Black Ferns start 2026 campaign with 48-15 win over USA

Black Ferns: 48 (Mererangi Paul 3; Renee Holmes 2, Sylvia Brunt, Hannah King tries; Renee Holmes 5 cons, pen) USA: 15 (Hope Rogers, Erica Coulibaly tries; Bella Vogel con pen) HT: 19-15

The Black Ferns opened the defence of their Pacific Four Series title with a 48-15 win over a tenacious USA at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, California.

Narrowly ahead 19-15 at halftime, the Black Ferns faced anxiety when veteran blindside Liana Mikaele-Tu’u was yellow-carded for a shoulder-to-head tackle in the 42nd minute. The Eagles immediately launched a menacing attack inside the Black Ferns 22. A massive ruck turnover from tighthead prop Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu defused it.

From the ensuing penalty, the Black Ferns gained favourable field position and used their backs, whose handling was far superior to the Eagles'. In the 45th minute, slick distribution freed Mererangi Paul, who nearly repeated her eighth-minute chip-and-chase try. A knock-on over the line denied that, but anchored in US territory, Paul eventually set up Reene Holmes.

Four minutes later, Paul repeated her Hamilton 2024 hat-trick against the USA. Maia Ross secured clean lineout possession. Maia Joseph, who passed accurately and quickly throughout, fired a pass to Holmes. Holmes roared into a gap and slipped it to Paul.

Two undermanned tries extinguished any prospect of an upset. Two further tries to Holmes, linking with Paul again, and Hannah King mopping up a loose pass like disinfectant made the margin comfortable.

Even so, a 60th-minute red card to prop Tanya Kalounivale for a head-high clean out and a 72nd-minute yellow card to replacement hooker Vici-Rose Green for a cynical side entry were alarming lapses in discipline for the Black Ferns. The match finished 15 against 13 with 6 on 8 in the scrum. The USA were a vastly improved outfit from the team that was flogged 79-14 by the Black Ferns in North Harbour in May last year.

Earlier, the USA struck first when veteran prop Hope Rogers smashed over like a drill hammer in the seventh minute for her 26th try in 60 Tests. Debutant Bella Vogel landed the sideline conversion in a dream start.

The USA had the most accurate lineout at the 2025 Rugby World Cup and employed rolling mauls and accurate box kicks from halfback Cassidy Bargell to unsettle the visitors. Loose forwards Hann Humphreys, Georgie Perris-Redding and Freda Tafuna were collectively outstanding, combining for 40 tackles, 6 turnovers and 17 carries.

The Black Ferns always looked the more likely, though, when the ball passed through the backs. Paul’s first try was an outstanding showcase of skill and her second a stroll over after strong initial work from No.8 Kaipo Olsen-Barker and a skip pass from Ruahei Demant.

Second-five Sylvia Brunt topped the carry count with 15, consistently punching holes in the midfield, rewarded with a 32nd-minute try to make it 19-10.

The Black Ferns lost possession at the kick-off when debutant Humphreys turned the ball over. Katana Howard, playing her 23rd Test, saw space and chipped ahead for Erica Coulibaly to gather and score. Coulibaly, a standout in high school athletics and football who has also represented the USA in Sevens, was the liveliest of the American backs.

There were Test debuts for Chiefs Manawa flanker Mia Anderson, Canterbury prop Maddi Robinson, Wellington outside back Justine McGregor on her 20th birthday and Tara Turner, who caught the Eagles off guard more than once near the ruck.

Co-captain Demant led the Black Ferns in a Test for the 36th time, earning her 29th win. This breaks the record of fellow Aucklander Fiao’o Faamausili, who captained the Black Ferns 35 times for 29 wins between 2012 and 2018.

The referee was Julianne Zussman, the first Canadian international to referee a Test. The fullback was a runner-up at the 2014 Rugby World Cup.

The Black Ferns have won 116 of their 141 Tests.

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