Black Ferns hooker Vici-Rose Green. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The Black Ferns' rookies knew a Rugby World Cup would be like nothing else and their first few days in England have made that clear.
The team is in York ahead of the opening game of their title defence against Spain on Monday morning (NZT).
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Hooker Vici-Rose Green said it already felt vastly different to any other tournament.
"It'll be my first World Cup so that's pretty special. World Cups are a pinnacle event. I'm just really excited to run out and whenever that is, soak up every opportunity and just do my family proud back at home," said Green, who had to leave her dog and seven cats in New Zealand.
"My parents are back at home and I've got a couple siblings [looking after them]. They're not all mine. If anyone wants one they can have one. They're little rascals!"
Vici-Rose Green of New Zealand. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Halfback Maia Joseph is another Black Ferns player competing at a World Cup for the first time.
"It's the buzz around a World Cup. The World Cup ceremony was really cool to be a part of, seeing what the media and all the English public have brought to the World Cup. The amount of support around it as well."
Joseph, Green and the team are now back into full training ahead of their opening match.
"We were really lucky to be able to come over on Thursday last week, so we've had a good few off days and four or five days to get rid of the jet lag and I think today being the first training day, everyone was just super excited to start," Joseph said.
While there are plenty of Black Ferns players attending their first World Cup there are more who have been to a previous tournament. Some have been to multiple World Cups, with Kelly Brazier attending her fourth and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Theresa Setefano and Stacey Waaka their third.
"There's a lot of experience in our team and then there's a few newbies, like myself. So they've just gotten around us. I can't express how much gratitude I have for them. They've helped me absolutely grow in this space and I'm just really excited to see everyone's weapons unleashed," Green said.
Maia Joseph playing for the Black Ferns. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2024 www.photosport.nz
Joseph believes having players with World Cup-winning experience will be key to their chances of success.
"They bring experience. We have a few players who haven't just won one, but won two and three World Cups. So I think the experience they bring is huge and that's definitely for me, someone who's debuting, a confidence, which is something you can't really buy. That's really important to us."
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