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'They believe their own hype': Black Ferns 'arrogance' exposed at World Cup
Mark Watson • September 22nd, 2025 3:18 pm
Kennedy Tukuafu and NZ coach Allan Bunting face the media after the game.
It's been a tough month looking at our national rugby teams - the All Blacks and now the Black Ferns.
The Black Fern's were humbled 34-19 by Canada. Yes, Canada. A cake-stall team, a sausage-sizzle team funded through crowdfunding. A Canadian team with no professional club rugby competition, no heritage or history in the sport of rugby. A minor sport equivalent to ice hockey and the status it has in this country. No central contracts.
On the other hand, the Black Ferns have had every financial resource thrown at them in their campaign over the for the last four years. But this is a Black Ferns team that has been elevated by a virtual-signalling media for far too long, who will have us believe that the status of the Black Ferns and their players are on par with the status of the All Blacks.
A media who, with their outlandish claims after the victory over England four years ago, will have us believe that women's rugby will overtake the men's game. It will provide new revenue streams. The same media have turned a blind eye to the fact that New Zealand haven't beaten England since that Rugby World Cup four years ago, but have lost to Ireland, have lost to France, have lost consistently to Canada. But with zero scrutiny.
Mark Watson unleashes on Black Ferns after World Cup exit to Canada | The Bunnings Trade Rugby Run
The scary thing is that the players have bought into this narrative. They believe their own hype. They believe they are entitled to travel business class and stay in five-star hotels. The media now has them believing they are the elite of the elite. That they somehow stand individually and collectively alongside the likes of Lisa Carrington, ultra runner Ruth Croft, swimmer Erika Fairweather and sprinter Zoe Hobbs.
They are somewhat delusional. Just because you get paid does not make you an elite athlete.
They were humbled by their own arrogance. An arrogance highlighted earlier this year after losing to Canada, when they were trying to play helter-skelter, Damian McKenzie-type BS rugby.
They said after the loss, 'we won't change the way we play, it's in our DNA'. I've had a guts-full of players being told by coaches to go out there and express themselves.
This loss should be a humbling moment for the Black Ferns, but it won't be. They will be excused and the narrative will be 'key moments' and 'they were lucky'.
If you are going to spend millions of dollars on this team at the expense of provincial rugby, at the expensive club rugby, provincial unions who are struggling to stay afloat, then - just like the All Blacks - you need to start winning.
The best thing about this is the Canadians showed that it doesn't matter about money. It doesn't matter about flying business class, staying in five-star hotels.
You want parity? You want equity? I'm happy to go after the All Blacks, but I'm happy to go after the Black Ferns. That performance was just as bad as what we saw from the All Blacks against South Africa. Just as bad as what saw against Argentina.
Get over yourselves. Stop putting your damn hand out. Stop resting and leaning on your player's association. Get the hard graft done. Stay out of the limelight.
You were a better team when you were amateur. You were a better team when you were in the shadows.
Mark Watson is the host of The Rugby Run, Sundays 12-2pm
