A referee for almost 15 years — including the past decade at first-class level — she recently returned from the Rugby World Cup, where she was one of just a handful of female referees officiating on the global stage.
Ganley has been part of the Northland Rugby environment over the past year, working alongside the NPC Taniwha team helping with law analysis, discipline and general referee engagement.
She will now lead and support all areas of the women’s programme — including the female high-performance players, the Future Kauri Programme, and HP staff — to ensure the momentum of the women’s game continues strongly into 2026.
Ganley will officially oversee the women’s programme for the remainder of 2025 before travelling to England early next year to referee in the Premier Women’s Rugby competition.
Northland Rugby Union CEO Paul Lennane said; “We’re thrilled to welcome Natarsha into this interim position. Her experience, professionalism, and connection to Northland make her an ideal fit to continue driving our women’s programme forward”.
Lennane said the union was also “incredibly proud” of Shalders’ selection with the Black Ferns 7s and the opportunity to operate at an elite international level.
Shalders’ appointment to the Black Ferns 7s management team reflects the increasing representation of Northland talent at the highest levels of the game — on and off the field, Lennane said.
“It’s a privilege to see leaders like Hannah recognised on the national stage. Her achievements inspire our players and staff alike, and we look forward to her return with even more knowledge and perspective to share,” Lennane said.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.
