# 1995 New Zealand Women's Rugby League tour of Australia

The 1995 New Zealand Women's Rugby League tour of Australia was the first of its kind by a national Women's rugby league team. The New Zealand women's national rugby league team played seven matches on the tour, including the inaugural international matches in women’s rugby league. New Zealand won all seven matches, including the two international matches against Australia.

## Background

Women’s rugby league in New Zealand had seen growth in participation numbers during the early 1990s. In 1995 there were nearly 110 teams playing club football, including 32 in Auckland. The year prior, 1994, there had been 23 women’s teams in Auckland.
Women’s rugby league had also been developing in Australia during the early 1990s. A national championship for club teams was introduced in 1991 in the form of a tournament over the June long weekend. This continued through 1992, 1993 and 1994.
A combined ACT made a short tour of the North Island of New Zealand in April 1992, playing four club teams: North Auckland, Ellerslie, North Shore, and Rotorua. An ACT representative team was selected from four clubs to meet Illawarra in August 1992.
During 1993, two women's teams from Australia, the Woden Valley Rams and a club based in Waverton, New South Wales, arranged with the Fijian Rugby League to play a match on 2 October 1993 in Suva as a curtain-raiser to a men's match between Fiji and Queensland. Following this club match, an Australian team was selected from the players present to play a Fijian women's team. Played in torrential rain, the Australian team defeated the Fijian team, 16 to 4.
In December 1993, the interim committee of the Australian Women's Rugby League announced their intention to seek affiliation with the Australian Rugby League, and with or without affiliation, to play an international against New Zealand in 1994.
In Australia during 1995 there were women’s rugby league competitions in three centres. The Sydney competition featured eight teams, including one from Wollongong. This was an increase from six teams in 1993 and five in 1994. In Canberra and surrounds, there were three teams in the 1995 competition.

## New Zealand squad

The touring team was selected following a twelve-team national tournament held in Nelson on the June long weekend. Auckland Blue had defeated Auckland White in the trophy final, and 16 players from Auckland were selected in the squad of 23 women. Wellington had fielded two teams, A and B, and saw three players selected. A further three were selected from the West Coast provincial team, and one from Canterbury. Other teams at the tournament were Hawkes Bay, Nelson-Marlborough A & B, Manawatu, Southland and a President’s XIII.
From a club perspective, Richmond provided seven players; Bay Roskill provided four; and the Marist club from Greymouth on the West Coast, three players.

### Team leadership

Juanita Hall was appointed captain, with Eileen Rankin as vice-captain.
The team was coached by Janie Thompson (Auckland). The support staff were Josie O’Dwyer (Auckland) as masseur and a group of tour managers: Diana Hay (West Coast), Yvonne Hiko (Auckland), Ollie Karu (Manawatu), and Maia Le Cheminant (Canterbury).
Referee Helen McRae (Nelson-Marlborough) travelled with the team.

### Players’ tour record

Notes
* The Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1995 has one discrepancy with newspaper reporting. In the Second Test, the Annual lists Zavana Aranga as kicking the lone goal for New Zealand. The newspaper report in the Canberra Times lists Laura Waretini as the goal-kicker.
* A player's 1995 club is displayed in the above table, where known.
* Megan Tahapeehi is the sister of Quentin Pongia (35 matches for the New Zealand Kiwis, 167 top-tier club matches, 1993 to 2004).

## Australia squad

In a squad of 20 players, six women were selected from two of three clubs in the Canberra competition: Tuggeranong and Woden Valley Rams. Several other members of the squad were playing for the Illawarra based team, the Cabbage Tree Hotel.

### Team leadership

Natalie Dwyer was selected as captain, with Robyn Miller as vice-captain.
The team was coached by Graham Willard. The support staff were Tracy Gaunt (Manager), John Taylor (Head Trainer) and Scott D’Arcy (Trainer).

### Players’ Test record

Notes
* A player's 1995 club is displayed in the above table, where known.
* Tarsha Gale is the sister of fellow rugby league footballers Scott Gale (210 top tier club matches between 1983 and 1993) and Brett Gale (86 top tier club matches between 1982 and 1989).
* Rommillia Emanuel is the sister of Ric Emanuel (Papua New Guinea, 1994 and Canberra Raiders lower grades, early 1990s).
* Bronwyn Johnson and Rebecca Wisener had played for the ACT Women’s Rugby League team in 1992.
* Natalie Dwyer, Julie McGuffie, Sherliee Moulds, Katrina Moss and Julie Porter had played in the 1994 club championships.
* Natalie Dwyer had been selected in an Australian women’s cricket youth squad that toured India in November-December 1994 under the captaincy of Karen Rolton.

## Results

The Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1995 included the New Zealand scorers in all seven matches, and the Australian players in the two Test Matches. Scorers for the President's XIII and Sydney were not listed.
The President’s XIII included three players from the Australian Capital Territory.
* Tuesday, 27 June 1995
| President’s XIII | 6 — 16 | New Zealand |
| Tries: 1 Goals: 1 | 1st: 6–2 2nd: 0–14 | Tries: 3 Eva Epiha Sara White Eileen Rankin Goals: 2 Therese Mangos 2 |
* North Sydney
* Saturday, 1 July 1995
| Australia | 14 — 18 | New Zealand |
| Tries: 3 Natalie Dwyer Julie McGuffie Sherilee Moulds Goals: 1 Sherilee Moulds | 1st: 6–10 2nd: 8–8 | Tries: 4 Maria Auega Leah Witehira Lynley Tierney Luisa Avaiki Goals: 1 Zavana Aranga |
* Lidcombe Oval, Sydney Attendance: ≈ 1000 Referee: Helen McRae (New Zealand)
* Tuesday, 4 July 1995
| Sydney | 4 — 26 | New Zealand |
| Tries: 1 | 1st: 4–12 2nd: 0–14 | Tries: 5 Tammi Wilson 2 Laura Waretini Sharlene Hannah Lynley Tierney Goals: 3 Zavana Aranga 3 |
* Ringrose Park, Wentworthville
* Thursday, 6 July 1995
| Canberra | 0 — 46 | New Zealand |
| | 1st: 0–24 2nd: 0–22 | Tries: 10 Tania Martin 3 Laura Waretini 2 Leah Witehira 2 Eva Epiha 2 Zavana Aranga Goals: 3 Zavana Aranga 3 |
* Freebody Oval, Queanbeyan
* Saturday, 8 July 1995
| Australia | 6 — 14 | New Zealand |
| Tries: 1 Katrina Fanning Goals: 1 Sherilee Moulds | 1st: 6–0 2nd: 0–14 | Tries: 3 Tammi Wilson Leah Witehira Laura Waretini Goals: 1 Laura Waretini (or Zavana Aranga) |
* Hawker Oval, Canberra Referee: Val Lawson (Australia).
* Wednesday, 12 July 1995
| Queensland | 0 — 48 | New Zealand |
| | 1st: 0–20 2nd: 0–28 | Tries: 10 Laura Waretini 3 Sara White 2 Tammi Wilson 2 Lynley Tierney Maria Auega Zavana Aranga Goals: 4 Zavana Aranga 4 |
* Davies Park, Brisbane
* Saturday, 15 July 1995
| Queensland | 0 — 36 | New Zealand |
| | 1st: 0–10 2nd: 0–26 | Tries: 7 Tammi Wilson Zavana Aranga Laura Waretini Golly Baker Lynley Tierney Nadene Conlon Rachel White Goals: 4 Zavana Aranga 4 |
* Seagulls Stadium, Tweed Heads