The Black Ferns Sevens are acutely aware that defending Women's World Series and Olympic champions Australia will be thirsting for

Most of the big names are there for the 20-strong list of Black Ferns Sevens contracted players for 2017.

Finally a woman has joined the upper echelons of NZ's rugby heirarchy. Farah Palmer's first priority is to win over the nation's mums.

It has taken 124 years but NZ Rugby finally has a female board member.

Current New Zealand Sevens captain and Olympic silver medallist Sarah Goss once spent time gracing the front cover of every Weet-Bix box in the country.

A Black Ferns team featuring four changes are targeting a clean sweep of their three-Test tour when they face Ireland in Dublin.

Black Ferns 20 Canada 10 The Black Ferns' No 1 world ranking is intact following their scrappy 20-10 win over Canada in Dublin. That

The stern challenges keep coming for the Black Ferns.

The Black Ferns have named a 27-strong squad for their three-test, hit and run tour of the UK and Ireland.

The Black Ferns will meet the Wallaroos again tomorrow night at QBE Stadium, three days after a 67-3 drumming.

Kristina Sue will join the sparse, but special, ranks of quadruple internationals when she enters the fray tomorrow night at Eden Park.

The Black Ferns have named three debutantes for the two-test series against the Australian Wallaroos starting next week.

There are fears rugby is not equipped to keep pace with the surge in the number of girls and women wanting to play the game in this country.

The Black Ferns have done the business, and in some style too.

The Black Ferns squad of 23 includes four who will run on for their debuts, and four off the bench, including Auckland prop Aldora Itunu and Manawatu utility back Janna Vaughan.

Outside back moves into the pack but still enjoys looking up to see speedsters score.

The original plan was to be a Silver Fern and Portia Woodman may renew that ambition once she's put all her energy into making the Olympics in Rio next year.

Former Waikato coach Greg Smith has been appointed head coach of the New Zealand women's rugby team through to the next World Cup in 2017.

Silver Ferns skipper Casey Kopua will undergo surgery on her injured knee tomorrow, ruling her out of netball for at least six months.

It could scarcely get any worse for the Silver Ferns. They lost tonight’s third test against Australia, the Constellation Cup, and worse still, their inspirational captain Casey Kopua.

England are the new Women's Rugby World Cup champions. New Zealand had to settle for fifth place after the final day in Paris.

A New Zealand national rugby team failing to make the knock-out phase of a tournament ... it just doesn't happen.

The New Zealand women's rugby team has been knocked out of the World Cup in France.