Black Ferns to take on NZ Barbarians in Nelson

Nelson’s Trafalgar Park will host New Zealand’s best female rugby players on Saturday 21 November as the Black Ferns tackle the New Zealand Barbarians.

Nelson, the home of New Zealand’s first recorded game of rugby 150 years ago, has been awarded the third-match of the Black Ferns November schedule, as they prepare for their defence of the Rugby World Cup in 2021.

The NZ women’s rugby team will not play any international tests in 2020, so this match against some of the country’s promising talent has increased significance.

“It is such an honour to have the World Champion Black Ferns playing in our Smart Little City,” Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese says.

“Nelson is looking forward to this game bringing visitors to our city, it’s a real catch for Trafalgar Park, and a boost for local businesses as they recover from the COVID-19 lockdown.”

As well as hosting the match, there will be an official pōwhiri welcome, a city centre activation during the week and a women in business event ‘Celebrating Female Success’.

“As a city, we have an even split of men and women on Council, so it is only fitting to host this match and the other events in the lead up as a way of celebrating the importance of gender equality in all aspects of our lives,” Mayor Reese says.

The match will be broadcast live on Sky, with the potential for the game to be part of a double-header if the Tasman Mako host a Mitre 10 Cup semi-final.

Information on the purchase of tickets for this event will be advised at a later date.