Black Ferns team to face England named

Black Ferns Coach Brian Evans has named a largely familar starting line-up for their tour opener against England on Friday night.

There are no uncapped players in the starting line-up though there are four on the bench with Aleisha Nelson, Jackie Patea, Zoey Berry and Victoria Nafatali all hoping to make their test debuts as replacements.

However, given how few games New Zealand play each year, the experience of the staring line-up is still limited in terms of caps.

Scrum-half Emma Jenson has 34 caps, making her the most experienced international on the field and her partnership with Kendra Cocksedge will be interesting given that the latter plays most of her rugby in the number 9 shirt.

Captain Fiao'o Faamausili starts at hooker in a team that features just seven players who played for New Zealand in their last test game which was 12 months ago against England.

Faamausili along with Justine Lavea and Casey Robertson (pictured)make up the core experience in the pack while out wide Kelly Brazier will be a handful at 12 alongside relative newcomers Shakira Baker and Selica Winiata.

Black Ferns Team to play England, Friday 23rd, 7.30pm, Esher RFC : (with Test caps, * denotes new cap):

1. Ruth McKay (10)2. Fiao'o Faamausili (c) (21)3. Kathleen Wilton (5)4. Eloise Blackwell (3)5. Rawinia Everitt (2)6. Aroha Savage (4)7. Justine Lavea (17)8. Casey Robertson (24)9. Emma Jensen (31)10. Kendra Cocksedge (11)11. Shakira Baker (3)12. Kelly Brazier (10)13. Claire Richardson (14)14. Halie Hurring (10)15. Selica Winiata (1)

Reserves:16. Karina Stowers (12)17. Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox (10)18. Aleisha Nelson *19. Jackie Patea *20. Lydia Crossman (2)21. Zoey Berry *22. Victoria Nafatali *23. Hazel Tubic (3)