Black Ferns centre Amy du Plessis is one of three players who were forced off the field in the win over Spain. Photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis
The Black Ferns look likely to be without a trio of injured players for next Monday's second Rugby World Cup pool game against Japan in Exeter.
Loose forward Kaipo Olsen-Baker, wing Ayesha Leti-I'iga (ankle) and midfielder Amy du Plessis (shoulder) left the field with injury in Monday morning's 54-8 win over Spain in their opening cup match in York.
Olsen-Baker was cleared of a broken ankle, though it remains unclear when any of the three will return to action.
Kalpo Olsen-Baker of New Zealand leaves the pitch with a badly injured leg. Photo: www.photosport.nz
On Wednesday, defence coach Steve Jackson said the Black Ferns were still waiting on a full diagnosis.
"We had three players leave the field on the weekend. They are currently being assessed by our medical staff so they're in really good, capable hands," Jackson said.
"With the injuries they sustained, it's more of an issue waiting for the swelling to come down to be able to get scans to make sure we have everything right. The next couple of days after the assessments, we will get the bigger picture on where they are at."
The trio haven't officially been ruled out of selection for the match against Japan, though time is running out for them to be considered, with the team named publicly on Friday night (NZT).
If they are sidelined for Monday's match, that will force selection changes, though Jackson said the team was likely to be different regardless.
"You want to give everybody an opportunity but you're in a competition and it's a World Cup. It's about making a balance between that and boarding them into the last game against Ireland. We just need to make sure we're putting out the team we think can go out there and do a job against Japan."
Black Ferns Defence Coach Steve Jackson. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The Black Ferns started slowly but were never truly troubled by Spain in York and Jackson said they were in a good space ahead of their second World Cup match.
"We are feeling pretty confident but we aren't taking Japan lightly," Jackson said.
"We will be going out there to put our best foot forward and put a performance on that we can be proud of, but Japan will be a difficult side to play. There are things in our game that we need to tidy up which we will work on this week. If we do that really well we should hopefully get the desired outcome. We are under no illusions; Japan will be tough.
"In the Spanish game, they came out with a lot of passion in the first 20 minutes, and they continued that throughout the 80 minutes. Their defensive line was getting up off the line and putting pressure on. Japan won't be any different."
The defending champion Black Ferns are expected to comfortably beat Japan and while they're not the bookies' pick to win the title (hosts England are heavy favourites), New Zealand are considered second most likely to lift the trophy.
Jackson insists they're not feeling any more pressure than they normally would.
"This is a different World Cup and teams have been performing really well. If we go back to last year we were beaten by Ireland, Canada and England so they're candidates, with England probably being the form team this year coming into this World Cup. We also want to write our own history and again we are just taking it game by game not thinking anything further than Japan this week.
"If we can get the consistency in our game then, hopefully, we will be there or thereabouts again. The past is the past; we celebrated those World Cup wins and moved on. We have a job to do over the next few weeks to get the outcome we want.
"Every team is here to win the World Cup, and we are no different. The expectation from the public back home is that we'd come here and win the World Cup."
