1998 Great Britain women's rugby league tour of New Zealand

November 2021 1998 Great Britain 1998 1998 New Zealand Jackie Sheldon Lisa McIntosh Joanne Hewson (1t) & Brenda Dobek (2g) 4 Joanne Hewson 1 6 3 0 3 3 0 0 3 NZ 3 0 0 3 1996 2002 The Great Britain Women's Rugby League tour of New Zealand in 1998 was the first such visit by a female British or English Rugby League team, and their second tour after a 1996 visit to Australia. Six matches were played during the three-week tour, including three Test Matches. For the host nation, New Zealand, this tour followed on from a visit by the Australian women's rugby league team during the previous year, 1997. Great Britain won the three tour matches but lost each of the three Test Matches by large margins, registering a single try and two goals in the series. Team Leadership The team was coached by Jackie Sheldon. Roland Davis was tour manager and Lisa McCandless was team manager. The team was captained by Lisa McIntosh with vice-captain Liz Kitchen.https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/batley/natalie-gilmour-mbe/ Natalie Gilmour 29 September 2019 Women in Rugby League 21 April 2021 Paula Clark served as the team's physiotherapist. https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/castleford/brenda-dobek/ Brenda Dobek 12 January 2020 Women in Rugby League 21 April 2021 18 May 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210518132309/https://www.womeninrugbyleague.org.uk/castleford/brenda-dobek/ dead Squad A photo of the 1998 touring team is included with the Gilmour interview on the Women in Rugby League website. Point scorers are known for five of the six matches, excluding the first tour match against New Zealand Māori. Joanne Hewson scored a try against Auckland, and another try in the 1st Test. Joanna Will scored two tries in the match against Canterbury. The Jumper Number column shows the order players were listed in the team named for the 2nd Test, which appeared in a preview article in the Christchurch newspaper, The Press.Series win motivation for dual international The Press Christchurch 29 August 1998 30 Smith Tony JumperNumber Player Position Club Jill Adams SO Newcastle1908 16 Redhill 2 Jane Banks WG Wigan 16 Wigan 17 Heather Biggs Rochdale 16 Rochdale 5 Teresa Bruce WG St George 16 Wakefield Julie Burrows PR St George 16 Wakefield Karen Burrows Newcastle1908 16 Redhill 6 Brenda Dobek SO St George 16 Wakefield 11 Lucy Ferguson SR St George 16 Wakefield 4 Natalie Gilmour CE St George 16 Wakefield 7 Mandy Green HB HK City 16 Dudley Hill Sue Hayward St George 16 Wakefield 1 Joanne Hewson FB WG Barrow 16 Barrow Michelle Janczuk City 16 Dudley Hill Sharron Johnson Wigan 16 Wigan 3 Allison Kitchin CE Barrow 16 Barrow 15 Liz Kitchin IN Barrow 16 Barrow 9 Michelle Land HK St George 16 Wakefield 13 Lisa McIntosh LK City 16 Dudley Hill 8 Sally Milburn PR Barrow 16 Barrow 16 Chantelle Patrick WG City 16 Dudley Hill Tracy Pincher Newcastle1908 16 Redhill 14 Kirsty Robinson CE St George 16 Wakefield 12 Rebecca Stevens SR Sheffield 16 Sheffield Vicky Studd City 16 Dudley Hill Joanna Will FB St George 16 Wakefield 10 Sam Wood PR St George 16 Wakefield Results Sunday, August 16 New Zealand Māori Townsville Blackhawks 16 432 GB 16 Great Britain John McEwan Waitakere Stadium, Auckland ResultLionesses band together Daily Telegraph 17 August 1998 31 Wednesday, August 19 Auckland aucklandnzrl 16 1820 GB 16 Great Britain Arthur Clarke Carlaw Park, Auckland HT 10-8 ReportLeague win to Britain The Press Christchurch 20 August 1998 25 Tries: 3 Stacey O'Carroll Ana Rewha Marianne Hemara Goals: 3 Angela Searancke 3 Tries: 4 Teressa Bruce Vicky Studd Joanne Hewson Brenda Dobek Goals: 2 Brenda Dobek 2 A 'spectacular' try to Brenda Dobek in the closing minutes won the match for Great Britain, against an Auckland side that were missing their national team representatives. 1st Test #E5E4E2 Sunday, August 23 NZ 286 GB Derek Horne Puketawhero Park, Rotorua HT 18-6 ReportKiwis dent Lionesses' pride The Press Christchurch 24 August 1998 15 Tries: 5 Trish Hina 2 Leah Witehira Germaine Wiki Sara White Goals: 4 Zavana Aranga 4 Tries: 1 Joanne Hewson Goals: 1Brenda Dobek Playing a more physical game, to dominate possession and territory, New Zealand scored three converted tries in the first 30 minutes. A slick switch pass by Debbie Chase sent Trish Hina in for the opener. Leah Witehira found a gap for the second and Germaine Wiki broke through tackles for the third try. Just as the game was looking to break wide open for New Zealand, Great Britain wing Joanne "Flo-Jo" Hewson showed why she is rated the most dangerous Lioness attacker as she danced around her marker and left the cover defence in her wake. New Zealand Press Association The Press, Christchurch (24 August 1998) Both teams displayed improved defence in the second half, with Great Britain 'tackling ferociously' on their own line. Capitalising on sustain pressure, Trish Hina scored her second try after 15 minutes. In an 80-metre run, winger Sara White fended off two defenders and outsprinted others for an 80th minute try. Wednesday, August 26 7.30pm Canterbury canterburynzrl 16 020 GB 16 Great Britain Kevin Kirner Rugby League Park, Christchurch HT 0-16 ReportLionesses defend turf against Canty assault The Press Christchurch 27 August 1998 22 Coffey John Tries: nil Goals: nil Tries: 4 Joanna Will 2 Kirsty Robinson Jill Adams Goals: 2 Karen Burrows 2 Joanna Will (GB), Mary Brennan (Cant) The Canterbury team included a mother & daughter pairing, second rower Mary Brennan, aged 41, and centre Mereana Brennan, aged 17. Other players to feature for Canterbury included loose forward Vicki Blair, Kylie O'Loughlin, Melany Taniora-Green and Vicki Logopati. They were coached Jack Tauwhare.Mother, daughter in league The Press Christchurch 26 August 1998 1 Coffey John 2nd Test #E5E4E2 Saturday, August 29 2.30pm NZ 440 GB Gary Baxter Rugby League Park, Christchurch HT 14-0 ReportChase cherishes Kiwi Ferns series triumph The Press Christchurch 31 August 1998 20 Coffey John Tries: 8 Leah Witehira 2 Trish Hina 2 Rachel White Germaine Wiki Nadene Conlon Tasha Davie Goals: 6 Zavana Aranga 6 Tries: nil Goals: nil The Kiwi Ferns encountered strong opposition for 30 minutes on Saturday. Their sole try had come from scrum-half Leah Witehira robbing a rival of the ball in a one-on-one tackle and scampering 25m to score, while only desperate cover defence had prevented Britain scoring on both wings. John Coffey The Press, Christchurch (31 August 1998) Leah Witehira collected her own grubber kick to score the second try, then gave the last pass to Trish Hina for the third and final first half try. The Kiwi Ferns added five tries in the second half. 3rd Test #E5E4E2 Friday, September 4 7:30pm NZ 382 GB Julia Lee Carlaw Park, Auckland HT 30-0 ReportsFerns complete whitewash The Press Christchurch 7 September 1998 30First Degree Ferns Sunday News (NZ) 6 September 1998 Tries: 7 Zavana Aranga 2 Sara White 2 Leah Witehira Audrey Thompson Michelle Driscoll Goals: 5 Zavana Aranga 5 Tries: nil Goals: 1 Brenda Dobek Player of the Series: Luisa Avaiki New Zealand dominated the first half, obtaining a 30 to nil lead at the break. I'm more than happy with the way the ladies have applied what they've learnt over the last two and a half weeks. They played very good football on Friday and put the Poms under a lot of pressure in the first half. Tony Lajpold (Coach) The Press, Christchurch (7 September 1998) New Zealand Team The New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98 included a three-page report, including four photos. The report lists 17 players in the New Zealand team. It is not clear whether each of the 17 played in all three Test Matches. 1998 New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98 New Zealand Rugby League Annual New Zealand Rugby Football League 52–54 1174-7501 The 17 listed do match the teams named in preview articles for the series and 2nd Test.British women are cruising for a big bruising from Kiwis Sunday Star 16 Aug 1999 8 Sanders Andrew JumperNumber HeritageNumber Player Position Club Region Debut Tries Goals Points 1 2 Zavana Aranga FB Scotland 16 Te Aroha Wellington 16 Wellington 1995 2 15 38 2 20 Sara White WG London Skolars 16 Bay Roskill aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1995 3 0 12 3 25 Trish Hina CE Scotland 16 Te Aroha Wellington 16 Wellington 1997 4 0 16 4 8 Michelle Driscoll CE Adelaide 16 Richmond aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1995 1 0 4 5 35 Somma Te Kahu WG Balmain 16 Papanui canterburynzrl 16 Centerbury 1998 0 0 0 6 33 Debbie Chase FE University 16 Woolston canterburynzrl 16 Centerbury 1998 0 0 0 7 23 Leah Witehira HB New South Wales 16 Otahuhu aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1995 4 0 16 8 4 Luisa Avaiki PR Adelaide 16 Richmond aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1995 0 0 0 9 36 Alarna Nicholas HK University 16 Woolston canterburynzrl 16 Centerbury 1998 0 0 0 10 32 Rachel Bean PR Halifax 16 Glenora aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1998 0 0 0 11 40 Germaine Wiki SR London Skolars 16 Bay Roskill aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1998 2 0 8 12 6 Nadene Conlon SR Australia 16 Marist aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1995 1 0 4 13 21 Rachel White LK London Skolars 16 Bay Roskill aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1995 1 0 4 14 39 Audrey Thompson IN Halifax 16 Glenora aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1998 1 0 4 15 37 Jackie Ryder IN Eastern Suburbs 16 Miramar Wellington 16 Wellington 1998 0 0 0 16 38 Serena Setu IN Balmain 16 Papanui canterburynzrl 16 Centerbury 1998 0 0 0 17 34 Tasha Davie IN Balmain 16 Northcote aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 1998 1 0 4 Sources A physical copy of the New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98 is available at the National Library of New Zealand. British and New Zealand Newspapers available via eResources such as ProQuest and Newsbank. See also Women's rugby league Australia women's national rugby league team Great Britain women's national rugby league team England women's national rugby league team References External links Women in Rugby League Category:1998 in English rugby league Category:1998 in English women's sport Category:1998 in women's rugby league Category:Women's rugby league in New Zealand Category:Rugby league tours of New Zealand Category:New Zealand women's national rugby league team Category:Women's rugby league