The Black Ferns overcame four yellow cards to outclass the Springbok Women 52-20 in Johannesburg this morning.
In the curtain-raiser to the All Blacks v Springboks Test at FNB Stadium, the visitors scored eight tries to four as they claimed a comprehensive victory in the first-ever match between the two sides in South Africa.
The Black Ferns opened the scoring in the first few minutes, with some nice passing leading to a try to openside flanker Elinor-Plum King.
Fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee was the next to score after breaking through South Africa’s defence on the right side, and first-five Hannah King nailed the conversion to put the visitors ahead 12-0.
The Springbok Women struck next, hooker Lindelwa Gwala scoring from a maul following a lineout close to the Black Ferns’ line. The conversion was unsuccessful, with the score 12-7 to New Zealand after about 15 minutes.
The Black Ferns lost a player to the sin bin in the 28th minute. wing Mererangi Paul yellow-carded for knocking the ball down when the Springbok women were on attack.
The hosts took advantage of the extra player, and after winning a penalty following another impressive lineout drive they took a quick tap and midfielder storming over from close range to cut the Black Ferns’ lead to 12-10 with 10 minutes left in the first half.
The Springbok Women were dominating the scrum and earning regular penalties, with the Black Ferns falling foul of the referee on several occasions.
New Zealand were the next to score following a break from wing Ayesha Leti-I’iga, prop Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu going over from close range after a quick tap to extend the Black Ferns’ lead to 17-10, before Sorensen-McGee kicked the conversion to push their advantage out to 19-10.
The Black Ferns scored their fourth try after the halftime siren, Sorensen-McGee going over for her second of the match on the right edge to give the visitors a 24-10 lead at the break.
South Africa started the second half strongly and won a string of penalties from lineout drives, with Black Ferns hooker Georgia Ponsonby yellow-carded after the visitors pulled down a Springbok Women maul.
The hosts scored a try following another lineout drive to cut the Black Ferns’ lead to 24-15, and New Zealand then had Leti-I’iga yellow-carded for a professional foul, reducing the visitors to 13 players.
The Black Ferns though didn’t go into their shells and halfback Maia Joseph stepped her way through the score to push their lead out to 29-15. Sorensen-McGee added the extras to make it 31-15 to New Zealand.
Flanker King then scored her second try of the game and New Zealand’s sixth, with Sorensen-McGee kicking the conversion to extend the Black Ferns’ lead to 38-15 after 57 minutes.
Loose forward Amarante Sititi came off the bench for the Black Ferns, with her and her brother Wallace – who was in the reserves for the All Blacks’ third Test against Springboks – the second set of siblings to play for the New Zealand men’s and women’s rugby teams on the same day.
Sititi was the next try-scorer, barging over from close range after the Black Ferns stole a lineout off the hosts, and Sorensen-McGee kicked the conversion to push the visitors lead out to 45-15 with less than 10 minutes to go.
Lock Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu then ran over to score after a jinking run by replacement back Justine McGregor, and the conversion was good, the Black Ferns storming out to a 52-15 lead with about five minutes remaining.
The Black Ferns had a fourth player yellow-carded with Vaipulu sent to the sin bin after the fulltime siren, and South Africa then scored a consolation try, with the score finishing 52-20 to New Zealand.
