenzie in at first five, Cam Roigard getting his first start at halfback, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Caleb Clarke on the wings, and Samisoni Taukei’aho at hooker. Brodie Retallick will start at lock, while Sam Cane is rested with his back injury. Lock Sam Whitelock will play his 148th test cap for the All Blacks, equaling former captain Richie McCaw with most matches played.

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Anton Lienert-Brown, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard; Ardie Savea (c), Dalton Papalii, Luke Jacobson, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala,  Ofa Tuungafasi. 

Reserves: 

Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Tupou Vaa’i, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Rieko Ioane.

Namibia: 

Cliven Loubser, Gerswin Mouton, Johan Deysel (c), Le Roux Malan, Divan Rossouw, Tiaan Swanepoel, Damian Stevens; Richard Hardwick, Prince Gaoseb, Wian Conradie, Tjiuee Uanivi, Johan Retief, Johan Coetzee, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Jason Benade. 

Reserves: 

Louis van der Westhuizen, Desiderius Sethie, Haitembu Shifuka, PJ Van Lill, Adriaan Booysen, Max Katjijeko, Jacques Theron, JC Greyling.

The All Blacks have lost their opening match at the Rugby World Cup to host France 29-13. The All Blacks had opened the scoring with a try inside the opening minutes to wing Mark Talea, but trailed 9-8 at halftime. The second half saw the All Blacks concede multiple penalties with a final count 12-4 , and had Will Jordan sin-binned for a challenge in the air. Captain Sam Cane was scratched before the game due to a back injury, and this saw Tupou Vaa’i came in at blindside flanker, Dalton Papalii switch to the openside, and Brodie Retallick come into the reserves.

Tasman flanker Ethan Blackadder has been called into the squad as injury cover, and has replaced winger Emoni Narawa who is returning home with a back injury

New Zealand: 13 

Tries: Mark Telea 2, Penalty: Richie Mo'unga pen). HT: 9-8

France: 29 

Tries: Damian Penaud, Melvyn Jaminet tries; Thomas Ramos con, 5 pen)

Farah Palmer Cup Semi-Final Results

Auckland: 29 

Tries: Maama Vaipulu 2, Angelica Vahai, Ruahei Demant, Conversions: Ruahei Demant 3, Penalty: Demant 

Waikato: 22 

Tries: Carla Hohepa, Victoria Makea, Ashlee Gaby-Sutherland, Conversions: Kiriana Nolan, Ariana Bayler, Penalty: Bayler

Canterbury: 59 

Tries: Holly Wratt-Groeneweg 3, Martha Mataele 2, Pip Love, Grace Steinmetz, Amy Du Plessis, Amy Rule, Conversions: Rosie Kelly 7, Hannah King

Hawke’s Bay: 29 

Tries: Nicolette Adamson 2, Tee Aiolupotea, Denise Aiolupotea, Jade Tangaere-Tahua, Conversions: Krysten Cottrell 2

Northland: 29 

Tries: Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 2, Hikitia Wikaira, Ocean Tierney, Conversions: Pohutukawa Kakara 2, Krystal Murray, Penalty: Murray 

Otago: 19 

Tries: Oceana Campbell, Maia Joseph, Jamie Church, Conversions: Jospeh, Georgia Cormick

Manawatū: 73 

Tries: Marilyn Live, Rangimarie Sturmey 2, Jashana Teuawiri 2, Layla Sae, Selica Winiata, Sosoli Talawadua, Taufa Bason, Caitlin Burt-Poloai, Paige Lush, Conversions: Winiata 9

Tasman:10 

Try: Cassie Siataga, Conversion: Siataga, Penalty: Siataga

Farah Palmer Cup Premiership Final

Canterbury v Auckland Storm, Christchurch Rugby Park, 9 September 2.05pm

Farah Palmer Cup Championship Final

Manawatu Cyclones v Northland, Central Energy Trust Arena, Palmerston North, 10 September, 5.05pm