Captain Zoe Price, 31, and vice-captain Beth Urwin, 30, were awarded premiers blazers by manager Michelle Gillard, who’d also have brought up the milestone if she wasn’t pregnant — she sits on 48 games.
The trio founded the team who first entered the Southland comp in 2018 after a women’s 10s tournament was held the year before.
Of the surprise blazer ceremony, Price says "it’s such a huge moment for the club and for everyone involved that’s kind of supported the women’s game all of these years and got us to the point we’re getting this".
She notes two developments helped along the way.
In 2022 the Southland teams were allocated premier women’s status, the same as the leading men’s teams, meaning they were allocated better referees and grounds.
Then, last year the comp shifted from Sunday to Saturday games — the same day the men play.
"No one would ever come to watch," Price says.
"Getting spectators for us is huge, and shows the club and everyone that watches women’s rugby that it’s worth watching.
"This year is pretty big for us because we’re having consistently 20-odd girls at training, which is the first time that’s ever happened."
Gillard, whose husband Steve’s the coach, admits getting "really emotional" during the blazer presentation.
"Just getting to a point of girls that want to come back [the next season], we’ve really built the culture of the team all the way from the committee level down to the supporters, which is awesome."
