Ayesha Leti-i’iga Injury Tempers Celebrations As New Zealand Fly Past Spain

New Zealand are up and moving successful their Rugby World Cup defence but their capacity was marred by injuries to Kaipo Olsen-Baker, who was helped disconnected nan transportation pinch a worrying limb issue, and nan prima winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga.

It blighted a reasonably affirmative outing for nan six-time winners which saw World Cup grounds try-scorer Portia Woodman-Wickliffe adding to her tally aft being introduced successful nan 2nd half.

The Black Ferns are utilized to getting nan occupation done astatine World Cup tournaments and nan reigning champions were expected to triumph by a state mile successful their opener against Spain, who mislaid 97-7 against England successful a warm-up lucifer this month. New Zealand did conscionable that, but nan scoreboard did not sufficiently show nan communicative of this game, wherever astatine times nan Black Ferns were undone by their ain mistakes.

A mildly frustrating first half was littered pinch handling errors and was underlined by nan full squad gathering for a huddle earlier they deed nan changing rooms. In nan 2nd half, however, they sprinted distant from Spain, who are 10 places beneath them successful nan world rankings.

A brighter statement for nan Black Ferns was Jorja Miller’s coagulated display. The sevens subordinate of nan twelvemonth has won Olympic golden and Sevens World Cup silver, but she made her 15s World Cup debut connected Sunday. Miller, who won her first headdress for nan Black Ferns successful May, scored 2 tries and made bully linebreaks, a trait that has led to fans describing her arsenic “unplayable”.

The Black Ferns’ shape had been bumpy heading into nan tourney but nan three-time World Cup victor Kendra Cocksedge said that, erstwhile it comes to World Cups, nan New Zealand jersey gives players “super powers” and Miller exhibited conscionable that.

The New Zealand flanker Jorja Miller scores a effort during an awesome individual capacity successful nan triumph complete Spain. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

The 21-year-old was nan first try-scorer, moving a bully line, earlier linking up good pinch nan 18-year-old Braxton Sorensen-McGee, who attended nan past World Cup arsenic a instrumentality and watched from nan stands for New Zealand’s semi-final against France, to people her 2nd earlier subordinate of nan lucifer Liana Mikaele-Tu’u scored. Spain’s Amàlia Argudo kicked 3 from nan tee to information disconnected nan half.

Although nan Black Ferns continued to beryllium stifled by errors, they were nan first to people successful nan 2nd half done Leti-I’iga. They were successful again pinch Georgia Ponsonby, and Leti-I’iga crossed for her 2nd conscionable aft Olsen-Baker’s injury. The replacement winger Woodman-Wickliffe was adjacent amongst nan action and scored her 21st Rugby World Cup try, pinch Teresa Setefano crossing soon after, earlier Ines Fernandez scored for Spain astatine nan death.

New Zealand, who are among nan favourites to triumph nan tourney alongside England and Canada, wrapped up each 5 points but eyes will beryllium connected their 2 stars to spot if they will beryllium disposable for nan remainder of nan tournament. Next up for nan Black Ferns are Japan, while Spain will look Ireland.