Mooted Black Ferns visit shelved

By Ali Donnelly

Plans for a November test game between the world champion Black Ferns and runners-up England have fallen through.

The RFUW had tentatively proposed a repeat of last year's fixture in November at Twickenham on the same day as England men's side play the All Blacks. The NZRU had accepted but costs and the short turnaround means the plans have been shelved.

An RFUW spokesperson said: "Since the success of last month's Women's Rugby World Cup the Rugby Football Union for Women (RFUW) has been investigating the possibility of hosting an England versus New Zealand fixture this November.

"However, after much investigation the RFUW has decided not to proceed with this fixture. Despite tremendous support from the RFU and our media partners, the RFUW have decided that the cost of hosting and supporting both New Zealand and England, coupled with the difficult task of turning around an international test series in such a short period of time, is not a viable option to take at this time. Not least it places a further burden on our players, and more importantly the employers who are so generous in supporting them.

NZRU professional rugby general manager Neil Sorensen told a New Zealand newspaper: "We were quite keen on it, as long as they could pick up the costs and we could send a strong side. We were all go."

Sorensen also said despite the cancellation he hoped the Twickenham match against the world's two top sides could become a regular fixture and the RFUW spokesperson said that there are discussions ongoing between the two unions to make games between the world's top two sides more regular.

"The World Cup in England achieved many great things this year, including raising the profile of the sport to a new level and opening the game to a whole new audience and the RFUW does not want to in any way risk losing the new support the sport has gained by organising an international test series with so little time. However, looking forward the RFUW is still in discussions with the NZRFU and our media partners to secure regular fixtures between both England and New Zealand in the future which will no doubt ensure that the legacy of the women's game continues to progress both on and off the field."

Had the game gone ahead it would have been a tremendous feat for the RFUW who just weeks ago finished hosting the most succesful Women's Rugby World Cup ever.

It would also have been a remarkable development for the women's game to have had a repeat of a World Cup final so soon after the event. England will now focus on 6 Nations preparations over the winter while talks are still ongoing in New Zealand on the future of the women's game following the cancellation of the NPC last season.