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Sport | Black Ferns

First training camp for Black Ferns, with 10 new full-timers

The Black Ferns are relishing being back in camp for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup and welcoming 10 new full-time players to the fold.

The team has assembled in Wellington for the first training camp under new rugby director Allan Bunting.

“It's great to see new faces who earned contracts during the Super Rugby Aupiki competition," last year’s co-captain, Ruahei Demant, says. "And also, just the level of enthusiasm that our new coaching and management staff has brought in has created a real exciting environment for us to be a part of."

A number of players impressed the coaches during the Super Rugby Aupiki competition this year, who are giving them the opportunity now to further their growth and take their skills to the next level.

Assistant coach Steve Jackson, one of three assistant coaches named last week to work with Bunting, says, “We wouldn’t want to go and change too much but again we also want to make sure that we're making those improvements that we see within their game to make them better.

"Come the next World Cup, teams are going to be looking at that. So how can we improve and get better? That’s the good thing about this group at the moment - they're willing to learn and try new things.”

Milestone for the game

The growth of women's rugby continues to provide opportunities for players to seek a full-time professional career.

Demant, one of the first to get a full-time 15s contract in 2018 says having so many contracted and able to focus purely on their rugby is a milestone for the game. “There are so many barriers in women’s sport that, as females we have to continue to overcome, and while the professionalism is not at the level we would like it to be at, it's another step in the right direction.”

Katelyn Vaha’akolo is one of the new players to get a contract after making the switch from rugby league in 2022. She had starred with the Newcastle Knights in the NRLW and the Kiwi Ferns at the Rugby League World Cup.

The Ngāti Whātua winger is happy to fulfil her goal so quickly. “It has been awesome meeting our coaches. They are so cool. It's an honour, and perhaps that is the best way to describe my feeling at this time. It's an honour for me.”

Vaha’akolo is building a reputation as a quick learner. The 23-year-old decided at the age of 20 to start her journey to learn the Māori language under the mentoring of Tāwhirimātea and Kaa Williams at Te Wānanga Takiura.

Te reo journey

“I didn't grow up in the Māori world, so I found it difficult to understand my Māori culture. I struggled to learn my genealogy because my own family didn’t know but I was lucky enough to earn a spot at Te Wānanga Takiura, which was absolutely awesome. It was great to meet others who also never grew up in our Māori culture.

”I’m now able to speak with and understand other reo speakers, and I’m determined to keep going on my reo journey.”

One player missing from the squad this week is Rugby World Cup star Ruby Tui, who is still in talks with New Zealand Rugby about her playing future, and further contracted players will be announced at a later date.