Dannevirke Tigers gain high profile in Manawatu¯
Dannevirke Tigers Rugby League gained a huge profile in Palmerston North on Saturday when its relay team beat four other Manawatu¯ clubs during the interval between the Warriors and the Melbourne Storm rugby league teams at Central Trust Arena.
This was a pre-season game lost in the last minute by the Warriors 16-14.
In the interval five clubs competed in a relay comprising six players — under seven and nine running 50m, under 11 and 13 running 100m and under 15 and 17 running 150m.
Dannevirke Tigers was the only team to field girls.
Naioma Chase who organises the club said it was only fair to reflect the fact that nearly half or the club’s players are girls.
Further to the honours for the Tigers four other boys were made ball boys for the main game and five girls were part of the guard of honour as the teams ran out.
It was a huge achievement for the club and Dannevirke Tigers have been asked to compete in another Warriors game against Wellington in June.
Meanwhile the Dannevirke Tigers will make an even bigger impression on Sunday in the Manawatu¯ when 10 teams will travel to play in the opening games of the season.
There are more players than ever with three under nines one of which is a girls’ team which wants to play against boys.
The club is still fundraising to send a team from its other main sport netball to the Gold Coast in April where it will play in an Under-13 International Netball Festival.
A squad of nine girls will have 19 supporters, a coach, manager and an official.