Tammi Wilson on the rise of women's rugby union in New Zealand

Tammi Wilson was an exciting and prolific fullback who finished her international career as a double world champion in 1998 and 2002.

If a Catholic nun had her way at St Joseph’s School, Kaikoura, it’s possible Wilson may never have been seen at all.

“I was in standard three when I had my first foray into rugby,” she recalled.

“Mum was late picking me up from school. I was standing by the boy’s rugby practice and the ball landed where I was. I kicked it back and the coach freaked out. He was surprised I could kick the ball properly and asked me to train. One of the nuns in the convent saw what happened and strapped me the next day. Under no circumstances were girls supposed to play rugby.”

The only girl in a family of nine, Wilson represented New Zealand in touch and league before union.

She was a member of the inaugural Kiwi Ferns league side, which toured Australia and won all seven games in 1995. Each member of the team raised $2000 to make the trip, but the following year only a paper team was named, resulting in a mass defection to rugby union.

By 1997 Wilson was in contention for the Black Ferns. In fact, she bailed during an international touch series to fulfill a Black Ferns obligation.

“Dianne Kahura and I were playing Australia at Mount Smart Stadium,” Wilson said.

“As soon as the penultimate Test finished, we rushed off to attend a Black Ferns fitting. We weren’t even confirmed squad members and didn’t even shake hands with the Aussies, it was crazy stuff.”

In 1998 she fitted seamlessly into the Black Ferns’ World Cup squad. On debut, she scored 30 points in the 134-6 group demolition of Germany.

“On the digital scoreboard, they only had room for two numbers – at one stage the score was New Zealand 03 and Germany 06, which drew a crowd because word got around the Germans were leading,” Wilson laughed.

The Black Ferns’ style of play made swelling audiences take note. Defending champions England were hammered 44-11 in the semi-final and the average score in favour of the Black Ferns across the whole tournament was 69-6.

(Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

“It was a very sweet victory,” Wilson said.

“There were no egos and everyone knew their role. The way we played the game was transformational. We were hugely athletic across the park and our first instinct was to attack, which defences weren’t equipped to handle.”

In 1999 Wilson proved too hot to handle for the USA, scoring six tries in Palmerston North.

“It was properly the best birthday present I’ve given Mum, but I remember the try the States scored,” Wilson said.

“It was my fault. I called the wing to let the ball bounce and it went between us to them.”

England caught the Black Ferns on the hop in 2001, inflicting a first defeat upon New Zealand in a decade. The build-up to the 2002 World Cup reached a whole new level of intensity.

“At the first camp, we walked into a dimly lit room with red roses on each chair,” Wilson said.

“It was like a sense from The Bachelor. England wears red roses and Darryl Suasua stressed every rose has its thorn.

“Our theme for the campaign was BTB, which meant better than before. We had shirts printed with that slogan and had to do an assignment on why we should be on the team. My inner geek came out and I did a PowerPoint presentation with some serious images explaining what the Black Ferns meant to me. It was pretty intense stuff.”

The red roses were tossed into the bin and the Black Ferns retained the World Cup without conceding a try. With 43 points, Wilson was the leading point-scorer in the tournament. She landed three vital penalties in the final against England, which New Zealand won 19-9.

“Goal-kicking was something I was only too happy to do, though sometimes it was a little unnerving,” she admitted.

“Kicking doesn’t come naturally to a lot of girls unless they have a background in a sport that improves foot-eye co-ordination. I was lucky I played (football) and my dad had played for Canterbury. I had lessons with Grant Fox and Daryl Halligan.”

Wilson holds the Auckland record for most points in a season (127 in 1999) and the most points (31) and conversions (13) in a single game.

She was a secondary school teacher at Otahuhu College and Auckland Girls Grammar School before embarking on a decade-long career in physiotherapy. She is now a Kaiarataki Equity Academic at Auckland University and is an independent board member of the New Zealand Rugby Players Association. She has three daughters and a masters degree in philosophy.