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Ferns turn to Warriors fitness guru

Joseph Pearson

The Black Ferns were off the pace in Europe but an acclaimed former Warriors fitness coach might change that.

Craig Twentyman, who has had roles with Australia’s sevens programmes and the Wallabies, has been hired to assist the Black Ferns as a strength and conditioning coach.

Black Ferns coach Glenn Moore said Twentyman was added before their northern tour and met the squad in England in October.

His position, though, has become even more important after Moore said their conditioning was not up to scratch in the wake of four successive defeats on tour against England and France.

Twentyman, who has a high reputation, was with the Warriors while the Kiwi NRL club has been based in Australia since last year because of Covid-19’s impact on travel.

‘‘He has added a lot already,’’ Moore told Stuff.

‘‘We will certainly be getting a lot of effort in behind him and getting our strength and conditioning up.’’

The Black Ferns have less than 11 months to the start of their Rugby World Cup defence on home soil after slumping to four losses on the trot for the first time – their four heaviest defeats in history, too.

The world champion Kiwis went to Europe having not played a test for more than two years and on the back of a disrupted Farah Palmer Cup season because of Covid-19.

They were no match for sharper, more professional English and French outfits in each test.

‘‘It was a difficult tour, difficult having to live in a bubble while we were away, and that

presented challenges,’’ Moore said. ‘‘The one thing I do know is the culture of the group was very strong and stayed tight all the way through.

‘‘There were lots of things that didn’t have us in the best physical condition or battle-hardened.’’

A camp in January will be the next time the Black Ferns assemble to start the World Cup season.

Conditioning markers will be laid down then, Moore said, as well as skills work, after falling short there against England and France.

The Black Ferns still operate as a semi-professional team, but will have to raise their fitness standards to compete with the European powerhouses and their next camp could be a brutal examination of their physical readiness.

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2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

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