Rugby-Tui left out of Black Ferns squad for Pacific Four Series
Rugby Union - Women's World Cup - Pool A - Australia v New Zealand - Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand - October 8, 2022 New Zealand's Ruby Tui in action REUTERS/David Rowland
(Reuters) -Winger Ruby Tui has been left out of the Black Ferns squad for this month's Pacific Four Series, a key part of New Zealand's preparations for their Women's World Cup title defence in England later this year.
Tui, who scored five tries to help New Zealand retain the World Cup in 2022, looks to have lost out to Portia Woodman-Wickliffe after the twice World Player of the Year came out of retirement last month.
World Cup-winning fullback Renee Holmes and lock Chelsea Bremner also missed out on the 33-woman squad to play Australia, Canada and the United States on successive weekends from May 10.
"It's a tight race leading up to our World Cup campaign and we know we've had to make tough calls at this point," coach Allan Bunting said in a news release.
"I've been very impressed by the response and attitude from our players to still serve the team. Our whole group is important on this journey, there is still a bit more water to go under the bridge before we name our World Cup squad."
Fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee, 18, was one of three uncapped players in the squad along with powerhouse prop Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu and hooker Vici-Rose Green.
Sevens players Theresa Setefano, Dhys Faleafaga, Jorja Miller, Stacey Waaka and Risaleaana Pouri-Lane have also been called up but the latter three will not be available for the Australia test because of the LA Sevens tournament.
"It's not just about the squad of 33, this is about building a solid group of 40 plus who will be clear on how we want to be, and play come World Cup selection time," Bunting added.
New Zealand are currently ranked third in the world behind the English and Canadians and face a stiff challenge to win the World Cup for a seventh time in August and September.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by ...)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Minjee Lee wins Women's PGA Championship for third major title
LOS ANGELES, June 23 — Australian Minjee Lee fired a gritty two-over-par 74 to win the Women's PGA Championship on Sunday, capturing her third major title by three strokes on another demanding day in Frisco, Texas. The 29-year-old from Perth added the title to her 2021 Evian Championship and the US Women's Open title she won in 2022, finishing with a four-under-par total of 284. American Auston Kim and Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen tied for second on on one-under 287. 'A lot of patience out there today,' said Lee, who started the day with a four-shot lead after a brilliant, bogey-free round on Saturday but had three bogeys in her first six holes. 'I just felt like some shots were going my way and some shots weren't,' Lee said. 'I just said stick to my game plan. It was a battle against myself pretty much, especially with how tough the conditions were this whole week — not just today, just amplified today because it's a major Sunday.' Lee made her first birdie of the day at the par-five ninth, where she missed the green but chipped to two feet. She gave a stroke back at the 10th, but after rolling in a tense nine-foot putt for par at 13 she drilled a nine-footer for birdie at the 14th to boost her lead back to three strokes. She added a birdie at 15, holing a five-and-a-half-foot putt, remaining in control from there despite a last bogey at 16. Through it all, Lee said, she was keeping an eye on her nearest rivals while trying to maintain her focus on another hot, wind-whipped day at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, north of Dallas. 'Pretty much I saw every single leaderboard and I knew exactly where I was pretty much all of today,' she said. 'I just tried to check the scores and then I just come back to each shot and try and execute it the best that I could. 'I really played within myself today.' Kim, a 24-year-old American ranked 98th in the world and seeking a first LPGA victory, applied as much pressure as she could. After a birdie at the par-five first she strung together three birdies in a row at the seventh, eighth and ninth — landing her tee shot at the par-three eighth a foot from the pin. Hard course 'I just wanted to charge and get as close as I could to the top,' said Kim, who posted her best finish in a major. Prior to this tournament, she'd missed more major cuts (five) than she had made (four). 'I knew that the course is hard. I just played my percentages and tried to capitalise on good shots today.' Chanattee seized her share of second with a 68 highlighted by an eagle at 15, where she found the green with her tee shot and rolled in a 14-foot putt. World number two Jeeno Thitikul, who led after each of the first two rounds and started the day in solo second four behind Lee, was never able to get much going. She closed with a three-over-par 75 that left her tied for fourth on one-over 289 with Japan's Chisato Iwai, who carded a one-under 71. The grueling conditions all week took a toll on some of the game's top names. World number three Lydia Ko, who started her week with a four-over 75, carded a one-under 71 on Sunday to finish in a group sharing 12th on 293. World number one Nelly Korda fired a final-round 76 for a share of 19th on 294 and world number four Yin Ruoning was in a group on 295 after a closing 76. — AFP
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Jude Bellingham to Undergo Shoulder Surgery Post-CWC
REAL MADRID midfielder Jude Bellingham confirmed Sunday he will undergo surgery on a long-term shoulder issue after the Club World Cup ends. The England international has been struggling with discomfort after dislocating it in a La Liga match in November 2023, and playing with a brace under his shirt since then. With Madrid keen on securing Club World Cup victory, they scheduled the operation for after the final, with Bellingham potentially missing the start of the La Liga season as he recovers. 'I've got the point where... I'm fed up with the brace, and having to tug on it and having (other) players tug on it, and it rearranging all the time,' Bellingham told DAZN after Real Madrid beat Pachuca 3-1 in Charlotte. 'I've got a surgery scheduled for after the tournament, I think we scheduled it a few days after the final obviously, so I'll go and do the surgery and get it fixed. 'I'm really happy about that, it's been a long time coming. I think I've come to the end of my patience with the brace. 'The physio here and the doctor here have been unbelievable helping me to be fine playing game in game out, (but) I'm at that point now where I'm ready to have a free shoulder and free body in terms of the brace.' Recovery from the surgery could take up to 12 weeks according to reports, so as well as Madrid's first league games, he may also miss England World Cup qualifiers in September against Andorra and Serbia. Bellingham found the net in the win over Madrid's Mexican opponents, a day after his younger brother Jobe Bellingham struck for Borussia Dortmund. The Madrid midfielder said he had been thinking about getting even ahead of the Pachuca game, which was new coach Xabi Alonso's first victory at the helm of Los Blancos. 'Everyone's been caning me yesterday, saying he's better than me. I had to do something today,' he added. 'We're one-one now and we'll see for the rest of the tournament.'
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Bellingham confirms shoulder surgery after Club World Cup
CHARLOTTE: Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham confirmed Sunday he will undergo surgery on a long-term shoulder issue after the Club World Cup ends. The England international has been struggling with discomfort after dislocating it in a La Liga match in November 2023, and playing with a brace under his shirt since then. With Madrid keen on securing Club World Cup victory, they scheduled the operation for after the final, with Bellingham potentially missing the start of the La Liga season as he recovers. "I've got the point where... I'm fed up with the brace, and having to tug on it and having (other) players tug on it, and it rearranging all the time," Bellingham told DAZN after Real Madrid beat Pachuca 3-1 in Charlotte. "I've got a surgery scheduled for after the tournament, I think we scheduled it a few days after the final obviously, so I'll go and do the surgery and get it fixed. "I'm really happy about that, it's been a long time coming. I think I've come to the end of my patience with the brace. "The physio here and the doctor here have been unbelievable helping me to be fine playing game in game out, (but) I'm at that point now where I'm ready to have a free shoulder and free body in terms of the brace." Recovery from the surgery could take up to 12 weeks according to reports, so as well as Madrid's first league games, he may also miss England World Cup qualifiers in September against Andorra and Serbia. Bellingham found the net in the win over Madrid's Mexican opponents, a day after his younger brother Jobe Bellingham struck for Borussia Dortmund. The Madrid midfielder said he had been thinking about getting even ahead of the Pachuca game, which was new coach Xabi Alonso's first victory at the helm of Los Blancos. "Everyone's been caning me yesterday, saying he's better than me. I had to do something today," he added. "We're one-one now and we'll see for the rest of the tournament."
