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‘They’ll be hungry’: Unbeaten Black Ferns braced for England backlash
Sport Nation • September 21st, 2026 9:02 am
Black Ferns | Photo: Photosport
The Black Ferns’ emphatic 66-14 win over Scotland on Sunday (NZ time) has left head coach Whitney Hansen with a selection headache ahead of this weekend’s blockbuster clash with England.
New Zealand ran in 10 tries in a dominant performance, with Hansen particularly pleased to give young players valuable Test experience, having made several changes to the team which beat France the weekend prior.
But the competition for places has made Hansen’s job increasingly difficult, with some challenging selection meetings having already been held, as her team looks to remain unbeaten in the WXV Global Series.
“I’ve just come out of a meeting that normally takes half an hour and it’s taken an hour-and-a-half,” Hansen told Sport Nation's Scotty & Izzy.
“And the worst part about that is we still don’t have three decisions done when we come back in the morning.”
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Hansen says the depth across the squad is now creating genuine competition, particularly among the forwards.
“It’s not a matter of who’s good enough anymore, it’s actually who’s the right person at the right time to do the job for us in that game,” she said.
But the Black Ferns know they face a significantly tougher challenge against England at Twickenham, with the Red Roses coming off a draw with Canada.
“I think it probably makes them tougher to beat,” Hansen said.
“They’re a bit hungry after a draw or a loss, aren’t they?”
Hansen also expects the atmosphere at Twickenham to provide another challenge, with a large crowd expected for the clash.
“We had a couple of cool tests leading into this with that South Africa game and the crowd there and then what we’ve seen in France as well,” she said.
“But 12,000 sounds a bit more like 40, so I think that’ll be a big thing to factor in just in terms of mental performance. But they’re ready for that.”
The Black Ferns face England at Twickenham this Sunday - kick-off is scheduled for 3am (NZT).
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