Black Ferns v France: Live updates from the second test in Whangārei

Follow the action as the Black Ferns and France clash in Whangārei.France scored the opening try of the game.Black Ferns No 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker was forced from the pitch midway through the first half with a suspected lower leg injury.The Black Ferns won the first test 81-12.Match previewThe Black Ferns have been forced into changes before their second test against France in Whangārei on Saturday, with several players ruled out.Midfielder Amy du Plessis, who starred in the team’s 81-12 win in the first test in Hamilton last weekend, is unavailable for the starting line-up. Du Plessis was diagnosed with a delayed concussion and has been replaced in the run-on side by Justine McGregor.With McGregor in the starting side, veteran winger Ayesha Leti-I’iga returns to the matchday squad on the bench.An ankle injury suffered during training on Thursday means hooker Atlanta Lolohea is scratched from the line-up; Vici-Rose Green will provide cover at hooker on the bench instead.The Black Ferns have also called two new players into their squad to cover for the losses of Lolohea and tighthead prop Mo’omo’oga Palu, who was not named in the matchday 23 but also injured an ankle during a training session earlier in the week.Amy du Plessis' concussion rules her out of the Black Ferns' second test against France. Photo / Alyse Wright Hooker Holly Wratt-Groenweg and tighthead prop Pip Love have been added to the wider squad as injury cover.The Black Ferns go to Whangārei for their penultimate test of what has been a quality season and are looking to end the year on a high, with this weekend’s clash followed by the third and final test of the series in Christchurch next weekend.Coach Whitney Hansen had already made a handful of changes to the starting line-up before the injury news.In the forwards, Laura Bayfield starts at lock alongside Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu, with Maiakawanakaulani Roos moving to the bench, while loose forward Elinor-Plum King is out of the matchday squad as Layla Sae gets the start at openside flanker, after King started the past six tests in the No 7 jersey.In the backline, Hansen has kept the same halfback-first five combinations, with Tara Turner and captain Ruahei Demant starting in the 9 and 10 jerseys, switching places with Maia Joseph and Hannah King, who will operate from the bench.The only other change in the starting side sees Mererangi Paul start on the right wing, with Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a moving to the left.“We’ve been building across the Northern Tour leading into these three games, looking at different combinations, giving some young athletes some opportunities. I think we’ve got to, and what we would have seen over the last couple of tests is again those opportunities,” Hansen said.“There’s some combinations that have played a lot of rugby together in spaces, so you look at our front row or our 9-10 combination and our back three. Then also you have a look at where we’re going to bring in some new, and wrap support around that.“Our players know whether it’s starting, finishing, or tāhuhu [central]; there’s a job to do and now we need them to all be ready for all three of those things.”Black Ferns squad to play France in WhangāreiSemenoff Stadium. Saturday, October 24. 3.05pm kickoff.Black Ferns: 1. Chryss Viliko, 2. Georgia Ponsonby, 3. Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu, 4. Laura Bayfield, 5. Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu, 6. Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 7. Layla Sae, 8. Kaipo Olsen-Baker, 9. Tara Turner, 10. Ruahei Demant (c), 11. Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a, 12. Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt, 13. Justine McGregor, 14. Mererangi Paul, 15. Braxton Sorensen-McGee.Bench: 16. Vici-Rose Green, 17. Maddison Robinson, 18. Santo Taumata, 19. Maiakawanakaulani Roos, 20. Amarante Sititi, 21. Maia Joseph, 22. Hannah King, 23. Ayesha Leti-I’iga.Unavailable: Mia Anderson (concussion), Amy du Plessis (concussion), Atlanta Lolohea (ankle), Mo’omo’oga Palu (ankle). Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.