The Black Ferns being welcomed by Ngāi Tūāhuriri. From the left - front row: Kendra Cocksedge, Amy Rule, Chelsea Bremner and Georgia Ponsonby. From the left in the back, Amy du Plessis and Alana Bremner. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock
Canterbury Black Fern players received a warm welcome home this evening in Christchurch's Victoria Park.
Around 150 people turned out to the latest stop on the Thank You Aotearoa Tour, many children dressed in rugby shirts, some carrying poi and World Cup flags.
Nine-year-old Phoebe had travelled from Oxford with her friends and family specially for the event.
Naming a favourite player was a struggle.
"I like Portia Woodman because she's a very good player and Ruby Tui - I've got red in my hair like her! And also Kendra because we used to always see her playing [for Canterbury in the Farah Palmer Cup]," she said.
Phoebe wanted to be a rugby player when she grew up.
Rugby fans Izzy and Phoebe turned out to see the Black Ferns from Canterbury at Victoria Park. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock
Her father, Simon Griffiths, has coached her and her brothers in ripper rugby since they were little.
"Our family, they like their rugby. To say these [Black Ferns] are inspirational is probably putting it mildly," he said.
"Our kids connect very much with the players and have done so over the years with the Farah Palmer Cup girls, so there's quite a number here [today] that they know and they'll just go up and talk to them. It's lovely."
Alana Bremner said the home support was greatly appreciated. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock
Black Fern Alana Bremner was raised in Little River, just outside of Christchurch with her sister and fellow Black Fern, Chelsea.
She said the home support was much appreciated.
"I'm loving all the Canterbury colours. It's awesome to see so many kids out and about. We're really stoked to be able to have the time to connect with them."
Bremner was also pleased to be able to give kids an experience she never had.
"We've been at a few schools today which has been awesome. I guess when we were growing up it would have been amazing to have Black Ferns come in and talk to us at primary school."
Emma Twadell had come with her teenage daughter, who plays school rugby and often had professional female players on the sideline.
She believed the Black Fern's dedication and enthusiasm to give back was what made all the difference.
"It's not just how they're playing on the field, it's everything else they're doing behind the scenes. And it's not just the players currently playing. It's the players who have played when female rugby wasn't so well known. They're still there every weekend supporting the game [from the grassroots]," she explained.
"They are still giving these young ones so much support to ensure they enjoy the game and get into it."
Now-retired Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge said there was a momentum to women's sport around the country. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock
Simon Griffiths thought the women deserved all the same opportunities as the male rugby players.
"Even my boys, if you ask them, their number one player is likely to be Kendra Cocksedge... They just really appreciate that level of skill and it makes no difference what gender the player is at all. It's a shame that not everyone appreciates that," he said.
The World Cup final was Kendra Cocksedge's final game, having since retired from playing.
But in between signing autographs, the side's most capped player said she was confident the sport was in a good place.
"The momentum's just going to shoot off. Not just women's rugby but women's sport around the country. I know there's so many young ones coming through and I'm really excited to see where it goes."
Cocksedge hoped the success would garner more gender equality in the sport too.
"It's been really special, moving to be paid full time to play rugby this year. Now we're filling out crowds... we'll see what happens in the future. It's really deserving if the girls do get [pay equity with the All Blacks]," she said.