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Chris Tanouye – World Rugby/Getty Images
Replacement halfback Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu scores for the Black Ferns against the USA.
TD Palace Stadium, Ottawa: Black Ferns 39 (Grace Gago 7min, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu 46min, Pip Love 57min, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u 66min, Ruahei Demant 72min, Amy du Plessis 79min tries; Renee Holmes pen, 2 con) USA 17 (Freda Tafuna 3min, Rachel Johnson try 23min; McKenzie Hawkins pen, 2 con). HT: 5-17
Red card: Iritana Hohaia (New Zealand) 2min
Yellow cards: Georgie Perris-Redding (USA) 6min, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (New Zealand) 38min
The Black Ferns have survived a scare against the USA, staging a big second-half comeback to secure a tough win despite having only 14 players for 78 minutes of the test.
Halfback Iritana Hohaia was sent off after just two minutes after she was guilty of being too upright in the tackle, resulting in head-to-head contact with USA No 7 Georgie Perris-Redding.
Just four minutes later, Perris-Redding was herself sent to the sinbin for a high shot in an ill-disciplined start for both sides.
The USA made the most of their numerical advantage, taking a well-deserved 12-point lead into halftime.
Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting emptied the entire bench early, sending on big guns such as Chelsea Bremner, Tanya Kalounivale, Kennedy Simon and Renee Holmes, and the change was dramatic.
The scrum went into overdrive and the defensive intensity went up several notches, led by Kalounivale and Simon.
With the pack suddenly in control, the Black Ferns scored five second-half tries.
Hohaia’s early dismissal forced first five-eighth Rosie Kelly into the halfback position, with Grace Brooker shifting from the midfield into the chief playmaker role, and the disruption was evident in the Black Ferns’ attack.
Bunting had already made 11 changes for the Black Ferns’ final match of the Pacific Four Series, and the Black Ferns struggled for continuity with ball in hand.
Recognising the need for calm heads, Bunting then replaced Brooker with Ruahei Demant after 30 minutes, with the Black Ferns trailing 14-5 to a very physical USA outfit.
USA were confrontational on both sides of the ball, and the inexperienced Black Ferns were rocked back on their feet on numerous occasions.
The first half was summed up when USA No 8 Rachel Johnson powered through the tackles of Maiakawanakaulani Roos and Liana Mikaele-Tu’u for her side’s second try.
However, the nature of the test changed completely at halftime and Demant’s try after 72 minutes was a fitting reward for her influential display off the bench.
Chris Tanouye – World Rugby/Getty Images
The USA celebrate a first-half try against the Black Ferns.
The big moment
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u’s powerful try in the second half seemed to take the wind out of the USA’s sails. The loose forward was like a runaway train as she charged towards the tryline.
MVP
It has to be Ruahei Demant. She exuded calm when injected into the action after just 30 minutes with the Black Ferns in trouble, and immediately straightened up the attack. Black Ferns flanker Kendra Reynolds also deserves a mention. She was industrious on defence when the flow of the game was against the Black Ferns, saving one try early on in the second half by holding up the USA over the line.
Match rating
8/10. The Black Ferns were put under real pressure by the USA in the first half, exposing some of their younger players to the realities of test rugby. That made for a genuine contest, despite the final scoreline.
The big picture
The win secures the Pacific Four Series for the Black Ferns. They will now head back to New Zealand for FPC duties before the second Laurie O’Reilly Cup test against Australia on September 30.
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