Margaret Forward (nee Anderson), a member of the 1949 Wanganui side, is keen to track down as many of the players as possible.
Margaret Forward (nee Anderson), a member of the 1949 Wanganui side, is keen to track down as many of the players as possible.
Little did a Whanganui women's rugby team of 68 years ago realise that the women's side of the sport in the country would become world champions.
A group of young Whanganui women wore the union jerseys in a charity match played at Spriggens Park in 1949. Now, during a newmillennium, New Zealand women's rugby has hit new heights on the international scene.
Women started playing the sport during the 19th century but it was former Whanganui, Taranaki and All Black selector-coach JJ Stewart who was instrumental in championing the women's game at the highest level. Stewart, Whanganui coach in 1970 and 1971, as a NZRFU national councillor in 1989 started encouraging the women's side of the sport in this country. In recognition of this the J J Stewart Challenge Trophy is contested during the women's provincial championship which started in 1999.
At community level the number of women and girls involved in the game has shot ahead as have the number of participating teams, including here in Whanganui.
Globally there are more than two million females from 120 countries involved in rugby. Whanganui currently has Bridget Belsham as the union's first CEO and one of the two Community Rugby Development Officers, Canadian Lesley McKenzie, has been instrumental in the recent growth of women's rugby in the district.
There is a local connection with the current Black Ferns world champions, with halfback Katrina Sue (Manawatu) a PE teacher at Wanganui Girls' College chosen for the national side in 2016. The former Whanganui resident is a rare quadruple international, playing in World Cups for New Zealand in touch (2007 and 2011), rugby league (2008), NZ Sevens rugby and 15-a-side rugby
Margaret Forward (nee Anderson), a member of the 1949 Wanganui side, is keen to track down as many of the players as possible. Margaret is third from left in the back row (partly obscured). Merle Wilkins is in the front row (extreme right) and next to the referee is Frances Higgs.
Anyone with any details of the 1949 game or player names please contact J B (John) Phillips — 027 231 2007 or jbphillips@xtra.co.nz
