Promising start for women’s rugby

- signed to recognise and encourage emerging grassroots groups.

Key factors considered during judging are: and

Later in the year, members of the public will have an opportunity to vote for the finalists in the regional People’s Choice award.

The regional category, People’s Choice and Supreme Award winners will be named at an awards dinner hosted by Wellington Airport.

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata’s women rugby players have merged with Hutt Old Boys to make up a team to enter in the Wellington competition after both clubs found they did not have enough players to make up the fifteen needed. Despite only having had one get together followed by one full practice, the combined team performed very well in its first match.

Paremata Plimmerton, who had a good pre-season build-up, including one match, defeated Hutt Old Boys Wainuiomata 36-22.

This match was a grading game, with the 1 April round of matches played to determine which teams will contest the premier grade and which teams will make up division two.

Playing in her first match at this level, Wainuiomata’s Ashleigh

Lacey scored the opening try for the combined team. Ashleigh was one of four players who made their debut for the team. Allana McKenchie, Jean Bartlett and Ataria Tuitupou also played their first matches. The team is coached by the Wainuiomata trio of Alice Soper, Mary Ann Collins and Jean Oti, who also play for the team. One of the three team managers, Eseta Mamea is also from Wainuiomata and will work alongside the two Hutt Old Boys managers. In their first match, the combined team players wore Hutt Old Boys jerseys and Wainuiomata shorts, and the next game will see them play in Wainuiomata jerseys and Hutt Old Boys shorts. They will then swap the order around for each of the upcoming games. The team also played in coloured socks, to mark World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April.

ANZAC Day services

This year’s ANZAC Day commemorations will begin with a dawn parade at the Wainuiomata Memorial Gardens at 6am.

This will be followed by the Wainuiomata Community ANZAC Service, which will be held in the car park behind the Community Hub.

Marchers are asked to assemble at the BP Service Station at 10:30am.

Everybody is welcome at the service.