The Rugby World Cup has officially kicked off, and New Zealand’s Black Ferns made a powerful start by defeating Spain 54–8 in York, England, early Monday morning.
The defending champions scored eight tries.
It was not all smooth sailing, though. The Black Ferns had to finish the match with only 13 players after injuries and substitutions left them short. Despite that, they still crossed the try line twice more. Spain, ranked 13th in the world, managed to score their first-ever try against New Zealand in the final minutes.
Star performances came from young flanker Jorja Miller, who scored two brilliant tries, and Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, who added another. Veteran winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe also returned to extend her World Cup record with her 21st try. Co-captain Alana Bremner admitted the team was “a little rusty,” but said the opening win sets the right tone for the tournament.
The match was also emotional for flanker Kaipo Olsen-Baker, who left the field injured after only 14 minutes. She had missed the 2022 World Cup due to a training injury, making this setback especially tough.
This World Cup is the biggest yet, with more than 375,000 tickets already sold and the final at Twickenham Stadium in London set to host 82,000 fans. The Black Ferns, currently ranked third in the world, are chasing their seventh championship title after their thrilling 2022 victory over England at Eden Park.
