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Regional | Kiwi Ferns

Kiwi Ferns ready to begin preparations

With two months to go, the Kiwi Ferns are plotting their attack for the Women's Rugby League World Cup in Australia.

The New Zealand side hasn't won the World Cup since 2008 and are eager to win it from the current champions, the Jillaroos.

November is near, so it's down to business for the Kiwi Ferns.

Captain Sarina Clark says, "It's been a pretty full-on year for us from the Nines straight into the Anzac and now we're just building to the World Cup."

"We'll probably start to ramp it up a little bit just as we build closer to the World Cup," says stand-off Georgia Hale.

They don't have the luxury of regular camps and have had to be smart with their preparations.

Hale says, "Down the line, in the Hamilton region, and even further down to Christchurch, they're doing the same training in pods, and it's exciting when we get to come together in camps and be back together as a squad."

During the Anzac Test, the New Zealanders came up against a faster, stronger and fitter Jillaroos squad.

Hale says, "Our focus at the moment is really on the fundamentals and just tying up those loose ends that we didn't get right at the Nines, at the Anzac Test. Probably fitness is our focus also at the moment."

Clark would love nothing better than to avenge the loss of 2013 where they were defeated 22-12.

"We've just been preparing and focusing on our strengths, making sure that we minimise our errors."

Hale adds, "Just as we build closer to working towards the World Cup, we'll work on strategies both attack and defence."

First up for the Kiwi Ferns is a warm-up game against the NZ Māori Wahine Toa team in Hamilton on November 4.