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Newsroom
3 days ago
- Sport
- Newsroom
How good are these Black Ferns as they seek to defend their world rugby title?
Sixteen players from the 2022 Rugby World Cup-winning squad are making a return, including inspirational co-captains Kennedy Tukuafu and Ruahei Demant, as well as Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, who is the leading try scorer in World Cup history (for both male and female players). Woodman has scored 10 tries in her past two test matches since coming out of retirement earlier this year. Jorja Miller, the winner of the Kel Tremain Memorial Medal, headlines the list of World Cup first-timers alongside 2024 Black Ferns Player of the Year Kaipo Olsen-Baker, who, but for injury, would likely have been selected in 2022. All three halfbacks are set to experience their first World Cups, with Black Ferns Sevens star Risaleaana Pouri-Lane joining Iritana Hohaia and Maia Joseph as contenders for the starting position. Hooker is another position with limited experience, with Atlanta Lolohea and Vici-Rose Green serving as backups to Georgia Ponsonby, who is the best in her position by a country mile. There are no test debutants in the squad. Who was unlucky to be cut? What are some of the other issues facing the team? What are the Black Ferns' leading rivals up to? King Dethroned Since May 2024, Hannah King has had numerous opportunities to establish herself, having played in 10 Tests. She started as a first-five for most of 2024 and was even nominated for the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year. However, in 2025, Ruahei Demant returned to the first-five position, and King found herself mostly coming off the bench. Recently, for the Australian Test in Wellington, King was dropped from the bench in favour of 35-year-old Kelly Brazier, who had not played any international matches since 2021 and is better known as a second-five. At just 21 years old, King's career is still in its early stages, and the next World Cup in Australia in 2029 could be her opportunity to shine. However, it would be disappointing for her that all the investment didn't yield a World Cup spot. Might she reconsider her rugby future? The Women's National Rugby League, or a spell in England, could be desirable. Attention Bayfield The least experienced player on the team is Laura Bayfield, who, after only 25 minutes against Australia, is boarding the plane to England. Bayfield, the top tackler in the Farah Palmer Cup (FPC) last year, comes from a military background and covers lock or loose forward. Bayfield made her debut for Canterbury in the 2023 FPC and has played 16 games for her province, achieving 11 victories and scoring three tries. Black Ferns Director of Rugby Alan Bunting has had his eye on the Cantabrian for some time, remarking: 'Laura was a standout throughout Super Rugby Aupiki this year and has put in the work. She topped all stats for the Black Ferns XV in Whangārei and deserves her debut. It's a proud moment for Laura and her whānau.' Bayfield's selection likely comes at the expense of Maama Vaipulu, who was not only very impressive in her seven Tests but also holds two Super Rugby Aupiki titles with the Blues and a 2023 FPC Premiership title with Auckland, making her a domestically elite player. Vaipulu is physically imposing, an explosive athlete from a volleyball background. Bayfield is more in the workhorse category, as is Chelsea Bremner, who played all 12 Tests in 2022 but has struggled to hit those heights since. Was Vaipulu covering the flanks considered? Bayfield, with less experience and silverware, has made a rapid ascent. Ruby World Cup? Social media went into meltdown when it was announced that Ruby Tui wouldn't be heading to England. However, this decision isn't surprising given the Black Ferns are stacked when it comes to wingers. Frankly, it would have been a scandal to exclude Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Katelyn Vahaakolo, or Ayesha Leti-I'iga from the team. When Bunting was asked about the possibility of Tui being recalled, he replied, 'The door's not closed, but performances matter.' Despite scoring two tries and delivering a high-energy performance in a tough trial match, and a try in the Black Ferns' 37-12 victory over Australia, Tui's efforts weren't enough to regain her place. Is this harsh? In a position where raw speed is crucial, Tui's near decade in age difference compared with Vahaakolo and Leti-I'iga may have counted against her. Spare a thought for Mererangi Paul. Paul brings greater versatility than Tui, as she can play at centre and is more accustomed to the fullback position, which Tui has also covered. Paul has an impressive record, scoring 14 tries in 14 Tests, yet she was also cut from the squad. Goal kicking: Does it actually matter? A lack of decent goal kicking options is an area in which Black Ferns selectors have been challenged, but it might not matter, at least not as much as male rugby. In 38 Rugby World Cup matches, the Black Ferns have won 36 times and scored 289 tries, converting just 143 of those. They have kicked 23 penalties, with just two of those slotted in 2022. In the past three and a half seasons, the Black Ferns have converted 114 of 211 tries and kicked 11 penalty goals in 31 Test matches. The most penalties they have kicked in a single game is two, and that was in a 27-29 loss to Ireland. The advent of professionalism hasn't resulted in a significant improvement in the Black Ferns' goal kicking success rate. However, the inclusion of Renee Holmes suggests it is at the forefront of selectors' minds. Holmes kicked 16 of the Black Ferns' 29 conversions in 2024 and 19 of their 45 in the ground-breaking 2022 season, where they won a dozen internationals on the trot. With only one outing against Australia, in July, and a one-from-five goal-kicking record, Holmes' past reputation with the boot can be the only explanation for her rapid ascent from outcast to tourist. Albeit a smaller sample size, the goal kicking of England and France was outstanding in the 2025 Six Nations. The Roses were on target with 27 out of 39 kicks, but French fullback Morgane Bourgeois was kicking them like Thomas Ramos, with 26 goals from 29 attempts. Oh Canada If all goes according to plan, the Black Ferns and Canada are likely to top their respective groups and face each other in the semi-finals. This week, Canada announced their 32-player squad, which includes 21 returning players from the previous campaign. The team will be captained by Alexandra Tessier, a nominee for the 2024 World Rugby Player of the Year, who is set to compete in her third Rugby World Cup. Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Olivia DeMerchant, and Karen Paquin will also be participating in their fourth Rugby World Cup. Sophie de Goede, a goal kicking loose forward, might be the best women's rugby player on the planet and is vitally returning from a serious knee injury. Canada nearly pulled off an upset against the Black Ferns Sevens in the 2024 Paris Olympic final. Six players from that team—Caroline Crossley, Fancy Bermudez, Florence Symonds, Olivia Apps, Asia Hogan-Rochester, and Taylor Perry—are featured in the World Cup squad. Since 2023, Canada has lost just five of 20 test matches, including a historic victory against the Black Ferns in 2024 and two wins over France. England The numbers are imposing: 55 wins in the last 56 Tests, including a streak of 25 consecutive victories. Officially ranked World Number One for 244 successive weeks, England have won 42 home games in a row since 2016. The Red Roses World Cup squad comprises 32 players with a total of 1,374 international caps among them, including 24 players with previous World Cup experience. Marlie Packer and Alex Matthews are heading to their fourth tournaments and Emily Scarratt (118 Tests, 103 wins, 789 points) will attend her fifth. What's new? Abi Burton, May Campbell, Mackenzie Carson, Kelsey Clifford, Maddie Feaunati, Lilli Ives Campion, Jade Shekells, and Emma Sing are all making their tournament debuts. Carson originally switched her allegiance from Canada and has been a strong anchor for the English scrum, boasting 21 Test wins since 2023. She plays for Gloucester-Hartpury, who have won the past two English Premier Leagues. Maddie Feaunati previously played for Wellington, where her father, former Samoan international Isaac Fe'aunati, lived both before and after his time in England. Like her father, she is known for being an aggressive loose forward. In their match against the Black Ferns in Vancouver last year, England secured a decisive 49-31 victory, with all nine tries scored by outside backs and only two converted. England has transformed its playing style from the dull, set-piece-dominated approach of 2022. However, they can still revert to type, having successfully shut down a bold Canada in one of their few genuine contests last year, winning 21-12. France created chaos in the second half of the Six Nations decider in May with their expansive, unpredictable attack resulting in a 43-32 loss. England was a mile in front at halftime but looked genuinely flustered against a side with size and spontaneity. The Black Ferns need to do the same, but with a bit more calculation than the cavalier style of 2022, and they might have a fighting chance.
CBC
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
'The whole house was shaking,' Huron County woman recalls close call with tornado
Parts of Huron County received a chilling reminder of nature's destructive power on Saturday evening after a possible tornado blew through part of the region between Bayfield and Goderich. On Sunday, residents and visitors in the area who witnessed the storm told CBC News they were simultaneously shocked and amazed by the event. Deborah Caira had a front row seat to the chaos, but said the calm before the storm was one of the most surprising parts of her experience. "We sat down to have dinner, and all of a sudden, my mom was like, 'You need to get to your safe place.' I said, 'It's all clear and sunny outside,'" Caira said. "Sure enough, I looked outside, and I saw this cloud formation rotating, coming toward us." Jun. 30 tornado touched down in Lucan, north of London Multiple businesses and locals near the tornado's path reported a similar calm, with some not even knowing about the event until hours later. Environment Canada said preliminary reports suggest the twister, which has not yet been assigned a severity rating, formed over Lake Huron before making landfall. An initial tornado warning was issued for the marine region shortly after 6 p.m., and the tornado made landfall closer to 7 p.m., a meteorologist said. Barely more than half an hour later and 27 kilometres from the lake's shoreline, Caira was caught in what looked like it could be a fight for her life. "We got inside, and probably two minutes later, it hit us, and I mean it hit us. The doors were shaking on their hinges. The whole house was shaking. It felt like it was over 100 kilometres an hour," Caira said, noting her home near Blyth, Ont., does not have a basement. "We took cover in the centre hallway in the house, and within a minute it was over." After the tornado passed, Caira said she watched it rip into a field behind her property before dissipating. The tornado caused serious damage to trees on the property, but left her house mostly unscathed. "We were just blown away with the size of the [tree] limbs that were down throughout our backyard and behind our house. It looks like it cut right across the corner of our property, and tossed my vegetable stand, which is probably four or 500 pounds, into the driveway, face down," Caira said. The vegetable stand, which she sells produce from, landed centimetres away from her vehicle. The tornado also destroyed a 150-year-old maple tree nearby, she said. Nearby Goderich, as well as other parts of Huron County, were the site of an intense tornado in 2011 that killed one person, injured 37, and caused $130 million in damages. That, and other historic tornadoes in the region, mean Caira and her neighbours are aware of what can happen, and are thankful it wasn't worse, she said. Powerful tornado kills man in Goderich, Ontario On its way to what could have been its final stopping point near Caira's property, the tornado hit a local campground, according to a representative from the business. The extent of the damage it caused is unclear. Closer to the shoreline, Niagara region videographer Tom Elgersma was on his way to visit family members in Goderich when he saw what looked like a funnel cloud. He pulled over to film it, and captured what appears to be a tornado weakening, almost dissipating, and then roaring back to life. "You're standing there, in awe, filming it, and you're also trying to keep in mind that it could change direction and start coming toward you," Elgersma said, calling the experience terrifying but fascinating all at once. His video was among dozens of pieces of media posted to social media groups designed to document and warn of extreme weather events as they're happening. People in the region have come to depend on the groups for information, especially since official tornado warnings sometimes come after the tornado itself has dissipated. "I think [these groups are] a good idea. They can give people updated situations and information from people who are on the ground," he said. Currently, a team from Western University's Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) is investigating the tornado with the hope of documenting it, determining its path and giving it an EF rating, which is determined by how much damage it caused. It's not the only severe weather event in this corner of Ontario in the past few days. The NTP recorded an EF-1 downburst in Mitchell, in the Municipality of West Perth, which happened on Thursday. The Mitchell downburst, the NTP's official notes say, damaged several barns, power poles, trees and crops. It had an estimated maximum wind speed of 150 km/h.
CBS News
20-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Two rescued by Coast Guard on Lake Superior
The Coast Guard rescued two from Lake Superior Friday night, per officials. The incident happened near Bayfield, Wisconsin. The Coast Guard says they got a call for a boat taking on water. When they arrived on scene, they pulled two people from the water and got them back to shore. The two on the boat were then checked out by EMS at a nearby marina. Officials did not sure how long the two were in the water or if they were wearing life jackets at the tiem. Both Minnesota and Wisconsin require a life jacket for each person on board. In Minnesota, children 10-years-old and younger must wear a life jacket while a boat is moving.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sheboygan letter-writers on Enbridge Line 5, Democratic Party's 4th of July parade display
Here are this week's letters to the editor of the Sheboygan Press. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views. Last fall, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources determined — after more than four years of review and nearly a thousand pages of environmental assessments — that the Enbridge Line 5 relocation project in Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties could be built within the boundaries of our state's strict environmental laws. The DNR included more than 200 stipulations in their permits — including independent observers — to ensure the construction of this pipeline project followed state laws. This would seem like a reasonable conclusion and requirement for reasonable people. But opponents of this project have long put reason aside. They have now moved on to the courts. Not only are they going after the DNR's decision through the administrative court process, but they have also filed a lawsuit against the decision. The DNR performed a comprehensive review of the Line 5 relocation. They spent years compiling data and coming to a justifiable conclusion. Sadly, opponents of the project have put their radical views ahead of the science the DNR used in issuing the permits. Line 5 is an integral part of our energy supply and the relocation needs to move forward. These legal games need to stop, and we need to trust the DNR's decision. Ted Keneklis Sheboygan I just returned from watching the Sheboygan Fourth of July parade, which was excellent. Of all of the groups in the parade, only one was disappointing: the Sheboygan County Democratic Party. All other groups and people set aside their differences for today and came together to celebrate the greatness and uniqueness of America. Whatever religion, color or ethnicity they were, they gave their respect to our flag and country. The Black-American group, the Hmong, the different churches and branches of government proudly showed their uniqueness with their costumes and customs. Yet, they were there for one purpose: to celebrate being Americans in the best country in the world. Unfortunately, the Sheboygan County Democratic Party showed up with anti-American, anti-president and unpatriotic messages and signs. Shame on you. This was not the time and place for protesting. I was not the only person in the crowd who was shocked to see signs like 'No Kings' and 'The Big Beautiful Bill is Bad.' I heard verbal gasps and remarks like 'Really?' and 'That's terrible.' People were shaking their heads. Judi Pool Sheboygan Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to news@ and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@ Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel. This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan letters to the editor on Enbridge Line 5, 4th of July parade
Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Bayfield poised to debut for Black Ferns
Laura Bayfield. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Matatu lock Laura Bayfield will get her first taste of test rugby tomorrow. Bayfield has been named on the bench for her Black Ferns debut in their clash against the Wallaroos in Wellington, their last test on home soil before the Rugby World Cup next month. Bayfield was a standout for the Black Ferns XV in their trial game against the Black Ferns last weekend and had a strong Super Rugby Aupiki season. Former Otago playmaker Kelly Brazier is also in line to play her first test since 2021 after being named on the bench. Otago halfback Maia Joseph, who has made the No 9 jersey her own in the past 18 months, is sidelined with a hamstring complaint. Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting has named sevens star Risaleaana Pouri-Lane in her place, while Iritana Hohaia is on the bench. "Laura was a standout throughout Super Rugby Aupiki this year and has put in the work," Bunting said. "She topped all stats for the Black Ferns XV in Whangārei and deserves her opportunity to debut this weekend. It's going to be a proud moment for Laura and her whānau. "It has also been great having Kelly in the July series squad, her experience has really added to our depth at 10." But there are talking points across the team. Ruby Tui, yet to make the Black Ferns in 2025 before being called in earlier this week as cover, has been named on the bench for her 20th test. Renee Holmes returns to fullback for her first test this year, after a fine performance against the second-stringers last week. Young gun Braxton Sorensen-McGee picked up a hip complaint and will skip the test. Alana Bremner, co-captain with Ruahei Demant in place of sidelined Kennedy Tukuafu, shifts to the blindside and forms a loose forward trio with Jorja Miller and Liana Mikaele-Tu'u. Bremner's sister, Chelsea, will pack down at lock with Maia Roos. Matatu prop Amy Rule will earn her 30th cap off the bench. Kate Henwood, Ayesha Leti-I'iga and Amy du Plessis are all out with injury. The game is a double-header in Wellington, with the All Blacks v France game to be played afterwards.
