Ground breakers – Paremata-Plimmerton Women, 1990

The 1990 Paremata-Plimmerton women’s team. A reunion is being held for this side this Saturday.

• By Adam Julian

The 1990 Paremata-Plimmerton women’s team was a groundbreaking team that won the Fleurs Cocktail Bar Trophy as Wellington Rugby Football Union’s first official women’s senior champions.

There was a competition in 1989 involving Tawa, Northern United, Stokes Valley, Johnsonville and Fort Dorset but according to official Wellington Rugby Football Union records the 1990 competition that started on April 22, 1990, was the first sanctioned women’s senior competition.

In 1990 the first Wellington women’s representative team was selected. Paremata-Plimmerton contributed seven players to the first match against Auckland. Later that year the revolutionary World Rugby Festival happened in Christchurch. From that event there were four Paremata-Plimmerton players selected for a New Zealand XV, now counted as Black Ferns. Several years later another two would follow.

There was some initial resistance to a women’s team at Paremata-Plimmerton, but time heals. Memories of 1990 are hazy but using local newspaper commentary from captain Ericka Rere at the time, research from the A to Z of the Black Ferns project, and support from Paremata-Plimmerton the story of this extraordinary team can at last be told. On Saturday July 6, 2024, they assemble for a reunion.

The Team

Coaches:  Frank Ngatai & John Rere

Manager: Tangi Johnson (Mum of Fiona) & Bob Smith

Team: Malama Asi, Maria Auega, Ula Auega, Lise Baker, Bobby Collier, Cleo Edmonds, Helaina Edwards, Sai Fuimaono, Riki Heimer, Cheryl Houia, Leeanne Houia, Marion John, Fiona Johnson, Eunice Leota, Litara Lua, Melodie Ngati, Maria Perez, Ericka Rere (Captain), Alex Talivai, Loui Talivai, Noo Tekeu, Marzelle Tupuna, Marlene Wilkinson

Positions

It was a more transient time in 1990 so most players appeared in multiple positions.

• Malama Asi, B/F – 6,10,12,13
• Maria Auega, F – 6,7,8
• Ula Auega, F –   4,5,6,7,8
• Lise Baker, F – 1,3,8
• Bobby Collier, B – 4,11
• Cleo Edmonds, F – 4,5,6,7,8
• Helaina Edwards, B – 9,11,12,13,14,15
• Sai Fuimaono, F – 4,5,6,7,8
• Riki Heimer, B/F – 6,7,8,12,13
• Cheryl Houia, B – 9,10
• Leeanne Houia, B – 9,10
• Marion John, B – 11,14
• Fiona Johnson, F – 4,5,6,7,8
• Eunice Leota, B – 10,11,12,13,14,15
• Litara Lua, B/F – 4,5,6,7,8,12,13
• Melodie Ngati, B – 9,10,12,13,11,14
• Maria Perez, F/B – 6,7,14
• Ericka Rere F/B – 1,7,8, 15
• Alex Talivai, F – 1,2,3
• Lovi Talivai, F -1,2,3
• Noo Tekeu, F – 1,2,3,6
• Marzelle Tupuna F – 1,2,3
• Marlene Wilkinson B – 11,14

Fleurs Cocktail Bar Trophy

The Fleurs Cocktail Bar Trophy kicked off on April 22, 1990, with seven teams: Paremata-Plimmerton, Wainuiomata, Norths, Stokes Valley, Fort Dorset, Tawa, Johnsonville and Wellington.

The competition consisted of two rounds with everybody playing everyone. Three points were achieved for a win and two points for a draw. Individual scoring details aren’t complete for all Paremata-Plimmerton matches.

Round One

Paremata-Plimmerton & Wellington women’s coach Frank Ngatai. His daughter Mel Ngatai played for  Paremata-Plimmerton in 1990 and became Black Fern Mel Bosman. 

April 22: Paremata Plimmerton: 62 (Baker, Asi, Heimer, Johnston, U. Avega, Eunice Leota, Perez, Edwards, Rere tries; Edwards, Rere cons) Fort Dorset: 0 – Player of the Day: U. Avega

April 4: Paremata Plimmerton: 25 (Avega, Baker, Ngati, Edwards tries; Rere 2 con, Edwards con, Leota dg) Norths: 0 – Player of the Day:  Edwards

May 6: Paremata-Plimmerton: 29 (Rere 2, Edwards 2, Leota tries; Edwards 3 con, pen) Wainuiomata: 0 – Player of the Day: Rere

May 13: Paremata-Plimmerton: 22 (Rere, Leota, Asi, Ngati tries; Edwards 2 con, Rere con) Stokes Valley: 10 (Flo Broughton 2 tries) – Player of the Day: Rere

May 20: Paremata-Plimmerton: 40 (Ngati 2, Leota, M. Auega, U. Auega, Rere, Lua tries, Edwards 6 con) Wellington: 0) – Player of the Day: Leota

May 27: Paremata-Plimmerton: 23 (Rere 3, Edwards tries; Edwards 2 con, pen) Johnsonville: 19 – Player of the Day: Rere

June 3: Paremata-Plimmerton: 50 (Johnson 3, Ngatai 2, Leota 2, Baker, Hiemer, Edwards tries; Edwards 5 con) Tawa: 7 – Player of the Day: Edwards

Round One Table

• Paremata-Plimmerton: 7-0 (251-36) – 21
• Wainuiomata: 5-2 (81-81) – 17
• Norths: 5-2 (118-61) – 17
• Stokes Valley: 5-2 (210-46) – 17
• Fort Dorset, 2-5 (36-190) – 11
• Tawa, 1-6 (56-210) – 9
• Johnsonville, 2-4 (119-73) – 4
• Wellington, 0-6 (4-186) – 0

Round Two

June 7: Wellington representative trial was held on 7 June.

June 10: Paremata-Plimmerton: 34 (Leota 3, Asi 3, Houia, U. Auega; Edwards con) v Fort Dorset: 0 – Player of the Day: M & U Auega

June: 17: Paremata-Plimmerton: 8 (Ngati, Edmonds tries) v Norths: 0 – Player of the Day: Baker

June 30:  Wellington played Canterbury University at Martin Lucky Park, Newtown at 2:30 pm. An intense game finished in a 0-0 draw.

July 7:  Wellington was beaten 20-8 by Auckland in a curtain raiser to the NPC men’s match at Athletic Park won 40-12 by Auckland. Lynley Englebrecht and Florence Broughton scored tries for Wellington. Ericka Rere (Prop), Fiona Johnston (Lock), Lise Baker (Lock), Noo Tekeu (Hooker), Cheryl Houia (Halfback), Ula Auega (No.8) and Eunice Leota (Centre) were the Paremata-Plimmerton players selected.

Action from the Auckland game at Athletic Park.

Rere wrote in Te Awa-iti, “We’re sorry for being such a nuance at the time but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

July 15:  Paremata-Plimmerton: 15 (Baker, Hiemer tries; Edwards 2 con, pen) v Stokes Valley: 12 – Player of the Day: Baker & Ngati

Note: Paremata-Plimmerton rallied from 0-8 down to topple Stokes Valley in what effectively amounted to a championship decider. Bob Smith reflected, “It was a hard game up front and in the backline. Baker scored a try bumping off four players and winger Hiemer sprinted over 50 metres for her try.

July 22: Paremata-Plimmerton: 8 (Auega, Leota tries) 8 v Wellington: 4 – Player of the Day: Baker & Rere

July 29: Paremata-Plimmerton: 9 (Asi try; Edwards con, pen) v Johnsonville: 0 – Player of the Day: U. Auega & Asi

August 5: Paremata-Plimmerton: 38 (Talivai, Baker, Auega, Edwards, Tekeu, Riki Hiremer tries) Tawa: 0 – Player of the Day: The Team

August 12: Due to the continuous downpour of rain the Wellington Rugby Football Union cancelled the final between Paremata-Plimmerton and Stokes Valley. They decided that Paremata-Plimmerton, because of their unbeaten record throughout the season, deserved to win the competition and receive the Fleurs Trophy. The presentations were held at the Paremata-Plimmerton Rugby clubrooms that day. All the teams that were present at the presentation had an egg-throwing competition, beer competitions, darts, and even a boat race between the women’s coaches and the Ngāti Toa Jugglers with the coaches winning by a drop. Bom Smith entertained the crowd with a disco.

Winners are ginners. With the Fleurs Trophy. 

1990 World Rugby Festival 

The 1990 World Rugby Festival in Christchurch was a milestone for women’s rugby. A series of 62 games involving club, provincial and international teams from as far-flung as the Soviet Union competed over a fortnight. The Festival cost more than $50,000 ($91,000 today) to stage with nearly $40,000 of the money secured in various grants and loans.

August 20: Opening Friendship Tournament

U.S.S.R, 0-0

Burnside-Merivale, 16-0 (Ngati 2, Leota tries; Rere 2 con)

Beat Nagoya, 24-0 (Rere: “I was the tallest player and as you know I’m not very tall.”)

Crusadettes, 0-8

Note: Games were played over 12-minute halves in the Friendship tournament and full games in the club tournament.

Lise Baker & No’o Tekeu.

Club Tournament

August 21 – Tokyo A, 42-0 (Ngati 3, Baker 2, Talivai, 2, Anderson 2, Johnson, Asi tries; Rere con)

August 22 -Burnside Merivale, 16-0 (No Scoring Listed)

August 23 – Holland (Won, No Score listed)

August 24 – Teachers, 8-8 (No Scoring Listed)

August 25 – Crusadettes, 0-30 (Te Awa-iti reported 20-0)

Note: Jennie Tonu’u, sister of All Blacks halfback, Ofisa Tonu’u joined Paremata-Plimmerton from Johnsonville for the Rugby Festival.  Mel Ngatai played a game on the wing for Holland and many of the players help other teams due to the brutal schedule and free-sprinted nature of the event.

Wellington

August 26: Wellington: 0 v Auckland: 0

August 27: Wellington: 10 v Holland: 0

August 28: Wellington: 6 v Canterbury 8 (Rere scoring Wellington’s try)

August 29: Wellington v U.S.S.R was cancelled

August 31: Wellington v Barbarians (Wellington won but no score was listed)

Note: Wellington team sheets are not entirely accurate or available for all matches but one would assume many of the same players selected in earlier Wellington fixtures featured in World Rugby Festival matches. On Friday, August 31, Wellington-born Sue Garden-Bachop scored the only try for Canterbury in their 10-3 victory over Auckland. The fixture was effectively the decider of the provincial component of the tourney and doubled as the first match contested for the JJ Stewart Trophy, the Ranfurly Shield of women’s rugby. The next day Sue played for the New Zealand XV in their 12-4 victory against the World XV. Garden-Bachop was the first woman to coach a senior men’s club side in Wellington when she took the reins of Norths in 1998. A Black Ferns selector for two Rugby World Cup wins (1998 & 2002) Sue tragically passed away of leukaemia in 2009. Sue is survived by her former All Blacks husband Stephen Bachop and two talented siblings, Jackson, Georgia. Georgia received a scholarship to play NCAA hockey in America.  Jackson has been a Māori All Black, Hurricanes and Wellington representative. Tragically her youngest son Connor died after a medical event in 2024. Connor won a National Top Four First XV title at Scots College in 2014 and played for the Māori All Blacks and Highlanders. In 2022 Connor and Jackson won the NPC and Ranfurly Shield together with Wellington. They also won two Jubilee Cups at Norths.

New Zealand XV

Rere, Baker, Teku & Johnson featured in these matches making them officially recorded Black Ferns.

August 26: Holland, 56-0 (No Scoring Recorded)

August 28: Soviet Union, 8-0 (No Scoring Recorded)

August 30: USA, 9-3 (Anna Richards try; Christine Ross con, pen)

September 1: World XV, 12-4 (Lesley Brett, Anna Richards tries; Christine Ross 2 con)

1990: Paremata-Plimmerton Awards

Player of the Year: Ericka Rere

Most Appreciated Player: Maira Auega

Most Dedicated Player: Lise Baker

Most Valuable Player: No’o Tekeu

Coaches Trophy: Mel Ngatai

Top Scorer: Helaina Edwards

Best Supportive Player on the Field: Cheryl Houia

Best Tackler: Marlene Wilkinson

Most Popular Player: Cleo Edwards

Future Black Ferns: Lise Baker #17, 1990, Fiona Johnson # 27, 1990, Ericka Rere # 30, 1990-1993, No’o Tekeu #34, 1990, Riki Hiemer # 77, 1997, Mel Bossman # 119, 2004-2013.

Note: Sai Fuimaono is a distant cousin of Jonathan Fuimaono who played 185 games and won four Jubilee Cups at prop with Old Boys University. In 1997 Riki Heimer became a two-tests Black Ferns flanker out of Norths. No’o Taru (nee Teku) Tekeu tragically passed away of cancer June 12, 2011.  She is survived by her husband, Tereapii and five children, Vaine, Nooroa, Terry, Ritia and Nio. Melodie Bosman (Nee Ngati) was a Black Ferns prop in the 2006 and 2010 Rugby World Cup wins. Bossman is now a prominent coach having coached Tasman, Hurricanes Poua and the USA.

Photos in this story: Tangi Johnson (Fiona’s Mum) unless otherwise stated.