When you think about international women’s rugby, which team comes to your mind? In all likelihood, it’s probably the New Zealand Black Ferns. As one of the most successful teams in women’s rugby, the Black Ferns have competed in all eight of the Rugby World Cup tournaments and won five out of the last six competitions.
Their most recent Rugby World Cup win was in 2017 and with the 2021 competition about to start – it was postponed due to the pandemic – New Zealanders are hopeful that the women’s team can bring the cup home once again.
Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at what we can expect of the Black Ferns during the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
Benefit Of The Home Advantage
New Zealand are hosting the 2021 Rugby World Cup for the first time in its history which means the Black Ferns will benefit from the home advantage, but could this really make a difference?
A little digging on Google revealed a study that looked at home advantage during the Six Nations. The research analysed home advantage in tournaments between 2000 and 2007, covering 120 matches in total. The results found that teams playing on home turf scored 61% more points than away teams.
Another study examined the impact of performing the haka, the ceremonial Māori routine, and the advantage it gave to the All Blacks. It showed that heartrate increased during the haka, boosting body temperature and getting their muscles ready for the game. So, combine the home advantage with the benefits of the haka and it seems that the Black Ferns could well have the edge they need to win their sixth Rugby World Cup.
The Black Ferns’ Impressive Record
When it comes to women’s rugby, this New Zealand team is arguably one of the most accomplished. In fact, they’re the only women’s international team to win a match against every single one of their opponents. This started in 1990 with their first international match against the Netherlands – New Zealand won with 56 points to Netherland’s zero.
However, the Black Ferns also suffered their biggest defeat in 2021. This was an away game against England, with the hosts beating New Zealand in a match that ended 56-15. The Ferns also subsequently lost their number one world ranking, dropping to number two behind England.
With all of that being said, can New Zealand win the 2021 Rugby World Cup? Will they be crowned champions once again? The tournament starts on 8 October 2022, so it won’t be long before we find out.