Poua players, Layla Sae, Ayesha Leti-I'iga and Iritana Hohaia have been named in the 33-player Black Ferns squad to defend their title at next month's Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
Featured in the squad are 19 forwards and 14 backs, with the positional breakdown of seven props, three hookers, four locks, five loose forwards, three halfbacks, two first five-eighths, four midfielders and five outside backs.
Black Ferns Director of Performance Allan Bunting congratulates the 33 players selected.
“On behalf of the coaching group, I’d like to congratulate all our players named tonight in front of their whānau. We are really excited about this group and truly believe they can take us to the next level,”
“We’ve got vast experience across our squad, with more than half of our players having competed at pinnacle events”
This experience is reflected in the squad, with Black Ferns legend Kelly Brazier (fourth), Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Theresa Setefano and Stacey Waaka to represent New Zealand at their third World Cup.
The Poua trio are also joined by Braxton Sorensen-McGee, who is the youngest selected at 18 years old, where she will make her first World Cup appearance alongside the newest Black Fern, Laura Bayfield, who debuted in the final home Test match v Australia.
The Black Ferns squad for the Rugby World Cup 2025 is (Age, Super Rugby Club, Provincial Union, Test caps):
Loosehead props
*Kate Henwood (36, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 10 Tests)
Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (27, Blues, Waikato, 7 Tests)
*Chryss Viliko (24, Blues, Auckland, 13 Tests)
Hookers
*Atlanta Lolohea (22, Blues, Canterbury, 7 Tests)
*Vici-Rose Green (22, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 2 Tests)
Georgia Ponsonby (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 31 Tests)
Tighthead props
Tanya Kalounivale (26, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 22 Tests)
*Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (20, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 1 Test)
Amy Rule (25, Matatū, Canterbury, 30 Tests)
Locks
*Laura Bayfield (26, Matatū, Canterbury, 1 Test)
Alana Bremner (28, Matatū, Canterbury, 29 Tests)
Chelsea Bremner (30, Matatū, Canterbury, 22 Tests)
Maiakawanakaulani Roos (23, Blues, Auckland, 33 Tests)
Loose forwards
Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (23, Blues, Auckland, 29 Tests)
*Jorja Miller (21, Black Ferns Sevens, Canterbury, 2 Tests)
*Kaipo Olsen-Baker (23, Matatū, Manawatū, 12 Tests)
*Layla Sae (24, Hurricanes Poua, Manawatū, 14 Tests)
Kennedy Tukuafu (28, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 30 Tests)
Halfbacks
*Iritana Hohaia (25, Hurricanes Poua, Taranaki, 17 Tests)
*Maia Joseph (23, Matatū, Otago, 11 Tests)
*Risaleaana Pouri-Lane (25, Black Ferns Sevens, Tasman, 2 Tests)
First five-eighths
Kelly Brazier (35, Chiefs Manawa, Bay of Plenty, 43 Tests)
Ruahei Demant (30, Blues, Auckland, 45 Tests)
Midfielders
Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (21, Blues, Auckland, 25 Tests)
Amy du Plessis (26, Matatū, Canterbury, 21 Tests)
Theresa Setefano (30, Blues, Auckland, 19 Tests)
Stacey Waaka (29, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 27 Tests)
Outside backs
Renee Holmes (25, Chiefs Manawa, Waikato, 23 Tests)
Ayesha Leti-I’iga (26, Hurricanes Poua, Wellington, 26 Tests)
*Braxton Sorensen-McGee (18, Blues, Auckland, 3 Tests)
*Katelyn Vahaakolo (25, Blues, Auckland, 17 Tests)
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (34, Blues, Northland, 27 Tests)
Non-travelling reserve
Krystal Murray (32, Chiefs Manawa, Northland, 14 Tests)
*denotes first Rugby World Cup
