Deja'vu For Smith As Black Ferns Beat France In Semifinal, England Next

Wayne Smith walked into the post-match press conference at Eden Park after the Black Ferns’ thrilling semifinal win over France with a sense of déjà vu.

Eleven years ago, Smith was an All Blacks assistant coach as they grimly held on with an 8-7 lead to beat France in the men’s Rugby World Cup final.

In a similar position and the same venue, but as the Black Ferns coach, he watched his side hang on for a nerve-shredding victory over another French team by one point in Auckland on Saturday.

This was a semifinal success in the women’s World Cup – 25-24 against Les Bleues – that Smith, 65, said wasn’t great for the ticker.

“After 2011, I never thought I would be here again, playing the French in a game like that,” Smith said.

The Black Ferns got the rub of the green after French playmaker Caroline Drouin missed a penalty goal in the final seconds.

Her kick was about 30 metres out, to the right, after Black Ferns prop Santo Taumata was sinbinned for a high shot.

However, Drouin hooked her effort to the left of the posts and into the grateful arms of co-captain Kennedy Simon.

“When Kennedy caught that miss, I was yelling ‘kick it, kick it’,” Smith said.

“Then, I realised there were 10 seconds left and she did the right thing.”

Simon retained possession, recycled, and the Black Ferns booted the ball somewhere into the celebrating crowd of 22,043 at Eden Park.

She said her eyes lit up when Drouin’s kick was drifting wide because it kept the Black Ferns’ World Cup dream alive.

The Black Ferns had done it, beating one of the northern powerhouses who flattened them on last year’s northern tour, and will play the next heavyweight, world No 1 England, in next Saturday’s Eden Park final.

“We knew we needed to turn up physically. They are big athletes. We knew we needed to front up with our tackles and line speed,” Simon said.

“The girls showed a lot of heart to win that one.”

The Black Ferns held their nerve and fought back after half-time when France had dominated most of the first half, leading 17-10 after tries for Romane Ménager and Gabrielle Vernier.

The French tackling was incredible and shut down the Black Ferns’ expansive attacking game for long spells of a pulsating semifinal.

The reigning world champion Kiwis found a way in the second half and started to believe when Ruby Tui’s try in the 44th minute bounced in their favour.

Renee Holmes dribbled a long grubber kick from halfway, the ball held up, and Tui chased down what was seemingly a lost cause, dotting down centimetres from the dead ball line.

Smith said the French were one of the most well-organised defensive units he had seen in his career.

The Black Ferns struggled to break them down but finished with three tries, with their midfield duo Stacey Fluhler and Theresa Fitzpatrick crossing in the first and second halves respectively.

“We’ve got a lot of heart in this team and courage to keep playing. I knew we would keep playing,” Smith said.

“It probably got us in trouble in the first half a wee bit.

“The girls have a huge attacking attitude. It’s not always the right thing to do, but it dug us out of a hole today.”

Smith said his heart was still pumping when asked about Drouin’s match-winning shot.

Eden Park went quiet – but for the boisterous French fans – when Irish referee Joy Neville walked to the mark.

The Black Ferns survived the last 14 minutes with a one-point lead after Ruahei Demant’s penalty goal on the hour.

The French knocked the deficit from eight to one with Ménager’s second try in the final quarter, but their hopes disappeared with Drouin’s missed kick.

Smith said: “I never thought I’d sit through that again.”

Source: Rugby Heaven

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