Ex-Black Fern Rawinia Everitt is back in the north and wanting to kick start women’s rugby. She will be hosting a Women’s Have a Go Day at the Te Rarawa Rugby Club in Ahipara on Sunday 24 June.  The plan if there is interest, is to enter a Te Rarawa Rugby club team into the Northland competition in 2019 with the hope that players will be eligible for representative honours.  She is very grateful for the support that the club is offering to promote and develop women’s rugby and hope that the community will get in behind the side also.

Unfortunately, injury has put a dent into Rawinia’s impressive playing career and so her passion for the sport has seen her take on public speaking roles especially to school students as well as running coaching and skills sessions. She also has great support from some of her Black Fern team mates with Aroha Savage and Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate (who is coaching the Kaitaia College Girls 7s teams) also on board to promote the sport in the north.  

Girls rugby has experienced a growth in the Far North this year after the initial collective agreement between local clubs saw players band together under one banner to participate in the Northland Rugby Union (NRU) age grade 7s series.  Working closely with Scott Collins, the Women’s Rugby Development Officer at NRU, a new U15 and U18 Girls 7s series was held throughout the Mid and Far North including two events at Te Rarawa Rugby Club.  NRU has also established a representative programme for both girls and women with a goal in the near future to fielding a women’s team into the Farrah Palmer Cup competition.  

So, with a representative pathway defined, can we look forward to seeing more of our talented wahine pulling on the “Cambridge Blue” Northland jersey or better yet even an All Black top?  If Rawinia has anything to do with it then that would be a YES. 

If you are interested in attending the Have a Go day please contact Rawinia at rawiniaeveritt@gmail.com or give her a call on 021 171 6267.

Article added: Wednesday 20 June 2018