Fresh faces and Pacific pride: Black Ferns name squad under new coach

A new era has begun for New Zealand women's rugby and once again, Pacific players are central to the story.

New head coach Whitney Hansen has named a 30-player squad for the Pacific Four Series, blending experience with fresh talent as the team prepares for matches in the United States (12 April NZT), Canada (18 April), and Australia (25 April).

The squad, announced on Monday, includes 20 players from the last Rugby World Cup with eight new faces, including Mele Taufa Bason, Hollyrae Mete-Renata, and Tara Turner.

The trio represent the next wave of Pasifika talent coming through the Black Ferns system. All three earned their call-ups after strong domestic performances, with Bason and Mete-Renata in particular recognised for their impact in Super Rugby Aupiki and development pathways.

Their inclusion reflects what is described as a group that has pushed hard for selection, saying the past few months “have been highly competitive in camp.”

For Pasifika communities, their selection carries significance beyond rugby. Players like Bason, Mete-Renata, and Turner are part of a growing pipeline of Pacific women stepping into elite sport, bringing identity and community with them onto the international stage.

New call-ups highlight the growing influence of Pasifika players in the next generation of Black Ferns. Photo/NZ Rugby

Hansen acknowledged the milestone for new players and their families, saying she wanted to “congratulate those who have been selected… and their whānau.”

Their call-up reinforces the vital role Pasifika players continue to play in shaping the Black Ferns, both now and into the future.

Hansen says the focus is on building a strong and connected group for the future. “These training camps allow us opportunities to build connections, to each other, to what it means to be a Black Fern and to the rugby we are going to play,” Hansen said.

Head coach Whitney Hansen has named her first Black Ferns squad, blending experience with new talent ahead of the Pacific Four Series. Photo/Photosport

The squad will assemble in Wellington before travelling to the US, with the Pacific Four Series marking an important step in the team’s rebuild under new leadership.

But the announcement has also sparked discussion, with RNZ reporting that key names were missing from Hansen’s first squad, a reminder of the competition for places and the changes underway.

For new players, the opportunity is clear: stake a claim early in a new era.

For Pacific communities, the moment carries deeper meaning, representation, pride, and the pathways now opening for young Pasifika women in rugby.

As the Black Ferns take the field in the coming weeks, attention will be on how this new-look squad performs and how its strong Pacific presence continues to shape the future of the game.

The Black Ferns will travel to the US next week ahead of their first Test match against the Americans in Sacramento on April 12 (NZT). 

2026 Black Ferns squad

Loosehead props: Maddison Robinson (24, Canterbury, uncapped), Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (28, Waikato, 10 Tests), Chryss Viliko (25, Auckland, 19 Tests). Hookers: Vici-Rose Green (23, Waikato, 5 Tests), Atlanta Lolohea (22, Canterbury, 10 Tests), Georgia Ponsonby (26, Canterbury, 37 Tests), Tighthead props: Tanya Kalounivale (27, Waikato, 27 Tests), Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (21, Waikato, 3 Tests), Mo’omo’oga Palu (24, Hawke’s Bay, uncapped). Locks: Laura Bayfield (27, Canterbury, 6 Tests), Chelsea Bremner (30, Canterbury, 24 Tests), Maiakawanakaulani Roos (24, Auckland, 38 Tests), Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu (23, Auckland, 7 Tests). Loose forwards: Mia Anderson (24, Waikato, uncapped), Taufa Bason (19, Manawatū, uncapped), Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (24, Auckland, 35 Tests), Kaipo Olsen-Baker (23, Manawatū, 16 Tests), Kennedy Tukuafu (29, Waikato, 34 Tests) co-captain, Halfbacks: Maia Joseph (23, Otago, 16 Tests), Tara Turner (22, Northland, uncapped), First-fives: Ruahei Demant (30, Auckland, 51 Tests) co-captain, Hannah King (22, Canterbury, 10 Tests). Midfield: Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (22, Auckland, 29 Tests), Amy Du Plessis (26, Canterbury, 22 Tests), Hollyrae Mete-Renata (22, Manawatū, uncapped). Outside backs: Renee Holmes (26, Waikato, 29 Tests), Ayesha Leti-I’iga (27, Wellington, 30 Tests), Justine McGregor (19, Black Ferns Sevens), Mererangi Paul (27, Counties Manukau, 14 Tests), Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a (19, Waikato, uncapped). Unavailable for selection: Luka Connor (knee), Kaea Nepia (leg), Layla Sae (knee), Santo Taumata (knee). Wider training group remaining in camp: Ariana Bayler, Leilani Hakiwai, Marcelle Parkes, Elinor Plum-King, Cilia-Marie Po’e-Tofaeono, Sam Taylor, and Holly Wratt-Groeneweg.