Jump to content

1998 Great Britain Women's Rugby League Tour of New Zealand

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1998 Great Britain Women's Rugby League Tour of New Zealand
Coach(es)Jackie Sheldon
Tour captain(s)Lisa McIntosh
Top test point scorer(s)Joanne Hewson (1t) & Brenda Dobek (2g) 4
Top test try scorer(s)Joanne Hewson 1
Summary
P W D L
Total
06 03 00 03
Test match
03 00 00 03
Opponent
P W D L
 New Zealand
3 0 0 3
Tour chronology
Previous tour1996
Next tour2002

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

[edit]

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.[1] Paula Clark served as the team's physiotherapist. [2]

Squad

[edit]

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.[3]

Jumper
Number
Player Position Club
Jill Adams Stand-off Redhill
2 Jane Banks Wing Wigan
17 Heather Biggs Rochdale
5 Teresa Bruce Wing Wakefield
Julie Burrows Prop Wakefield
Karen Burrows Redhill
6 Brenda Dobek Stand-off Wakefield
11 Lucy Ferguson Second-row Wakefield
4 Natalie Gilmour Centre Wakefield
7 Mandy Green Halfback, Hooker Dudley Hill
Sue Hayward Wakefield
1 Joanne Hewson Fullback, Wing Barrow
Michelle Janczuk Dudley Hill
Sharron Johnson Wigan
3 Allison Kitchin Centre Barrow
15 Liz Kitchin interchange Barrow
9 Michelle Land Hooker Wakefield
13 Lisa McIntosh Lock Dudley Hill
8 Sally Milburn Prop Barrow
16 Chantelle Patrick Wing Dudley Hill
Tracy Pincher Redhill
14 Kirsty Robinson Centre Wakefield
12 Rebecca Stevens Second-row Sheffield
Vicky Studd Dudley Hill
Joanna Will Fullback Wakefield
10 Sam Wood Prop Wakefield

Results

[edit]
Sunday, August 16
New Zealand Māori 4–32 Great Britain
Result[4]
Waitakere Stadium, Auckland
Referee: John McEwan

Wednesday, August 19
Auckland 18–20 Great Britain
Tries: 3
Stacey O'Carroll
Ana Rewha
Marianne Hemara
Goals: 3
Angela Searancke 3
HT 10-8
Report[5]
Tries: 4
Teressa Bruce
Vicky Studd
Joanne Hewson
Brenda Dobek
Goals: 2
Brenda Dobek 2
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Referee: Arthur Clarke

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.[5]


1st Test

[edit]
Sunday, August 23
New Zealand  28–6  Great Britain
Tries: 5
Trish Hina 2
Leah Witehira
Germaine Wiki
Sara White
Goals: 4
Zavana Aranga 4
HT 18-6
Report[6]
Tries: 1
Joanne Hewson
Goals: 1
Brenda Dobek
Puketawhero Park, Rotorua
Referee: Derek Horne

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 0–20 Great Britain
Tries: nil
Goals: nil
HT 0-16
Report[7]
Tries: 4
Joanna Will 2
Kirsty Robinson
Jill Adams
Goals: 2
Karen Burrows 2
Rugby League Park, Christchurch
Referee: Kevin Kirner
Player of the Match: 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.[8][7]


2nd Test

[edit]
Saturday, August 29
2.30pm
New Zealand  44–0  Great Britain
Tries: 8
Leah Witehira 2
Trish Hina 2
Rachel White
Germaine Wiki
Nadene Conlon
Tasha Davie
Goals: 6
Zavana Aranga 6
HT 14-0
Report[9]
Tries: nil
Goals: nil
Rugby League Park, Christchurch
Referee: Gary Baxter

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

[edit]
Friday, September 4
7:30pm
New Zealand  38–2  Great Britain
Tries: 7
Zavana Aranga 2
Sara White 2
Leah Witehira
Audrey Thompson
Michelle Driscoll
Goals: 5
Zavana Aranga 5
HT 30-0
Reports[10][11]
Tries: nil
Goals: 1
Brenda Dobek
Carlaw Park, Auckland
Referee: Julia Lee
Player of the Match:
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

[edit]

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.[12] The 17 listed do match the teams named in preview articles for the series and 2nd Test.[13][3]

Jumper
Number
Heritage
Number
Player Position Club Region Debut Tries Goals Points
1 2 Zavana Aranga Fullback Te Aroha Wellington 1995 2 15 38
2 20 Sara White Wing Bay Roskill Auckland 1995 3 0 12
3 25 Trish Hina Centre Te Aroha Wellington 1997 4 0 16
4 8 Michelle Driscoll Centre Richmond Auckland 1995 1 0 4
5 35 Somma Te Kahu Wing Papanui Centerbury 1998 0 0 0
6 33 Debbie Chase Five-eighth Woolston Centerbury 1998 0 0 0
7 23 Leah Witehira Halfback Otahuhu Auckland 1995 4 0 16
8 4 Luisa Avaiki Prop Richmond Auckland 1995 0 0 0
9 36 Alarna Nicholas Hooker Woolston Centerbury 1998 0 0 0
10 32 Rachel Bean Prop Glenora Auckland 1998 0 0 0
11 40 Germaine Wiki Second-row Bay Roskill Auckland 1998 2 0 8
12 6 Nadene Conlon Second-row Marist Auckland 1995 1 0 4
13 21 Rachel White Lock Bay Roskill Auckland 1995 1 0 4
14 39 Audrey Thompson interchange Glenora Auckland 1998 1 0 4
15 37 Jackie Ryder interchange Miramar Wellington 1998 0 0 0
16 38 Serena Setu interchange Papanui Centerbury 1998 0 0 0
17 34 Tasha Davie interchange Northcote Auckland 1998 1 0 4

Sources

[edit]

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

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Natalie Gilmour". Women in Rugby League. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Brenda Dobek". Women in Rugby League. 12 January 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b Smith, Tony (29 August 1998). "Series win motivation for dual international". The Press. Christchurch. p. 30.
  4. ^ "Lionesses band together". Daily Telegraph. 17 August 1998. p. 31.
  5. ^ a b "League win to Britain". The Press. Christchurch. 20 August 1998. p. 25.
  6. ^ "Kiwis dent Lionesses' pride". The Press. Christchurch. 24 August 1998. p. 15.
  7. ^ a b Coffey, John (27 August 1998). "Lionesses defend turf against Canty assault". The Press. Christchurch. p. 22.
  8. ^ Coffey, John (26 August 1998). "Mother, daughter in league". The Press. Christchurch. p. 1.
  9. ^ Coffey, John (31 August 1998). "Chase cherishes Kiwi Ferns series triumph". The Press. Christchurch. p. 20.
  10. ^ "Ferns complete whitewash". The Press. Christchurch. 7 September 1998. p. 30.
  11. ^ "First Degree Ferns". Sunday News (NZ). 6 September 1998.
  12. ^ "New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98". New Zealand Rugby League Annual. New Zealand Rugby Football League: 52–54. 1998. ISSN 1174-7501.
  13. ^ Sanders, Andrew (16 August 1999). "British women are cruising for a big bruising from Kiwis". Sunday Star. p. 8.
[edit]