Black Ferns rout USA for Pacific Four title
- Dave Worsley
- May 26
- 2 min read
The Black Ferns have re-taken the Pacific Four Series title with a fearless and frantic 79-14 thrashing of the USA at North Harbour Stadium over the weekend.
Following Canada’s 45-7 blitz of Australia at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the Black Ferns had to pile on the points against the Eagles by 25 points with a four-try bonus point.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scored seven tries, passing Vanessa Coutts as the Black Ferns all-time leading try scorer with 45 in 26 Tests.
Cootes scored 43 tries in 16 Tests. Her most famous performance was against the USA when she scored five tries in the Black Ferns first Rugby World Cup final win in Amsterdam in 1998.
In 1999, Tammi Wilson scored six tries against the USA in Palmerston North on her birthday. She bemoaned that she was at fault for the Eagles' solitary try, allowing the ball to bounce into an opponent's hand.
Woodman-Wickliffe scored four tries against the USA in Belfast in the 2017 Rugby World Cup quarter-final. She matched her tally for the most tries she has scored in a Test in New Zealand. She also bagged seven in a 95-12 win against Japan at Eden Park in Auckland in 2022. She scored eight in a 121-0 whitewash of Hong Kong at the 2017 Rugby World Cup in Dublin. Cootes scored nine in a 109-0 demolition of France in Edmonton in 1996.
On the opposite wing, Katelyn Vahaakolo bagged a quartet of tries to boost her tally to 23 tries in 16 Tests. She actually carried three more metres (153-150) than Woodman-Wickcliffe.
The pathway for the lethal finishers to flourish was paved by the forwards. Props Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu on debut and Kate Henwood set the tone in the lower numbers.
Lock Alana Bremner was twice held up over the line while Sevens superstar Jorja Miller ran amok on her debut. The 2024 Kel Tremain Memorial Medal winner had two line breaks, 69 metres gained, 13 tackles, and assisted a try for Woodman-Wickliffe.
The second half was 45-0 to the hosts. Debutant halfback Risi Pouri-Lane grew in stature. First five Ruahei Demant kicked a conversion, falling over, giggling. Fullback Braxton Sorenson-McGee gained 114 metres in nine carries with two line breaks.
The Black Ferns delivered double the passes of the USA, 235-117 and had 18 line breaks to one.
The biggest win the Black Ferns have enjoyed against the USA was 86-8 in Edmonton in 1996. Cootes scored five tries in that match too.
Hooker Georgia Ponsoby and openside Kennedy Tukuafu celebrated their 30th Test matches. Co-Captain Tukuafu labelled the Black Ferns display as “epic.”
Black Ferns: 79 (Portia Woodman-Wickliffe 7, Katelyn Vahaakolo 4, Ruahei Demant, Stacey Waaka tries; Demant 4 cons, Hannah King 3 cons) USA: 14 (Freda Tafuna, Hope Rogers tries; McKenzie Hawkins 2 cons) HT: 34-14
