Black Ferns turn focus to Scotland after win over France
"Really proud," Ponsonby told media after the match, reflecting on a performance she said capped a year of preparation for exactly this kind of test. Black Ferns Head Coach Whitney Hansen, in her first season in charge, sat alongside her captain to unpack the win and the work still to come.
An electric atmosphere in Lyon
Ponsonby singled out the crowd as one of the highlights of the trip, describing the French supporters as passionate and the atmosphere as electric, complete with a Mexican wave through the stands. It is the kind of test-match environment the Black Ferns have been chasing all season, and one they will need to handle again when France travel to New Zealand for a three-Test series in October.
Room to improve before Scotland and England
Despite the win, Hansen was quick to point out where the side fell short. "We weren't urgent enough at the breakdown," she said, pointing to a strong French jackal threat that saw the Black Ferns give away too much ball, and to moments where pressure did not convert into points as often as it needed to. With Scotland up next weekend and England the week after that, she said those are the fixes the team need to make immediately rather than waiting for the France series.
Hansen also expects a sharper opponent next time out. Having faced New Zealand with no lead-in matches of their own, France are set to arrive in New Zealand in October with more game time behind them, meaning the Black Ferns will need to lift their own level again to match them.
