Success for Selica in top night
Women to the fore in Manawatu rugby
Another year of baffling defences and leading the try scoring charts has led to Manawatu’s Selica Winiata being named the top women’s rugby player in the country.
Winiata won the women’s player of the year award at the New Zealand Rugby awards in Auckland on Thursday night, while her Manawatu team-mate and New Zealand sevens captain Sarah Goss also won women’s sevens player of the year.
Winiata beat out Black Ferns halfback Kendra Cocksedge of Canterbury and Black Ferns captain and hooker, Auckland’s Fiao’o Faamausili.
‘‘I definitely wasn’t expecting to win last night,’’ Winiata said. ‘‘Especially when we had the likes of our captain Fi, who was nominated for world player of the year earlier on, and Kendra is a top player too.
‘‘I think in all fairness it could have gone to any of us. I’m definitely really thankful.’’
This year Winiata, 30, scored five tries for the New Zealand sevens team, nine for the Black Ferns and nine for the Manawatu Cyclones.
The exciting fullback is the highest try scorer in women’s firstclass rugby, with 26 tries in 21 tests for the Black Ferns and 57 in 65 games Manawatu.
‘‘I don’t know if I can pin point on a favourite [this year]. I definitely enjoy coming home and pulling on the green-and-white jersey and playing for my province.
‘‘That’s where you get the opportunity to help inspire those younger generations, that are one day wanting to be where I am. I love coming back and playing for Manawatu, then to be able to go and represent your country and your family and friends just tops if off.
‘‘The Black Ferns especially have had an outstanding season. Five test matches and two in New Zealand is unheard of.’’
Next year there is a Black Ferns trial in May, then test matches against Australia, Canada and England, before they head to the World Cup in Ireland, where Winiata hopes to be in the mix, but she should be a shoo-in.
But next on the agenda for Winiata is the defending the national sevens title with Manawatu.
They are playing at the Mt Maunganui provincial tournament on January 7, then the national championships are at Rotorua on January 14 and 15.
After nationals they will name a New Zealand-contracted squad.
Winiata was also nominated for the fans’ try of the year, for her efforts with the Black Ferns when she started and finished off an 80-metre effort against Australia.
Winiata won the award in 2013, for another long-range try against Australia.
But this time the winner was Isaiah Punivai of Christ’s College.
Mark Andersen, who is the chairman of the Manawatu junior rugby board, was a finalist for the Charles Munro volunteer of the year award, but he lost out to Auckland’s Gary Donovan.
Former Varsity outside back Te Rangatira Waitokia won Heartland Championship player of the year for Wanganui. OPINION: The Manawatu women have blown their male counterparts out of the water in 2016.
Thursday’s events ensured they stood on top of the pile with them being able to claim the three most influential women in New Zealand women’s rugby.
The day started with Manawatu and Black Ferns legend Farah Palmer being confirmed as the first woman to serve on the New Zealand Rugby Board.
And it ended with Sarah Goss being named Women’s Sevens Player of the Year and Selica Winiata winning Women’s Player of the Year at the New Zealand Rugby awards.
The acknowledgements came less than a week after the Manawatu women’s sevens team eased their way to yet another Central Region Sevens title.
The women’s sevens team won the national title in January.
Goss won an Olympic silver medal with the New Zealand sevens team in August, while Janna Vaughan made her sevens debut earlier in the year playing alongside Winiata on the World Series.
Winiata and Vaughan were joined in the Black Ferns, assistant coached by Manawatu’s Wesley Clarke, by debutants Goss and Kristina Sue.
And we can’t forget New Zealand Rugby’s decision to rename the women’s provincial competition the Farah Palmer Cup or the Manawatu Rugby Union appointing Sarah Vining as the first women on their board
The women in green and white country have well and truly punched above their weight.
And the positive news is that women’s rugby is only getting stronger.
Manawatu women’s sevens coach Mike Pettman alluded to the growth in the women’s game when he picked four schoolgirls in his training squad.
‘‘Three years ago we had three girls’ school teams in the secondary schools competition. Now we have got 10,’’ he said. ‘‘It has really grown.’’
We cannot underestimate the value of having women like Palmer, Goss and Winiata within the province.
They are remarkable role models for youngsters aspiring to wear the black jersey.
With women’s rugby being all but a side-thought for much of the country, Winiata’s exploits on the rugby field have been under-rated for years.
If she had achieved the same in the men’s game as she already has she in the women’s game, she would be revered alongside names like Jonah Lomu, John Kirwan and Christian Cullen.
By the time she opts to hang up her boots, expect Winiata to hold the same legendary status of that of Palmer.
With Palmer, Winiata and Goss at the forefront on the women’s game in Manawatu, rugby looks to be in good stead.
The Manawatu women have set a high bar in 2016; now the men have the challenge of exceeding it in 2017.
I love coming back and playing for Manawatu, then to be able to go and represent your country and your family and friends just tops if off." Selica Winiata