Healthspan Elite Partnership: Black Ferns

New Zealand's senior women's rugby team, the Black Ferns, are the dominant team in women's rugby. As part of its partnership with the All Blacks, Healthspan Elite is now proud to join the Black Ferns as their Official Sports Nutrition Partner for the next three years.

Healthspan Elite has been providing the New Zealand rugby squads with supplements to support their health and performance since 2015. The partnership with the Black Ferns will help Healthspan Elite continue to support the team's overall health and wellbeing on and off the pitch.

The biggest factor we've got in nutrition is the high energy requirements of our players, because they work and they train as well. It's challenging for them to eat enough food in their day, so supplements like the Healthspan Elite range give us the convenience that makes it easier for them to meet their nutrition needs.

Dr Kirsty Fairbairn, Black Ferns Nutritionist

Following a successful first year of the All Blacks partnership, we are excited to also become the Official Sports Nutrition Partner of the Black Ferns. We will continue to work closely with the New Zealand Rugby teams to aid their health and performance and work collaboratively on future projects.

Chris Fisher, Healthspan Sales and Marketing Director

The Black Ferns playing

Which Healthspan Elite supplements?

The Black Ferns nutritionist recommends a wide range of Elite supplements to support the team's health and performance. Activ Hydrate and Activ Immunity + will be used before games and for travelling, while Beta-Alanine supplements are planned for certain players to help repeated sprint performance.

The players will use Energy Gels, along with High Strength Omega 3 in the month leading up to a game and Omega 3 Pure EPA post-game to optimise muscle recovery.

For travelling, the Black Ferns nutritionist recommends Performance Cherry to improve sleep quality, and Pro50 Biotic for stomach bugs that can be picked up on the road. Finally, Kick-Start Caffeine Gum will be provided for international games.

History of the Black Ferns

The Black Ferns have won five world cups and nearly 90% of their international test matches. In fact, since their international debut in 1991 in the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Black Ferns have lost to just four of the 15 nations they have played in test matches.

The team has also won the Canada Cup three times in 1996, 2000 and 2005, and the Churchill Cup in 2004.

From 2002 until 2009, the Black Ferns won 24 consecutive test matches. Their biggest win was in 1998, where they beat Germany 134-6.

The 2017 season was a landmark for women’s rugby, with the Black Ferns becoming the first women’s team ever to be named the World Rugby Team of the Year.