“I don’t think we’ve probably been strategic enough with it. We’ve bit been a wee bit guilty of putting some Band Aids over bullet wounds in that space and sort of pushing through with what we’ve got versus understanding the depth that’s really needed in that position,” Hansen said.
“The reality of going to something pinnacle like the event of the Lions next year is that we can’t afford to just have three, we need probably six on each side who are all able to play and have had experience in test match rugby and so you know we’re thinking outside the box with some of those athletes that we’ve got at home and what that will look like in their plan.
“We’ve got a couple of athletes obviously who are coming back from injury in that space and then being really courageous in decision-making, like playing Ngano this week and getting that early building into what will come, what we know next year.”
At lock, Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu starts alongside Laura Bayfield, while in the loose trio Layla Sae will make her first Black Ferns start of the year after returning to test rugby from the bench against France last week. Sae will start at blindside flanker, which means Mia Anderson shifts to the back of the scrum.
In the backline, halfback Tara Turner starts, while rookie wingers Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a and Justine McGregor start on the left and right respectively. Alena Saili, who has played most of her Black Ferns rugby in the outside backs, will start at second five-eighths alongside centre Amy du Plessis.
Two uncapped players are in line for their first test appearances on the bench, with loosehead prop Ngano Tavake and outside back Maia Davis named.
Regular starters Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, Maia Joseph and Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt all move to the bench this week, with hooker Vici-Rose Green and versatile forward Amarante Sititi also joining the bench.
Loose forward Kaipo Olsen-Baker (shoulder) and winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga (calf) remain unavailable because of injury, however Hansen said both were expected to be available for next weekend’s test against England.
“That was always going to be really important coming into this week and how we’ve kind of managed minutes across this tour. It’s the biggest campaign and, I guess, the most rugby some of these girls have ever had, particularly when you put PWR on the front of that as well,” Hansen said.
“So it’s incredibly important for them to come in fresh and we know there’ll still be an element of where they’re at with their return to play and their return to performance. But what we also know about them is that they bring a heap of experience in big games and test match footy. So you know that’ll make up for that in spades, we think, if they are selected to play in that week.”
Black Ferns v Scotland Women
Sunday, September 20, 4.10am (NZT).
Black Ferns: 1. Maddison Robinson, 2. Georgia Ponsonby (c), 3. Mo’omo’oga Palu, 4. Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu, 5. Laura Bayfield, 6. Layla Sae, 7. Elinor-Plum King, 8. Mia Anderson, 9. Tara Turner, 10. Hannah King, 11. Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a, 12. Alena Saili, 13. Amy Du Plessis, 14. Justine McGregor, 15. Braxton Sorensen-McGee.
Bench: 16. Vici-Rose Green, 17. Ngano Tavake, 18. Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, 19. Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 20. Amarante Sititi, 21. Maia Joseph, 22. Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt, 23. Maia Davis.
Unavailable: Kaipo Olsen-Baker (shoulder), Ayesha Leti-I’iga (calf), Ruahei Demant (calf)
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.