Final Wellington Pride squad named for Farah Palmer Cup

Wellington Pride head coach, Ross Bond, has named his final squad ahead of the 2020 Farah Palmer Cup.

Earlier this month, 49 women were selected as part of a wider training group which has been whittled down to just 35.

Bond says it was an incredibly hard undertaking.

“Genuinely the toughest process in my 20 years of coaching. In some positions, we have up to 5 players competing for a jersey.”

The team will officially assemble for the first time at Petone Rugby Football Club at 10 am this Saturday.

With just over two weeks until the Pride’s first game of the tournament, Bond says the rubber has well and truly about to hit the road.

“This year has provided some real challenges for us in our preparation for the season. The condensed nature of it has made for an incredibly intense process.”

However, he says there’s real optimism around what this team can achieve.

“We have a number of key players returning from injury on top of emerging talent and players who’ve returned to New Zealand after stints overseas or changed provinces. I think there is real potential to make the semi-finals or go even further.”

The final Wellington Pride squad for 2020 is:

Oriental Rongotai:

Rejieli Uluinayau, Amanda Rasch, Fa’asua Makisi, Josephine Falesita, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Janet Taumoli, Barbra Taumoli, Raylene Lolo, Precious Auimatagi, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Charlene Gubb, Sinead Toala-Ryder, Evelyn Tea, Tina Paulo.

Northern United:

Vaine Marsters, Kolora Lomani, Dora Laupola, Sanita Levave, Nina Foaese, Dhys Faleafaga

Petone:

Angel Uila, Alice Soper, Alicia Print, Jackie Patea-Fereti.

Marist-St-Pats:

Ana Afuie, Monica Tagoai, Lyric Faleafaga, Marcelle Parkes.

Old Boys University:

Montana Heslop, Georgia Daals, Thamsyn Newton, Emily Dalley.

Paremata-Plimmerton:

Acacia Claridge-Te Iwimate, Alia Ah Far.

Hutt Old Boys Marist:

Tyler Bentley.

Unavailable due to injury: Bernadette Robertson, Moana Solia, Leah Conley.