Childhood Rugby-Ban to Black Fern: Laura Bayfield’s Journey.

Photo: Laura Bayfield at the 2025 World Cup, Black Fern #267., @laurabayfield

Laura Bayfield has always been an incredibly competitive person. The middle child of three girls, she played all sorts of sports when she was younger -- but never rugby.  

Bayfield’s little sister, Milly, played one game and was concussed almost immediately, so her mother forbid the girls from ever playing the sport. The ban continued until one day, Bayfield was discovered by Crystal Mayes as the only woman competing against her male Army peers in a wrestling competition. Just five years later, she’s a Black Fern. 

“I went to a training on Thursday, then I played my first game that Saturday, and I absolutely loved it, the physicality, the friendships, everything about it”, Bayfield said. 

After being encouraged by Mayes, Bayfield debuted for the Tasman Makos in 2022 and was selected to play for the Black Ferns XV the following year. 

Crystal Mayes was also one of the first people Bayfield had ever spoken to about her identity. Only getting the chance to explore this later in life, she is among multiple Black Ferns who are openly gay. 

“It was really cool to have people around me that were so open about who they were, that I could feel safe to go and talk to, and have those conversations, hand in hand having those friends and being in that rugby community”. 

It was around this time Bayfield also realised that she might be able to take her rugby playing career to the next level. 

“When I first made the Canterbury team, and I had Chelsea and Alana Bremner showing me the ropes of how to be a lock, I thought ‘this is something that is realistic for me’”. 

Working her way through the ranks, Bayfield debuted for the Black Ferns in their 2025 Wellington match against Australia’s Wallaroos.  

“I was nervous, but excited-nervous. The team’s really good at celebrating off field, and the girls really got around me for that weekend, I knew the girls had my back”. 

Not long after, Bayfield and the team were off to England for the World Cup. She played five games in the tournament, including a full eighty-minutes against France in the bronze medal match, scoring a try and earning a medal. 

“I almost blacked out at that moment. I scored the try and the French girl held on to me for ages, and when I finally got up, I locked eyes with my parents, and that was awesome”. 

Bayfield’s parents and extended family flew over for the Cup, and she was able to reunite with one of her sisters living in England who she hadn’t seen in three years. 

“It almost brought a piece of home with us, there were a lot of other team members’ whānau there. It felt like we were almost playing at home. For me, that settled my nerves a bit”. 

The Black Ferns is more than just a team to Laura Bayfield. It’s also her friendships, a community and a space where she has always felt comfortable. 

“You can be exactly who you want to be in that group, the overarching theme is you can be exactly yourself, whether it’s your culture, your religion, your sexuality, everyone just wants you to be yourself”. 

Bayfield has always felt support from her Black Fern teammates, but it goes deeper than that too. From Canterbury through Tasman, she’s never felt pressured about her sexuality. 

Her identity has never been something she has hidden, and Bayfield has begun working towards showcasing this online. 

“More recently I’ve realised I have a platform where I can showcase my sexuality, I think it’s something I want to be more confident doing, advocating for the younger people watching me”. 

Across all areas the Black Ferns are incredible at being themselves, in any form of identity. Bayfield described the group as being especially welcoming. 

Other than being competitive, Bayfield is ambitious too. She has many goals set for herself she is working towards. 

She described the sour taste in her mouth from the heartbreaking semi-finals of the last World Cup, so being there again is something she is determined to achieve. 

Bayfield’s gearing up for a Black Fern’s camp coming up, before a trip to play America, Canada, and then Australia on Anzac day.