New Zealand team to face Canada - Women's Rugby World Cup Semi-Final

Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 10:43

byTom Sansom

New Zealand head coach Allan Bunting has confirmed his matchday 23 for Friday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against Canada at Ashton Gate Stadium (19 September, 7pm GMT).

There are several changes to the Black Ferns line-up, as Bunting looks to sharpen his side for the challenge ahead. Tanya Kalounivale comes in at tighthead prop, while the injured Jorja Miller is replaced by captain Kennedy Tukuafu at openside flanker.

Risaleaana Pouri-Lane starts at scrum-half, with Maia Joseph moving to the bench, where she is joined by Theresa Setefano. Sylvia Brunt returns from injury at inside centre, while Amy Rule, Chelsea Bremner, Layla Sae and Ayesha Leti-I’iga are all included among the replacements. It will be a milestone evening for co-captain Ruahei Demant, who will make her 50th Test appearance – only the third Black Fern to reach that achievement.

Black Ferns head coach Alan Bunting did not hide the fact that his side was challenged by South Africa in the quarter-finals. Whilst New Zealand were heavy favourites ahead of last weekend, the Springbok women stunned the Black Ferns with an early try, and caught Bunting unawares with an unorthodox style to their attacking game.

"We got challenged with some innovation and some very different things that I’ve never seen in my time, which is pretty cool and we will learn some things." Bunting said, upon reflecting on the quarter-finals. "We made a few good tackles, I think it’s 256 tackles. Probably the biggest things is around our solutions, you know, going back to our game. Once we did that, we got our game going."

On what it will take to defeat Canada and book a place in the Women's Rugby World Cup Final, Bunting added:

"You want to do great things and adaptability is a key attribute to have. Our ladies have pretty good instinct and we have to see things and think. Obviously they have these set-pieces that we haven’t seen so we have to see that as quickly as possible and adjust and make really good decisions."

New Zealand matchday 23 to face Canada

Black Ferns XV

Chryss Viliko
Georgia Ponsonby
Tanya Kalounivale
Maiakawanakaulani Roos
Alana Bremner
Liana Mikaele-Tu'u
Kennedy Tukuafu (c)
Kaipo Olsen-Baker
Risi Pouri-Lane
Ruahei Demant (c)
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
Sylvia Brunt
Stacey Waaka
Braxton Sorensen-McGee
Renee Holmes

Replacements
16. Atlanta Lolohea
17. Kate Henwood
18. Amy Rule
19. Chelsea Bremner
20. Layla Sae
21. Maia Joseph
22. Theresa Setefano
23. Ayesha Leti-I’iga