NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has delivered an apology to the Black Ferns.
With the womens Rugby World Cup in New Zealand to be removed from the 2021 calendar – World Rugby has confirmed it will recommend the tournament be postponed until next year – the Black Ferns, like their supporters, will be asking how it has come to this.
David Rogers/Getty Images
The New Zealand Black Ferns celebrate their victory at the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
It was hoped the tournament, involving 12 teams, would enable the defending champions to showcase their skills in front of family and friends on home dirt when the games were played in Auckland and Whangarei.
Instead World Rugby, having worked collaboratively with key stakeholders NZ Rugby and the NZ government, decided it couldnt risk going ahead because of multiple issues created by Covid-19.
READ MORE:* Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand set to be postponed a year to 2022 due to Covid concerns* Coronavirus: Fears NZ Rugby’s bold plans for women’s game in 2021 will be put on hold* Coronavirus: Blues CEO confirms fans will be locked out of proposed Kiwi derbies
We are incredibly sorry that the Black Ferns wont get to run out in front of all their own fans this year, so thats the first thing, Robinson said. We really feel for all the players in all of this.
Robinson said several wide-ranging contributing factors were taken into account before it was decided to delay the tournament.
Managed isolation and quarantine for overseas squads, the global uncertainty placed caused by the pandemic, and the impact on issues such as the athletes preparation and the risk associated, were taken into account.
David Rogers/Getty Images
Glenn Moore, the Black Ferns head coach, celebrates with his team after their victory during the Women’s Rugby World Cup final against England in 2017.
Last year New Zealand Rugby lost the hosting rights of the Rugby Championship to Australia after Sanzaar determined the NZ government was too stringent in its criteria for what the visiting squads could do in managed isolation.
Robinson stated he was satisfied the government had worked as hard as possible in that space (around managed isolation) ahead of the World Cup. But, clearly, all parties agreed it would be too onerous to host it this year.
The fact the Six Nations womens competition was cancelled because of the pandemic, and the lack of certainty around when those countries could play games to prepare, had to be taken into account.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson.
World Rugby has also yet to work through the qualification scenarios for countries hoping to fill the final places.
Therein lies one issue that was considered, around the inconsistency of preparation, Robinson noted. Notwithstanding what being involved in quarantine might have looked like.
The Black Ferns will now be hoping to play meaningful tests in 2021.
Last year they played just 2 games against the NZ Barbarians after planned fixtures against England and France were canned because of the pandemic.
Robinson mentioned Australia, a Pacific team and possibly Japan, as other options to play the Black Ferns this year. They could also tour another country.
Once the dust has settled, the Black Ferns players will have to decide if they have the desire, or inclination, to play at the 2022 World Cup.
Vice-captain Kendra Cocksedge, 32, has said she still wants to but admitted it will take time to process the bombshell that the tournament had been delayed.
We are really committed to making sure the Black Ferns will have a meaningful campaign, a schedule, this year, Robinson said.
We have more time to decide exactly what that looks like.