Nines women down to short list
Five newcomers have a chance to make NZ Kiwi Ferns debuts, after their inclusion in the national women’s squad to
prepare for next month’s Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines.
About 50 players trialled for the team at Cornwall Park over the weekend, including most of the test side that defeated
Australia last month, but coach Rusty Matua has reached beyond that roster for the Eden Park tournament.
Since this will be the first time New Zealand has fielded a national nines team, all the players eventually chosen will
technically be debutants. For Aleasha Brider (Mid Central), Luisa Gago (Counties Manukau), Amber Kani (Counties
Manukau), Krystal Rota (Counties Manukau) and Janna Vaughan (Mid Central), though, this could be their first opportunity
to wear a Kiwi Ferns jersey.
Vaughan, who is also a national kickboxing champion, Kani and Rota have been close before, narrowly missing selection in
the past. Brider is a former NZ Maoris and Queensland representative, while Gago was 2014 Forward of the Year for the
Manurewa Marlins club.
But Matua wasn’t able to include several players pursuing their Olympic dream at the national rugby union sevens
tournament, scheduled for the same weekend as the Kiwi Ferns’ final selection camp on January 16-18.
“It’s a harsh reality, but we had to give them an ultimatum,” he says. “We had to draw a line in the sand and we’ve now
gone with girls who are 100 percent committed to the nines programme.”
Matua was able to draw on the experience of a selection panel that consisted of assistant coach Bejay Hewitt, NZRL
talent development manager Dean Watkins, Counties Manukau coaching & development officer Dan Keepa and former Kiwi Richie Blackmore.
The 21-strong squad will now begin regular training and will be reduced to a playing group of 16 before the tournament
on January 31/February 1.
The Kiwi Ferns squad for the 2014 Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines is:
Aleasha Brider (Mid Central), Maitua Feterika (Counties Manukau), Sarina Fiso (Counties Manukau), Teuila Fotu-Moala
(Counties Manukau), Luisa Gago (Counties Manukau), Georgia Hale (Akarana), Honey Hireme (Counties Manukau), Chanel
Huddleston (Mid Central), Amber Kani (Counties Manukau), Nora Maaka (Counties Manukau), Kelly Maipi (Counties Manukau),
Laura Mariu (Counties Manukau), Krystal Murray (Mdi Central), Hilda Peters (Counties Manukau), Kahurangi Peters
(Counties Manukau), Rona Peters (Counties Manukau), Krystal Rota (Counties Manukau), Atawhai Tupaea (Counties Manukau),
Janna Vaughan (Mid Central), Sharnita Woodman (Counties Manukau), Shontelle Woodman (Counties Manukau)
ends