Mia Anderson set for her Black Ferns debut on home patch
Photo:
Photosport
In the region where she would emulate her rugby heroes as a child, Mia Anderson returns home to Northland on Saturday to realise her Black Ferns dream.
Born in Kerikeri, Anderson knew as young as four years old what she wanted to be.
Her journey to that goal was put on pause for the birth of her child, but has resumed with a rapid ascension to the national side.
"I've played rugby since I was a little kid. Obviously, this has always been the dream. Then I had my son and I kind of put it on hold and then once I returned to rugby after my baby, this has definitely been the dream. So, it's pretty special to be here."
Returning from maternity leave in 2024 with Chiefs Manawa, Anderson has been named at blindside for the Black Ferns as they get set to take on the Black Ferns XV in a trial match.
Though not officially a test debut, the moment is just as special.
"I'm so grateful to be in here with all these amazing women. Yeah, honestly, there's just no words. I'm just really grateful to be in such a cool environment with such amazing coaches and amazing players."
New Black Fern Mia Anderson.
Photo:
Photosport
While she was elated with the news, the call didn't exactly come out of the blue.
"I was at home, I had been waiting by the phone all day, hoping."
The debut also doubles as a homecoming for Anderson, who was selected to play FPC as a 17-year-old.
"I played for Northland first while I was at school and just a really proud Northland girl, so I'm so lucky to be going back there."
She is expecting to see plenty of familiar faces in the crowd cheering for her.
"There's so many. I've been begging everyone for tickets, there'll be a big group of family there, a loud fan club."
The 23-year-old said she was still in awe of some of her new team-mates.
"I've been around them for a couple years now, which still seems surreal that they're just your team-mate. I used to watch highlight videos of some of them when I was a kid, which is a little while ago. It's unreal."
With the World Cup on the horizon, Anderson is determined to stake a claim in the Black Ferns stacked loose forward stocks.
"I'm really excited to show what I can do. I really want to be there. Obviously, I think everyone does, so yeah, I just keep putting my best foot forward and fingers crossed."
Black Ferns vs Black Ferns XV trial
Kick off 1.05pm at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei.
Saturday 5 July
Black Ferns squad
1. Awhina Tangen-Wainohu
2. Atlanta Lolohea
3. Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu
4. Alana Bremner (Co-captain)
5. Ma'ama Mo'onia Vaipulu
6. Mia Anderson
7. Layla Sae
8. Liana Mikaele-Tu'u
9. Maia Joseph
10. Kelly Brazier
11. Katelyn Vahaakolo
12. Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu Atai'i Sylvia Brunt
13. Stacey Waaka
14. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
15. Braxton Sorensen-McGee
Bench:
16. Kate Henwood
17. Vici-Rose Green
18. Tanya Kalounivale
19. Chelsea Bremner
20. Maiakawanakaulani Roos
21. Jorja Miller
22. Risaleaana Pouri-Lane
23. Ruahei Demant (Co-Captain)
24. Ayesha Leti-I'iga
25. Theresa Setefano
26. Amy du Plessis
27. Renee Holmes
28. Chryss Viliko
29. Georgia Ponsonby
30. Amy Rule
Black Ferns director of performance: Allan Bunting
Black Ferns XV
1. Krystal Murray
2. Luka Connor
3. Ashley Palu
4. Laura Bayfield
5. Sam Taylor
6. Holly Greenway (Captain)
7. Elinor-Plum King
8. Taufa Bason
9. Iritana Hohaia
10. Hannah King
11. Jaymie Kolose
12. Hollyrae Mete-Renata
13. Kelsey Teneti
14. Ruby Tui
15. Kaea Nepia
Bench:
16. Grace Leaso Gago
17. Jordy Tihore
18. Marcelle Parkes
19. Maddi Robinson
20. Harono Te Iringa
21. Cheyenne Tuli-Fale
22. Lucy Jenkins
23. Fiaali'i Solomona
24. Reese Anderson
25. Keira Su'a-Smith
26. Justine McGregor
27. Winnie Palamo
28. Tara Turner
Black Ferns XV head coach Willie Walker
Mia Anderson scoring for Waikato in the FPC.
Photo:
DJ Mills / www.photosport.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Big night looms for Otago's new All Blacks
Dunedin is gearing up to host the first All Blacks test of the year and local fans are confident the home side can take care of a depleted French team in Ōtepoti. A couple of local players will also debut at a soldout Forsyth Barr Stadium, making the occasion even more special for them and their families. Kings High School rugby players performed a stirring haka to welcome a trio of All Blacks to their school for some skills and drills, with the teenagers happy to come to college in the holidays for the chance to meet the players. One of those players was uncapped Hurricanes loose forward Du Plessis Kirifi, who will make his All Blacks debut from the bench. Du Plessis Kirifi will make his All Blacks debut against France in Dunedin. Photo: Brett Phibbs / "It's good to see so many smiling boys and they are very skilful as well," he said. "It's nice to be back here [at a high school], giving back to the community. It's been a big week of that, which has been nice. "It's been reminding us all where we came from." Kirifi is one of four debutants , alongside prop Ollie Norris, No.8 Christian Lio-Willie and lock Fabian Holland, with the latter pair both starting. Christian Lio-Willie in action for the Crusaders. Photo: Iain McGregor/ActionPress Lio-Willie was initially only in the squad as cover , before he was called up to replace the injured Wallace Sititi, and he never expected to start in Dunedin. "Heck no, no way," he said. "When I saw my name on that screen, I just sort of numbed out. "Don't even know [who] the second half of the team was. It's pretty awesome." While he plays Super Rugby Pacific for the Crusaders, Lio-Willie represents Otago in NPC and plays club rugby for Kaikorai in Māori Hill. He will become the 15th All Black from the club. "Kaikorai is a huge part of my journey," he said. "The coach at the time, Ryan Martin, came up to Auckland, when I was at school, Massey High, and he is the one that got me down here. "I played all of my club footy for them. I love my footy down here, and the club culture and everything. "I'm one away from 50 [games] for the club. It's a pretty special place." All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho takes young rugby players through some drills. Photo: Joe Porter/RNZ Lio-Willie looks forward to making his international debut alongside Otago teammate and Highlanders lock Fabian Holland in Dunedin. "We both had our first starting debut together at Forsyth Barr and it's sort of a full circle moment to be able to debut together for the All Blacks in Dunedin again," Lio-Willie said. "I've still got a lot of friends and loved ones down here that have been supporting me since day one, so I'm just keen to go out there and make them proud." Dunedin schoolboys Isaac, Jai and Mason were at the skills session, and will cheer for Holland and Lio-Willie. Dunedin schoolboys Isaac, Jai and Mason will be cheering on the late All Black debutants. Photo: Joe Porter/RNZ The trio are confident the All Blacks can get the job done against an inexperienced France team that contain eight debutants . "We'll win easy, yeah easy win, easy win," they said. "We're way better than them. I think the score will be 100-0 to the All Blacks." Holland, who moved to New Zealand as a teenager to chase his All Blacks dream, will also have plenty of family and friends in his adopted city supporting him. Fabian Holland in action for the Highlanders. Photo: Steve McArthur All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said the 22-year-old lock was over the moon, when he found out he would start. "From Zealand to New Zealand, he's come a long way," Robertson said. "It's a great story. "He's pretty singleminded to make that call to come over and represent another country in the game he loves, and he saw the All Blacks as the ultimate. "It's movie sort of stuff, isn't it?" Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
First All Black test of the season approaches
Scott Robertson has named an intriguing side to take on France under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium. One day out from the first All Black test of the season and one debutant cutting his teeth this weekend has revealed a surprising skill. Sports reporter Jamie Wall spoke to Lisa Owen. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Kiwi knights do medieval battle in niche sport of buhurt
Some have rugby or football as their sports of choice, but an Auckland group spend their free time donning full suits of medieval armour, and battling it out with swords and shields. While extreme sports like the 'Run It Straight' events have caught headlines recently, Buhurt is a combat sport with a keen eye on safety - although it's not without risk. Training at a warehouse on Auckland's North Shore, these noble knights say it's all about the community. Knights of Dreadnoughts Medieval Combat prepare to do buhurt battle. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi Dreadnoughts Medieval Combat is one of two buhurt groups in Auckland, meeting to train in Beach Haven, and fighting it out at events across the country and internationally. Club captain Colm O'Brien was off to the United States to compete later this year and explained all the pieces that go into a fighter's armour. "Down here is the sabatons, that's what covers the feet and protects any accidental foot shots," he said. "We've got a vambrace here, which covers my forearm, we've got another elbow cup, we've got the upper arm here and we've also got the helmet." The name 'buhurt' came from an old French word, meaning to wallop or batter, and even with all the armour, the sport has risks. "We don't really see as many injuries as something like rugby even," O'Brien said. "We do have roughly 35-40kg armour on ourselves, so it's not too bad, but knee injuries are really bad and sore shoulder injuries are very common." Club captain Colm O'Brien will take his buhurt skills to the United States this year. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi This reporter put the armour to the test, donning a helmet and getting hit in the head with a falchion sword. While it wasn't painful, the jolt of the blade connecting to the helmet was shocking and caused a slight ringing in the ears. O'Brien said much of the equipment came from offshore. "A lot of the equipment, it's difficult to get in New Zealand," he said. "A lot of this stuff comes from Ukraine and Poland and a lot of Eastern European countries. "There's a big following of the sport there, and they, funnily enough, have fantastic armour smiths and metal protection there," Vice-captain Ethan Wilson said the buhurt community in New Zealand was still growing. "It's still a niche sport," he said. "There'd be around 50-60 active fighters in the country, which isn't horrible, but it could always be better." Wilson said getting into the sport was easy: "Find your local club, go along for a training." One fighter, Devon Hansen, said she had done buhurt for about a year-and-a-half, after seeing it on Tik-Tok, and her favourite part was the people. "Glad to punch these people up, but hug them afterwards." Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi "You start for the sport, you stay for the people," she said. Even after taking a wallop in the arena, known in the sport as a 'list', O'Brien agreed, it was all about the people. "I'm not injured, bit tired alright," he said, exiting the list. "It's very draining, but happy I've done it. "Glad to punch these people up, but hug them afterwards." He had advice to offer those wanting to get involved. "Don't be scared of it, it's just another sport. "We'll start you off easy. You won't be going straight into the armour, but you'll have a lot of fun in the meantime and also make a lot of friends on the way." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
