The clash against former world champions Japan at Westpac Stadium on Sunday is a homecoming in more ways than one for Football Ferns striker Sarah Gregorius.

It will mark the first time the Ferns have played on home soil in three years and the first time they have appeared in the nation’s capital for nearly three decades. That makes it a homecoming for each member of the squad but, for Lower Hutt-born Gregorius, running out onto the immaculate turf at Westpac Stadium will be even more special.

“It’s super exciting, obviously I’m a bit biased because I’m from Wellington but I think everyone is so pumped to be home,” she says.

Wellington has a recent history of getting behind big footballing occasions with the record-breaking FIFA World Cup Intercontinental Playoff against Peru last November still fresh in the memory, not to mention the same event against Bahrain in 2009 – both of which have now gone down in footballing folklore in New Zealand.

Another record-breaking crowd is expected to file into Westpac Stadium on Sunday and Gregorius is delighted to see Football Ferns fever sweep the capital.

“It’s so cool, I think it’s such an opportunity for the football community in Wellington which, for me, is the home of football in New Zealand,” she says.

“Having not had this opportunity for three decades, to actually see what this team is about, see the players in the flesh and actually have the girls engaged in the community is massive. Personally, I’m really proud – proud of the city for hosting this and proud to be a part of this group and have them on display.”

The homecoming of the Ferns is not the only reason for the Wellington public to come out in their droves. The quality of Japan – FIFA Women’s World Cup winners in 2011 and runners-up in 2015 – should also set the pulses racing.

“They have such a distinct style of play, it is very typically Japanese,” explains Gregorius, who had a spell in Japan herself at AS Elfen Saitama. “I think the rest of the world is still trying to catch up, we would all love to have what they’ve got in terms of technique. That’s what sets them apart at the moment but everyone else is edging closer all the time.”

While the chance to knock over a side of such high standing is undoubtedly a motivating factor, Gregorius says the fixture’s stand-alone status also provides a golden opportunity for team development.

“When it’s a friendly, you do tend to focus more on yourself as opposed to the final outcome. You can look within a bit more, start to build and think longer term. It’s not just about that week or that tournament, it’s about saying, ‘Okay, where are we now and where do we want to be in a year?’,” she says.

Gregorius isn’t the only Football Fern who may have inside knowledge of Japan from her time as a professional in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. Defender Rebekah Stott is a former team mate of Rumi Utsugi at American club Seattle Reign while goalkeeper Erin Nayler used to play with Saki Kumagai, captain of the Nadeshiko, in France at Olympique Lyonnais.

“Individually, the girls work really hard to put themselves in such professional, amazing environments so we don’t really need to worry about the time apart because it’s really easy for us to connect when we come back together,” Gregorius says.

“It’s also about making sure those experiences they bring from overseas are still really valuable and important. Some of our players would have played against some of the Japanese girls in Europe and America so we need to make sure we harness that.”

The Football Ferns homecoming arrives on the back of an exciting period for the women’s game and Gregorius is looking forward to that continuing.

“It’s a real purple patch for women’s football,” she says.

“I think it’s engaged people who maybe wouldn’t have been as interested in women’s football who have seen all the noise around all of the advances we’ve made off the field. Maybe they’re more aware and are now going to turn up on Sunday so I think it’s really cool that we’ve reached a new audience. I hope we can put on a big show on the weekend and continue that momentum.”

To purchase tickets for the Football Ferns vs Japan at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on June 10 please click here