The hunt is on to track down the players from the first Wales women’s team from 1987 in time for the 20th anniversary celebrations of Welsh women’s international rugby.
The Wales v England match on 17th March, 2007 will mark the 20th year of this fixture and the WWRU are celebrating with a dinner at the Village Hotel in Cardiff. The hope is that the first team will be reunited at the dinner, along with representatives from women’s international rugby and the Welsh Women’s Rugby Union from the past 20 years.
The first match was played in 1987 at Pontypool Park with England winning 22-4.
The team was made up of many players who continued to represent their country over the years, with most impressive being Liza Burgess, who is still playing in the current Welsh squad and, if selected, will achieve the remarkable feat of playing in the very first game and the 20th anniversary match.
WWRU manager, Jilly Holroyd said: ‘It would be fantastic if the team could be reunited, but we do need some help from the public to find many of the players.
‘We want the evening to be a really special occasion and celebrate the development of women’s rugby in Wales and it would be very fitting to have all the players from that first team there.
‘If any contact details could be sent to the WWRU we have some rewards as a way of saying thanks!’
Contact information should be sent to Jilly Holroyd [email protected] or WWRU, 1st Floor Golate House, 101 St Mary Street, Cardiff, CF10 1GE.
First Welsh Women’s Team: Rhian Morgan (Swansea University), Rebecca Wyatt (Pontypool RFC), Enid Davies (Magor RFC), Sue Lovell (Magor RFC), Fen Paw (Swansea University), Amanda Bennett (Loughborough University), Sarah Williams (Swansea University), Elaine Skiffington (Swansea University), Maryanne Harvey (South Glamorgan Institute), Belinda Trotter (Wasps RFC), Marjorie Farr (Blaenau Gwent), Frances Margerison (Pontypool RFC) Helen Carey (Swansea Uplands), Jane Rosser (Magor RFC), Liza Burgess (Loughborough University).
Replacements: A Watkins (Pontypool), Keithre Evans (Magor RFC), Catherine Parish (Pontypool RFC), M Duncan (South Glamorgan Institute), S Newington (Loughborough University), Janet Gedrych (Richmond RFC).
