Rugby: Palmer enters IRB hall of fame

Farah Palmer. Photo by ODT.
Farah Palmer. Photo by ODT.
A rugby career that started with an inter-college game in her first year at university in Dunedin has reached another peak for Farah Palmer with election into the IRB hall of fame.

Palmer, an ODT columnist for nearly six years, was among the first women to be elected.

The IRB named 15 rugby figures to its hall of fame yesterday.

Along with Palmer, Anna Richards, another longtime Black Fern, was selected.

Richards played for the Black Ferns for 20 years and also played one season for Otago in the twilight of her career.

Palmer, who now lives and works in Palmerston North, was a Black Fern from 1996-2006, playing for Otago all that time, and under her captaincy the national side lost only one match.

She played in three Rugby World Cups, winning every one and earning 35 caps.

Palmer (41) said yesterday she was humbled to win the award and acknowledged she had not done it by herself.

''I do feel a little bit awkward, as it is a team game. There are lots of other women who have worked hard for the game,'' she said.

''But I'm stoked and the way it acknowledges the women's game.''

Four other female players and administrators from around the globe were also elected into the hall: Nathalie Amiel (France), Gill Burns (England), Patty Jervey (USA) and Carol Isherwood (England).

Australian inside back Michael Lynagh and Welsh fullback JPR Williams were also named as new inductees into the hall.

Palmer hails originally from King Country and did not play her first official game of rugby until a hostel match for Arana Hall against Unicol in her first year at university.

''That was my first game and I thought, 'I quite like this'. I just loved the physicality of it and the playing within a team.

''To me, it was great that it didn't matter where you came from, what you did, as soon as you got out on the field, everyone was on a level playing field.''

Palmer said there were plenty of highlights in her career, and not just winning three World Cups.

''There was the first win for my club side, making the Otago team for the first time. Then playing on Carisbrook. That was a big deal for me as I played all my rugby in Otago.''

Palmer was not sure what she would get from election to the hall.

She was invited to go to London to pick up her award but had just come back from the Maori All Black tour of Japan and felt she could not spend more time away from her work and family.

Married with two children, Palmer is a senior lecturer in the school of management at Massey University in Palmerston North.

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