Rugby World Cup: Black Ferns’ win against Spain marred by injury to Kaipo Olsen-Baker
Monday, 25 August 2025
At York Community Stadium, York: Black Ferns 54 (Jorja Miller 13’, 17’, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u 24’, Ayesha Leti-I’iga 46’, 58’, Georgia Ponsonby 50’, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe 63’, Theresa Setefano 73’ tries; Renee Holmes 7 con) Spain 8 (Ines Antolinez Fernandez 80+2’ try; Amàlia Argudo pen). HT: 21-3.
The Black Ferns’ opening Rugby World Cup win was marred by loose forward Kaipo Olsen-Baker leaving the field in tears with a potentially serious ankle injury.
The world champions were too strong for an outmatched Spain side and won 54-8 before a packed house of 7,500 in York on Monday (NZ time).
However, they might have lost Olsen-Baker, the Black Ferns’ player of the year last season, for their title defence in England.
The 23-year-old has a history of injuries and was inconsolable as she received treatment after falling awkwardly in a tackle in the 54th minute.
It was a cruel, unsettling moment for a player of such promise, who was only 14 minutes into her World Cup debut in her 13th test and left on a medical cart. She missed the 2022 home World Cup with injury.
Black Ferns coach Allan Bunting said “it was tough to watch”. Wing Ayesha Leti-I'iga also suffered an ankle knock, although it appeared minor.
“My heart goes out to them. They’re in good care. We’re now waiting for assessments,” Bunting told Sky Sport.
Olsen-Baker’s likely absence would rob the Black Ferns of one of their most effective ball carriers, who has the power to match the formidable physical force of the game’s elite.
Bunting will know his team have to improve for the greater tests that might come against hot favourites England, Canada and France.
They finished with 13 players after Leti-I'iga limped off following her second try. After clearing their bench, Olsen-Baker wasn’t replaced and neither was Leti-I'iga with the match won.
Bunting will nonetheless have plenty to ponder after an unconvincing display against Spain, albeit with an outstanding World Cup debut from Jorja Miller at openside flanker.
There was obvious distress and concern for Olsen-Baker. Her team-mates remained composed in finishing the job with eight tries and braces for Miller and Leti-I’iga.
There were jitters and nerves in their first test in six weeks and with a host of changes, the Black Ferns lacked cohesion in their attack.
Kelly Brazier failed to command the game in returning to No 10 in test rugby and the introduction of leader Ruahei Demant at half-time, in midfield, might have been telling, although centre Amy du Plessis went off after clutching her shoulder in a heavy fall in the first half.
The Black Ferns’ kicking in play remains rather aimless and Spain’s rush defence disrupted them.
The underdogs got their moment with prop Ines Antolinez Fernandez’s late try, which they celebrated wildly in their first World Cup appearance since 2017.
Miller’s stunning break from the left flank for a wonderful opening try broke the game open. Moments later, she appeared on the right for another score from Braxton Sorensen-McGee’s excellent pass and was cutting through Spain at will.
She was replaced at half-time, but Bunting would have seen enough to know the 21-year-old prospect is ready to fire at the tournament.
No 8 Liana Mikaele Tu’u was excellent, too, in giving the Black Ferns a directness to scatter the Spanish. Prop Amy Rule also anchored their scrum to great effect and the Black Ferns would have enjoyed rumbling over for a maul try for Georgia Ponsonby.
Like Brazier, iconic winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe was beginning her fourth World Cup and notched her obligatory try after coming off the bench.
Second five-eighth Theresa Fitzpatrick was also impressive and crossed under the posts. Importantly, fullback Renee Holmes rediscovered her kicking boots by landing seven from eight conversions.
Without Miller’s influence, however, the Black Ferns might have struggled to establish a greater half-time advantage.
When Leti-I’iga charged down Spain’s first clearance after the kick-off, the minnows could have wilted as the white jerseys poured forward.
Spain’s defence and determination around the breakdown was troubling enough to force the Black Ferns into several errors.
Layla Sa’e’s simple knock-on from a restart indeed gifted Spain the desired territory for their opening points via Amàlia Argudo’s boot.
However, they largely struggled to escape their half and were unsure how to bring down the rampaging Miller, whose first-half double broke their resistance.
Mikaele-Tu’u aptly crashed over for New Zealand’s third, but they couldn’t hammer home their advantage through to the break.
Spanish midfielder Clàudia Peña, who plays in England, showed glimpses of her quality in moments the Black Ferns were stuck defending in their 22.
Sa’e would make amends with some devastating breaks and laid the path for Leti-I’iga to get on the board for more breathing space early in the second half.
The big picture
Ireland defeated Japan 42-14 in pool C’s other opening match in Northampton.
The Black Ferns are all but certain to meet the Irish in a pool decider in Brighton on September 8 (NZ time).
The World Cup’s first weekend has been littered with uncomfortable mismatches — the smallest winning margin was France’s 24-0 win over Italy — and the Black Ferns were expected to put more points on Spain.
England did beat the Spanish 97-7 in a World Cup warm-up test.
What’s next
The Black Ferns head south for their second pool match against Japan in Exeter next Monday (NZ time), while Ireland face Spain in Northampton.