The Black Ferns: Wāhine Toa is an intimate portrait of what it takes to be the most successful team in rugby history.

The lowdown

The Black Ferns: Wāhine Toa goes behind the scenes as New Zealand’s five-time world champion rugby team the Black Ferns prepare to defend the Rugby World Cup on home soil (the final’s tomorrow night). The two part documentary series follows the team over the course of two years, which turned out to be a period of significant change. It covers the unexpected year-long delay of the Rugby World Cup due to Covid-19, the gruelling Northern Hemisphere tour that saw four losses in four games, and an important NZR review which led to a change in coaching staff. We also hear from several Black Ferns legends – past and present – about what it means to wear the black jersey.

The good

The Black Ferns are the most successful team in rugby history, and after watching Wāhine Toa, you’ll realise what a truly incredible achievement this is. Unlike their All Black counterparts, the Black Ferns juggle day jobs, family and study with rugby, which means they have to make sacrifices to play at the highest level. In episode one, we watch as the squad is informed that the Rugby World Cup will be delayed by a year. Many of the women have already given up full time jobs, reduced work hours or postponed baby plans to prepare for the tournament, and now they’re forced to put their lives on hold for another 12 months.

Wāhine Toa shines a light on the realities of women’s sport, and amplifies the Black Ferns’ voices and experiences in a game historically dominated by men. Former Black Fern Anna Richards recalls her rugby club days when the women had to play in men’s jerseys, worn first by the blokes and handed down to the women unwashed. Fellow Black Ferns legend Melodie Robinson remembers the measly $15 daily allowance the team was given on tour in the 1990s, and we see the commitment and tenacity of player Les Elder as she returns to training only four weeks after giving birth.

There’s no big money or big egos floating around in Wāhine Toa, but the players’ dedication and passion for the sport is huge, and it’s their personal stories give the documentary its heart. Senior players Renee Wickliffe, Kendra Cocksedge and Portia Woodman speak about the challenges of juggling family and sport, and what lies ahead for them in retirement. We meet rising stars like Patricia Maliepo and Tanya Kalounivale, who share the challenges Pacifica women face playing sport, and the pride they feel in representing their culture. The documentary connects us to these players on an intimate level, and you’ll be left with nothing but admiration and respect for these wāhine toa.

The not-so-good

Firstly, not enough scrunchies. Secondly, watching these amazing players work their arses off to win their sixth – SIXTH – world cup made me fume that there aren’t any World Cup final fan zones, that there’s so little official merchandise, that one game was scheduled at the same time as the All Blacks, and that the NZRU appears to have let an incredible opportunity to support and grow women’s rugby during the Rugby World Cup slip right through their fingers. Truly stink, much like those men’s unwashed rugby jerseys.

Verdict

Watch it. Prepare to be uplifted by a team of inspirational athletes who take immense pride in wearing the Black Fern jersey. As Melodie Robinson says, “it doesn’t matter that we don’t have the resources, it doesn’t matter that we don’t get the test matches like the All Blacks. At the end of the day, we’re all there for the same reason: making that legacy of the Black Ferns live on.”

The Black Ferns: Wāhine Toa is available to stream on Neon, Sky Go and the Sky Sport NZ YouTube Channel.