The Black Ferns played England in a rugby union test match on Thursday, October 19, 2023. The Black Ferns came into the match as reigning World Cup champions after defeating England in the 2022 World Cup final last November. This was the first meeting between the teams since that World Cup final. As the current top two ranked women’s teams in the world, any match between New Zealand and England is highly anticipated in the rugby world.
Match Details
Location and Time
The Black Ferns vs England match today took place at Twickenham Stadium in London, England. Kick-off was at 7:30pm local time (8:30am NZ time on Friday October 20).
Line-ups
The starting line-ups for each team were as follows:
Black Ferns
1. Phillipa Love
2. Luka Connor
3. Amy Rule
4. Maiakawanakaulani Roos
5. Chelsea Bremner
6. Alana Bremner
7. Sarah Hirini
8. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u
9. Kendra Reynolds
10. Ruahei Demant (c)
11. Ayesha Leti-l’iga
12. Theresa Fitzpatrick
13. Stacey Fluhler
14. Renee Holmes
15. Selica Winiata
Replacements:
16. Natalie Delamare
17. Krystal Murray
18. Santo Taumata
19. Joanah Ngan-Woo
20. Kennedy Simon
21. Ariana Bayler
22. Hazel Tubic
23. Sylvia Brunt
England
1. Vickii Cornborough
2. Lark Davies
3. Sarah Bern
4. Zoe Aldcroft
5. Abbie Ward
6. Alex Matthews
7. Marlie Packer
8. Sarah Hunter (c)
9. Leanne Infante
10. Helena Rowland
11. Abby Dow
12. Holly Aitchison
13. Emily Scarratt
14. Lydia Thompson
15. Ellie Kildunne
Replacements:
16. Amy Cokayne
17. Hannah Botterman
18. Maud Muir
19. Cath O’Donnell
20. Poppy Cleall
21. Sadia Kabeya
22. Zoe Harrison
23. Tatyana Heard
Officials
Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (France)
Assistant Referees: Doriane Domenjo (France), Auréliane Sadot (France)
TMO: Olivier Gauzins (France)
First Half Summary
The first half was a tight contest between the two sides. England got on the scoreboard first through a penalty kick from Emily Scarratt in the 8th minute to take a 3-0 lead. The Black Ferns responded quickly though, with a try from Theresa Fitzpatrick in the 13th minute off a lineout drive. Ruahei Demant converted to give the Black Ferns a 7-3 lead.
England continued applying pressure on attack but handling errors and staunch Black Ferns defense kept them out. The Black Ferns extended their lead to 10-3 through a penalty kick in the 27th minute. As halftime approached, England finally broke through the Black Ferns defense with a try to Marlie Packer from a pick-and-go. Scarratt converted to level the scores 10-10 at the break.
It was a physical, intense first 40 minutes between the world’s top two teams who were evenly matched. The Black Ferns had 46% of possession and territory but finished the half stronger.
Half Time Score: New Zealand Black Ferns 10 – 10 England
Second Half Summary
The second half saw both teams continuing to battle fiercely. England came out firing and an early try to Lydia Thompson saw them retake the lead 15-10 after Scarratt’s conversion.
The Black Ferns hit back with relentless attacking waves, finally being rewarded with a try to Ayesha Leti-I’iga in the 50th minute. Demant converted to level the scores once again 15-15.
As the game wore on, fitness and power up front saw the Black Ferns gain dominance. Relentless pick-and-go’s close to the ruck eventually saw Chelsea Bremner crash over for a try in the 63rd minute. With Demant adding the extras, the Black Ferns led 22-15.
England had opportunities to strike back but handling errors at crucial moments cost them dearly. The English scrum also came under immense pressure, buckling on several occasions to concede penalties.
In the final moments, a yellow card to Lark Davies for repeated team infringements meant England were down to 14 players. The Black Ferns made them pay immediately, spreading the ball wide to the left wing where Ayesha Leti-I’iga flew down the touchline to score a stunning try in the 79th minute. Demant nailed the conversion from the sideline to make it 29-15 and seal an impressive victory.
The Black Ferns withstood intense pressure at times but their physical dominance, coupled with a ruthless attacking edge in the second half, saw them prevail over a gallant England.
Final Score: New Zealand Black Ferns 29 – 15 England
Match Statistics
Stat | Black Ferns | England |
---|---|---|
Tries | 3 | 2 |
Conversions | 3/3 | 2/2 |
Penalty goals | 1/1 | 1/1 |
Tackles completed | 121 | 105 |
Missed tackles | 15 | 24 |
Lineouts won | 14 | 7 |
Scrums won | 6 | 2 |
Rucks won | 61 | 52 |
Turnovers won | 6 | 5 |
Possession | 53% | 47% |
Territory | 55% | 45% |
The stats show the Black Ferns dominance at set pieces and breakdowns, with their superior scrum providing an excellent attacking platform. Their lineout drive also yielded a crucial try. England had more missed tackles, highlighting the effectiveness of the Black Ferns attack. Ultimately the Black Ferns made better use of their possession and territory.
Individual Player Performances
Black Ferns
Ayesha Leti-I’iga – The left wing flyer was sensational, beating 8 defenders and making 2 clean line breaks. Scored 2 tries including a stunning solo effort to seal the win.
Chelsea Bremner – The lock was immense at lineout time and scored a critical try. Made 18 tackles and hit rucks relentlessly.
Kendra Reynolds – Controlled the tempo brilliantly from halfback. Varied her game well and made some incisive runs.
Ruahei Demant – Led from the front as captain. Distributed smoothly, defended staunchly and kicked 100% off the tee.
England
Marlie Packer – England’s top performer. A workhorse in defense with 18 tackles and scored a great try.
Emily Scarratt – Kept England in the contest. 11 points with the boot, busy in midfield defense.
Lydia Thompson – England’s main attacking threat with 10 runs for 42m. Finished well for a try.
Abbie Ward – The lock never stopped working. Made 15 tackles and hit rucks all day.
What This Means
This was another classic encounter between the world’s top two women’s teams. After losing narrowly to England in July, this was an important hit back from the Black Ferns to re-establish superiority over their arch rivals.
With one win apiece from the first two matches of the series, it sets up a mouthwatering decider next week. The Black Ferns will be full of confidence after proving their physicality and finishing skills in this test.
For England, it demonstrates that while they can match the Black Ferns for large periods, they need to improve their discipline and accuracy to turn opportunities into points. With the World Cup on home soil fast approaching, this series is ideal preparation for both teams.
Based on today’s performance, the Black Ferns have shown they remain the team to beat. But England will learn from this and be ready to bounce back in the third test. Their rivalry continues to drive women’s rugby forward and produce enthralling contests.
Conclusion
In summary, the Black Ferns won today’s rugby union test match against England by 29-15. It was a physical, intense contest between the world’s top two teams featuring tries, tactical kicking battles, and crucial turning points.
The Black Ferns made better use of their possession and dominated the set piece to set up the victory. England competed gamely but will rue missed opportunities. The win re-establishes the Black Ferns at the number one ranking ahead of next week’s series decider.
With the World Cup looming, both teams gained excellent experience. But for today, the Black Ferns reign supreme to answer the question of who won Black Ferns vs England today. Their quest to defend the World Cup is well and truly on track after this statement victory over their fiercest rivals.