1997 Australia women's rugby league tour of New Zealand

The Australia women's rugby league tour of New Zealand was the first formal tour by the women's national team. It was also the first visit of a national women's rugby league team to New Zealand. Two of the four matches were full internationals. Autex New Zealand Rugby League Annual 1997 1997 New Zealand women defeat Australia twice 45–48 These were the sixth and seventh international matches played in women's rugby league. 1997 Australia 1997 1997 New Zealand John Taylor Tarsha Gale Loretta O'Neill 6+ Trish Hina 20 Trish Hina 5 4 2 0 2 2 0 0 2 NZL 2 0 0 2 Background The New Zealand women's national rugby league team had toured Australia in 1995, winning all seven matches including the two internationals. The Great Britain women's national rugby league team had toured Australia in 1996, winning the three Test series, two matches to one, and four other tour matches. Whilst this was the first formal tour by the Australia women's national rugby league team, it was the second by a women's rugby league team from Australia. A combined Australian Capital Territory women's team had toured the North Island of New Zealand in April 1992 playing four matches against club teams.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132377619 Rugby League Times ACT women storm NZ rugby league The Canberra Times Canberra 8 May 1992 31 Dec 2024 26 National Library of Australia Two club teams from Australia travelled to Suva, Fiji in early October 1993, playing a match against each other, before selecting a combined side and playing as an Australian team against a team of Fijian women.http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126983891 Rugby League Times - Short passes The Canberra Times Canberra 23 Apr 1993 31 Dec 2024 30 National Library of Australiahttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127230523 Rugby League Times - Boost for Woden's hopes The Canberra Times Canberra 4 Jun 1993 31 Dec 2024 32 National Library of AustraliaRugby League Gazette Womens Rugby League 1994 Liberopoulos Terry Marrickville The New Zealand Women's Rugby League Federation staged the matches without any financial support from the New Zealand Rugby League. The NZWRLF had not (yet) affiliated with the NZRL.Women's coach told to make room for a man Dominion Post 20 Sep 1997 61 Bidwell Peter Wellington The visitors travelled under the auspices of the Australian Women's Rugby League and were obliged to make a significant contribution to the financial cost of their trip. Australia squad National Championships were held at Redfern Oval on the long weekend in June. Representative teams from Brisbane, Canberra, Illawarra, NSW Country and Sydney competed.Women's Rugby League National Championships - Sports Gallery Sydney Morning Herald 9 Jun 1997 36 Golding Craig A squad of twenty-six players was announced on 21 August 1997.Rugby League Adelaide Advertiser 21 Aug 1997 The Illawarra Mercury reported that players selected in the team were obliged to provide $3,000 towards the costs of the tour, with one selected player dropping out for financial reasons.League ladies want revenge Illawarra Mercury 3 Sep 1997 57 Keeble Brett The Dominion reported that a total of $45,000 was raised. Team leadership Tarsha Gale was appointed captain, with Karen Shaw as vice-captain. The team was coached by John Taylor.Kiwi's sister knows way to beat Aussies Wellington Evening Post 22 Sep 1997 22 Palmer Tracey Julie McGuffie, who had captained Australia in the previous year's matches against Great Britain, was unavailable due to injury. Player's Test record J# Unconfirmed Jersey Number Player Position(s) Club State / Territory H# Heritage Number Test Matches Debut M Matches T Tries G Goals P Points 1 Loretta O'Neill 1 FB South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 18 1995 2 2 0 8 2 Allison Smith 1 WG Queanbeyan Braves ACT ACT 27 1996 2 0 1 2 3 Karen Shaw 1 CE 33 1997 2 0 4 8 4 Kylie Egan 1 CE 31 1997 2 1 0 4 5 Caryl Jarrett 1 WG NSW NSW 32 1997 2 1 0 4 6 Natalie Dwyer 1 FE South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 1 1995 2 0 0 0 7 Tarsha Gale 1 HB South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 7 1995 2 0 0 0 8 Mandy Ingersoll 1 PR South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 8 1995 2 0 0 0 9 Rebecca Wisener 1 HK Woden-Weston Rams ACT ACT 17 1995 2 1 0 4 10 Katrina Fanning 1 PR Sails Pirates ACT ACT 6 1995 2 0 0 0 11 Linda Pearson 1 SR NSW NSW 37 1997 2 0 0 0 12 Jodie Billing 1 SR 29 1997 2 1 0 4 13 Jackie Raisin 1 LK 26 1996 2 1 0 4 14 Katrina Moss 1 HK South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 13 1995 2 1 0 4 15 Karen Stuart 1 HK 34 1997 2 0 0 0 16 Sharon Patterson 1 Woden-Weston Rams ACT ACT 24 1996 2 0 0 0 17 Karen Brown 1 Tuggeranong Castaways ACT ACT 30 1997 0 0 0 0 18 Steph Payne 1 Queanbeyan Braves ACT ACT 25 1996 0 0 0 0 19 Kellie Chessor 1 SR South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 3 1995 0 0 0 0 20 Christina Moss 1 South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 36 1997 0 0 0 0 21 Selena Malone 1 0 0 0 0 22 Debbie Merritt 1 PR 22 1996 0 0 0 0 23 Kiri Olsen 1 South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 0 0 0 0 24 Samantha Ramsamy 1 CE WG 60 2001 0 0 0 0 25 Kelly Rhodes 1 38 1997 0 0 0 0 26 Veronica White 1 SR South Sydney Rabbitohs NSW NSW 19 1995 0 0 0 0 Notes: The Autex New Zealand Rugby League Annual 1997 lists the squads just once, rather than separately for the two Test Matches, which were played four days apart, on September 20 and 24, 1997. The above table displays two matches for the 17 Australians listed on an assumption that the Annual infers that all 17 played both games. It is not, however, explicitly stated. A preview of the First Test in The Evening Post listed 26 players, including the 17 listed in the Annual.Confident Kiwis plot ambush Wellington Evening Post 19 Sep 1997 22 Palmer Tracey A preview of the First Test in The Dominion listed 18 Australian players, with Steph Payne the player from this list not in the 17 listed in the Annual. A player's 1997 club is displayed in the above table, where known. Six members of the squad had represented the ACT at the National Championships in early June.ACT Team Announced Canberra Times 16 May 1997 Nine members of the squad of 26 had played for South Sydney Rabbitohs during the 1997 Sydney Women's Rugby League season, in which the team won a second-successive premiership.https://www.ssralmanac.com/mobile/1997/player1997.htm 1997 South Sydney Player Statistics 31 Dec 2022 1997 SSR Almanac 3 Jan 2025 A brief report on the first tour match published in the Illawarra Mercury listed only the Australians with multiple tries: Loretta O'Neill 4, Karen Shaw 2, Kylie Egan 2, Caryl Jarrett 2, and Sharon Patterson 2.Aussies belt New Zealand Illawarra Mercury 15 Sep 1997 Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited 49 A brief report on the second tour match published in The Evening Post remarked that Allison Smith had scored 22 points.Ideal buildup Wellington Evening Post 18 Sep 1997 34 New Zealand squad The New Zealand team was selected at the conclusion of a national provincial tournament held on the weekend of 13 and 14 September 2017. One of two Wellington teams, Wellington Gold had a narrow win over one of two Auckland teams, Auckland Blue, in the final. A squad of 17 players was selected, with five players from Wellington and twelve from Auckland.Edmonds one of six newcomers Wellington Evening Post 15 Sep 1997 15Five from Wellington Dominion Post 15 Sep 1997 23 Team leadership Zavana Aranga was appointed captain, with Nadene Conlon as vice-captain. The team was coached by Janie Thompson (Auckland). The support staff were manager Diane Pakai and trainer Eileen Rankin. Player's tour record J# Unconfirmed Jersey Number Player Position(s) Club State / Territory H# Heritage Number Test Matches Debut M Matches T Tries G Goals P Points 1 Zavana Aranga FB Te Aroha Eels Wellington 16 Wellington 2 1995 2 0 7 14 2 Selena Edmonds 1 WG Te Aroha Eels Wellington 16 Wellington 24 1997 2 1 0 4 3 Mere Miki 1 CE Richmond Roses aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 28 1997 2 2 0 8 4 Mate Lefale 1 CE Bay Roskill Vikings aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 27 1997 2 1 0 4 5 Lemelle Lauaki 1 WG Mount Albert Lions aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 26 1997 2 2 0 8 6 Trish Hina FE Te Aroha Eels Wellington 16 Wellington 25 1997 2 5 0 20 7 Priscilla Moke 1 HB Glenora Bears aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 30 1997 2 0 0 0 8 Nicole Presland 1 PR Bay Roskill Vikings aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 14 1995 2 0 0 0 9 Tracy Wrigley 1 HK Richmond Roses aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 31 1997 2 0 0 0 10 Luisa Avaiki 1 PR Richmond Roses aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 4 1995 2 1 0 4 11 Nadene Conlon 1 SR Mount Albert Lions aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 6 1995 2 0 0 0 12 Christine Moir 1 SR Glenora Bears aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 29 1997 2 0 0 0 13 Rachel White 1 LK Bay Roskill Vikings aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 20 1995 2 0 0 0 14 Kaylene Ihaia 1 HB Miramar Wellington 16 Wellington 11 1995 2 0 0 0 15 Megan Tahapeehi 1 PR Te Aroha Eels Wellington 16 Wellington 17 1997 2 0 0 0 16 Michelle Driscoll 1 CE Richmond Roses aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 8 1997 2 2 0 8 17 Lynley Tierney 1 LK Mount Wellington Warriors aucklandnzrl 16 Auckland 18 1995 2 1 0 4 Notes: The Autex New Zealand Rugby League Annual 1997 lists the squads just once, rather than separately for the two Test Matches. The above table displays two matches for the 17 New Zealanders listed on an assumption that the Annual infers that all 17 played both games. It is not, however, explicitly stated. A preview of the First Test in The Evening Post listed only the same 17 players listed in the Annual, grouped by their provincial team. A preview of the First Test in The Dominion listed 17 players, but in contrast to the listing in the Annual had Michelle Driscoll at centre, Megan Tahapeehi at prop, and Mate Lefale and Nicole Presland on the interchange bench. The Annual identified that eight of the players came from two clubs, Richmond Roses and Te Aroha Eels. Roll of Honour / Heritage Numbers (H#) were ascribed to all 1995 tourists. This included Michelle Driscoll and Megan Tahapeehi who played in tour games in 1995 but did not make their Test Match debut until this series.https://nzrl.co.nz/national-teams/kiwi-ferns/roll-of-honour/ Kiwi Ferns - Roll of Honour 10 May 2021 New Zealand Rugby League 11 May 2021 Megan Tahapeehi is the sister of Quentin Pongia (35 matches for the New Zealand Kiwis, 167 top-tier club matches, 1993 to 2004).http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128286125 Women's league test at Hawker today The Canberra Times Canberra 8 Jul 1995 30 Dec 2024 54 National Library of Australia Hannan Bevan Results Sunday, 14 September 1997 Gisborne-East Coast Wahine Toa 0 74 Australia 16 Loretta O'Neill 4 Kylie Egan 2 Sharon Patterson 2 Caryl Jarrett 2 Karen Shaw 2 4 tries not listed 5 Gisborne Wednesday, 17 September 1997 Hawke's Bay 0 54 Australia Allison Smith 22 points Hastings First Test Saturday, 20 September 1997 2:30 PM NZL 7 Trish Hina 2 Michelle Driscoll 2 Selena Edmonds Mere Miki Lemelle Lauaki 3 Zavana Aranga 3 34 26 1414 2012 AUS 5 Loretta O'Neill 2 Jackie Raisin Rebecca Wisener Kylie Egan 3 Karen Shaw 2 Allison Smith Petone Recreation Ground, Lower Hutt, Wellington Second Test Wednesday, 24 September 1997 8:00 PM NZL 8 Trish Hina 3 Lynley Tierney Lemelle Lauaki Mere Miki Luisa Avaiki Mate Lefale 4 Zavana Aranga 4 40 16 1410 264 Kiwi women score; series win over Aust The Press (Christchurch) 25 Sep 1997 AUS 3 Jodie Billing Caryl Jarrett Katrina Moss 2 Karen Shaw 2 Carlaw Park, Auckland References External links NRL Women List of Australian Jillaroos on NRL website Kiwi Ferns Roll of Honour on NZRL website Category:1997 in Australian rugby league Category:1997 in New Zealand rugby league Category:1997 in Australian women's sport Category:1997 in New Zealand women's sport Category:1997 in women's rugby league Category:Women's rugby league in New Zealand Category:Rugby league tours of New Zealand Category:Australia women's national rugby league team Category:Women's rugby league