While the team was powering to World Cup glory 19,000km away, a group of Otago Polytechnic students were helping it get a slight edge.
The group worked to create clips and generate statistics from more than 40 games throughout the tournament - sometimes late at night.
It was one of many little things to help the side on its way to returning as world champion.
The idea came from the Otago Polytechnic's Hayden Croft, the team's performance analyst.
He had realised he would be unable to capture and do the analysis for everything the team would want.
So he called on a group of students, primarily post-graduates, from the performance analysis course he runs.
''The stuff they were doing was important, because it allows the players to look at their own game,'' he said.
''Probably one of the more important aspects was it freed me up to do more specific stuff.
''A lot of the analysts over there from other countries, they were wrecks - up all night trying to get the basic stuff done.
''So it really freed me up to help the coaches to get specific cuts and game-plan stuff for team meetings.''
The students cut clips so players could watch their games within an hour of them finishing.
That was essential given eight games in 10 days meant everything had to be condensed.
It also enabled them to analyse any game they thought they might need.
That included all those played by the top teams.
Some would be done the morning after, although key ones were done live - including the semifinal and final in the middle of the night.
While important, Croft said it was just one of many things that helped the team get its end result.
''I'm always cautious about isolating.
''A lot of people have asked and I'd say there were 12 or 20 things [that contributed to the win]. Iit was like a big puzzle that came together, so it was part of that.
''... so absolutely they contributed in some way. But I'd say the strength of the campaign was how well-rounded it was.''
It was another boost for the programme run at the polytechnic.
Having now worked, and had success, with the Southern Steel, Highlanders and Otago rugby teams it has now had a World Cup-winning involvement.
Croft remains contracted to the Silver Ferns through to the end of the Constellation Cup in October.
