New Zealand women's national rugby union team

New Zealand
NicknameBlack Ferns
EmblemSilver-fern frond
UnionNew Zealand Rugby excluding Hawke's Bay and North Harbour
Head coachWhitney Hansen
CaptainRuahei Demant
Kennedy Tukuafu
Most capsKendra Cocksedge (68)
Top scorerKendra Cocksedge (404)
Top try scorerPortia Woodman-Wickliffe (50)
First colours
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current3 (as of 30 September 2024)
Highest1 (2003–2012, 2013–2014, 2015–2017, 2017–2020)
Lowest3 (2024–)
First international
 New Zealand 24–8 Canada 
(Cardiff, Wales; 6 April 1991)
Biggest win
 Germany 6–134 New Zealand 
(Amsterdam, Netherlands; 2 May 1998)
Biggest defeat
 England 56–15 New Zealand 
(Northampton, England; 7 November 2021)
World Cup
Appearances9 (First in 1991)
Best resultChampions (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2017, 2021)
Websiteallblacks.com
Top 20 rankings as of 15 September 2025
Rank Change* Team Points
1  England 97.76
2  Canada 90.13
3  New Zealand 88.76
4  France 86.42
5  Ireland 78.20
6  Scotland 77.39
7  Australia 75.46
8  United States 72.90
9  Italy 72.37
10  South Africa 71.62
11  Japan 69.72
12  Wales 66.13
13  Fiji 63.98
14  Spain 62.42
15  Samoa 59.72
16  Hong Kong 57.56
17  Netherlands 57.42
18  Russia 55.10
19  Kazakhstan 53.88
20  Kenya 50.68
*Change from the previous week

The New Zealand women's rugby union team, called the Black Ferns (Māori: Rarauhe Pango [ɾaɾaʉhɛ paŋɔ]), represents New Zealand (excluding Hawke's Bay and North Harbour provinces) in women's international rugby union, which is the country's national sport. The team has won six out of ten Women's Rugby World Cup tournaments.

They have an 82 percent winning record in Test Match rugby, (updated 27 September 2025). Since their official international debut in 1991, the Black Ferns have lost to only five of the sixteen nations they have played against — Canada, England, France, Ireland and the United States. The team performs a haka before every match; this is a Māori challenge or posture dance. Traditionally the Black Ferns use the haka Ko Uhia Mai.