1
Five newcomers announced among 2024 Black Ferns contracts
Form has been rewarded for five players following the biggest Super Rugby Aupiki season to date, with Black Ferns Director of Rugby Allan Bunting suitably impressed by the several youngsters who took the 2024 season by storm.
ADVERTISEMENT
Atlanta Lolohea (Matatu), Hannah King (Hurricanes Poua) Kahlia Awa (Blues), Maama Vaipulu (Blues) and Maia Joseph (Matatu) have all been rewarded for their respective Aupiki campaigns with their first full-time Black Ferns contracts.
The 40-strong group of contracted players for 2024 features a huge contingent of 2021 (played in 2022) World Cup winners, offering plenty of experience for the newcomers to tap into.
Bunting said the newbies had huge potential in key positions.
“It is exciting to be able to see the growth we are building in our game at the moment. While it makes for a tough selection, it gives us an opportunity to expose more talent to the international stage in specific areas we are looking at moving into the future and towards Rugby World Cup 2025.
“These new players have really stood out consistently in their own way across Sky Super Rugby Aupiki, that has been apparent in the way they hold themselves on and off the field.
“It is an exciting opportunity for them to come on this journey and look to continue their growth both on and off the field. The future of our internal competition is exciting to see.”
Along with the five new players, four players return to the Black Ferns environment having already donned the black jersey; Prop Aldora Itunu (Blues), newly converted prop Marcelle Parkes (Matatu), illusive loose forward Kaipo Olsen-Baker (Matatu) and powerful midfielder Monica Tagoai (Hurricanes Poua).
ADVERTISEMENT
“We are pleased to be able to welcome back these experienced players into our environment,” Bunting said. “Their perseverance, physical presence and ability to impact games has been evident. They have been standouts for their respective teams during Sky Super Rugby Aupiki and we are excited to see what they bring to the environment.”
Black Ferns 2024 contracted group
Alana Bremner (Matatu, Canterbury)
Aldora Itunu (Blues, Auckland)
Amy du Plessis (Matatu, Canterbury)
Amy Rule (Matatu, Canterbury)
Ariana Bayler (Chiefs Manawa, Waikato)
Atlanta Lolohea (Matatu, Canterbury)
Ayesha Leti-I’iga (Hurricanes Poua, Wellington)
Awhi Tangen-Wainohu (Chiefs Manawa, Waikato)
Charmaine Smith (Chiefs Manawa, Northland)
Chelsea Bremner (Chiefs Manawa, Canterbury)
Chryss Viliko (Blues, Auckland)
Georgia Ponsonby (Matatu, Canterbury)
Grace Steinmetz (Chiefs Manawa, Canterbury)
Hannah King (Hurricanes Poua, Canterbury)
Iritana Hohaia (Hurricanes Poua, Taranaki)
Joanah Ngan Woo (Hurricanes Poua, Wellington)
Kahlia Awa (Blues, Hawke’s Bay)
Kaipo Olsen-Baker (Matat?, Manawat?)
Kate Henwood (Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty)
Katelyn Vahaakolo (Blues, Auckland)
Kennedy Simon (Chiefs Manawa, Waikato)
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (Blues, Auckland)
Layla Sae (Hurricanes Poua, Manawat?)
Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt (Blues, Auckland)
Lucy Jenkins (Matatu, Canterbury)
Luka Connor (Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty)
Leaso Grace Gago Tiatia (Blues, Counties Manukau)
Maama Vaipulu (Blues, Auckland)
Maia Joseph (Matat?, Otago)
Maiakawanakaulani Roos (Blues, Auckland)
Marcelle Parkes (Matatu, Canterbury)
Mererangi Paul (Chiefs Manawa, Counties Manukau)
Monica Tagoai (Hurricanes Poua, Wellington)
Patricia Maliepo (Blues, Auckland)
Renee Holmes (Chiefs Manawa, Waikato)
Ruahei Demant (Blues, Auckland)
Ruby Tui (Chiefs Manawa, Counties Manukau)
Santo Taumata (Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty)
Sophie Fisher (Blues, Auckland)
Tanya Kalounivale (Chiefs Manawa, Waikato)
Injury cover: Phillipa Love, Liv McGoverne and Mia Anderson.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments