Baby Blacks back firepower
Former Black Ferns and Canterbury forward Casey Robertson has broken new ground for women in Southland rugby.
Robertson is the first woman to coach a senior men’s club team in the province. She joined Chris Allison last year to coach the Wyndham team in division one.
The farmer isn’t just making up the coaching numbers, she helped lead Wyndham to the top of Southland’s division one competition last year, and in 2017 the team is unbeaten after 11 games.
Robertson is well qualified for coaching, having played for the New Zealand women’s team for 10 years between 2002 and 2014 as a barnstorming No8.
Coaching in what has traditionally been a male-dominated domain doesn’t faze her.
‘‘The team accepted me and we show respect for each other,’’ Robertson said.
Having a woman for a coach didn’t bother the team, captain Joe McRae said.
‘‘It’s never been an issue and who can argue with someone who’s been an international rugby player.
‘‘She’s been coached by some of the best and we’re lucky to have her in our club.’’
McRae’s comments were echoed by co-coach Allison, who added he and Robertson worked well together and had similar ideas on achieving goals.
Rugby Southland general manager Andrew Moreton was delighted to have Robertson in the coaching fold.
‘‘It’s fantastic to have someone of the calibre of Casey giving back with coaching grass roots rugby in Southland,’’ Moreton said.
The two years Robertson didn’t play for the Black Ferns was because she had a a neck injury.
She played for New Zealand at four World Cups in France (2014), England (2010, won), Canada (2006, won) and Spain (2002, won).
Robertson lived in Canterbury before returning to Southland to work on her family’s farm near Wyndham three years ago.
‘‘I miss playing ... I’d give anything to play again,’’ she said.
Injuries, including a back problem at the World Cup in France, led to her retirement.
Robertson’s disappointment at not playing is quelled by coaching her home town’s senior team. Tima Faingaanuku doesn’t reckon the Baby Blacks forwards are getting the credit they deserve at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Georgia.
New Zealand’s backline has been firing all tournament, with powerful left-winger Caleb Clarke (six) and skillful fullback Will Jordan (five) among the competition’s leading try scorers, while first fiveeighth Tiaan Falcon, who is expected to miss Monday’s final due to concussion, has scored more points than any other player with 67.
Faingaanuku, a winger out of the Tasman Makos, has dotted down three times himself and is, incredibly, one of four New Zealand players to top the most clean breaks chart.
But while the spotlight is on New Zealand’s firepower heading into the decider against England, the team having scored 10 tries more than the opposition throughout the tournament, Faingaanuku was full of praise for his forward pack and said they have been laying a strong platform that allows the backs to flourish.
After cruising past Scotland, Italy and Ireland in pool play and holding out France 39-26 in the semifinals, New Zealand have just one more hurdle in their way; defending champions England.
England left it late to pip South Africa 24-22 in their semifinal when captain Zach Mercer scored a try with five minutes to go. But they have been the benchmark at under-20 level in recent years, having won three of the past four tournaments. Faingaanuku admitted to feeling some nerves as the final approaches.The under-20 championship provided a rare opportunity for Georgia to host a major rugby tournament and Faingaanuku said the locals have embraced the Baby Blacks.