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Women's Rugby in Wellington

History & Legacy

Wellington Women’s rugby officially began in 1989. Since then, it has consistently contributed to the legacy of the Black Ferns, featuring iconic players like Neroli Knight, Rebecca Liua’ana, Erin Rush, Izzy Ford, Tia Paasi, Aimee Sutorius, Sanita Levave, Jackie Patea‑Fereti and Ayesha Leti‑I’iga.

Representative Team

Wellington Pride
The Wellington Pride is the Premier representative women's team, competing nationally in the Farah Palmer Cup. Past honours include a Premiership win in 2006 and a championship title in 2018.

Premier Women’s Club Competition

Trophies & Structure
The senior women's club competition features the following trophies:

  • First Round

    • Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy - First Division

    • Ru Rangi Trophy - Second Division

  • Second Round

    • Tia Paasi Memorial Trophy - First Division

      • Dawn Patelesio Medal - Player of the Final

    • Izzy Ford Cup - Second Division

  • End of Season Awards

    • Erin Rush Best & Fairest - Club Player of the Year

  • For historical champions, see the Premier Women - Past Winners page

All six women have played a significant part in Wellington women's rugby and the union is delighted to be able to recognise them in this way.
 

Dawn Patelesio

Dawn Patelesio is a Northern United stalwart who achieved the exceptional milestone of 300 matches for Norths. She represented Manusina in both 7s and 15s and was part of the Wellington Pride’s 2006 NPC‑winning team.
 

Erin Rush

Erin Rush is a former Black Fern who played over 100 games for Wellington Football Club and more than 50 for Old Boys‑University. She represented New Zealand in two Black Ferns fixtures in 2003 and later made history as the first woman elected Vice President of New Zealand Rugby. She has also contributed as Chair of the Centurions Rugby Football Club and as a citing commissioner for NZ Rugby and World Rugby.
 

Izzy Ford

Izzy Ford was a No. 8 for Northern United and Wellington, also representing the Black Ferns from 1999-2002 and in 2005, earning five caps. In 2017 she became the first woman appointed to the WRFU Board of Directors in 20 years.
 

Rebecca Liua’ana

Rebecca Liua’ana represented New Zealand between 1999 and 2002 as a Black Fern, earning 10 caps. She is a female centurion for Oriental Rongotai, and in 2025 became the first female and first Pasifika WRFU President.
 

Ru Rangi

Ru Rangi contributed across junior and senior rugby for many years and managed the Wellington Pride for over a decade, helping strengthen women’s rugby pathways and managing the victorious team in 2006. As Oriental Rongotai's first female Life Member, she paved the way for greater female leadership and participation across the game.
 

Tia Paasi

Ponisitia “Tia” Paasi (1969-2018) was a respected prop who represented the Wellington Pride from 1998-2011, appearing in over 50 provincial matches. She earned four Black Ferns caps across 2001 and 2007, and was a long‑serving figure in Wellington women’s club rugby. Her legacy is honoured through the annual Tia Paasi Memorial Trophy.
 

2026 Participating Clubs

Clubs active in the senior women’s competition include:

  • Avalon
  • Marist St Pats
  • Northern United
  • Old Boys University
  • Oriental Rongotai
  • Paremata-Plimmerton
  • Petone
  • Pōneke
  • Stokes Valley
  • Wainuiomata 
  • Wellington
Governance & Support

Women & Girls Rugby is a strategic priority for WRFU, aligned with our commitment to New Zealand Rugby’s (NZR) Women & Girls in Rugby System Strategy (2023-2033). To support this, WRFU will develop its own Provincial Union (PU) Action Plan to guide local implementation and drive meaningful outcomes.

Wellington Rugby governs and supports women’s rugby through:

  • A Women & Girls Advisory Group

    • Established in 2025, this group plays a key role in shaping strategic direction and fostering inclusive decision-making within the women and girls’ rugby space