Port Taranaki Whio women's rugby has team launch at Port Taranaki Centre

The Port Taranaki Whio at the team's launch at Port Taranaki last night. Photo supplied.

Port Taranaki Whio kicked off its representative season with a team launch at the Port Taranaki Centre, last night. More than 50 players, management, Taranaki Rugby board members and Port Taranaki staff gathered to celebrate the Taranaki women's rugby team's second season back in the Farah Palmer Cup national provincial championship, following a four-year hiatus.

Long-time Taranaki Rugby supporter Port Taranaki is the naming rights sponsor of Port Taranaki Whio, the Taranaki women's sevens team, and the secondary school girls' competition.

Port Taranaki chief executive Guy Roper said he was proud the company was able to support women's rugby, which is growing and developing year-on-year.

"Port Taranaki has an association with Taranaki Rugby that goes beyond 20 years. We are really proud to be associated with this game and truly believe that our sponsorship goes beyond the dollar and is about supporting the community," he said.

"When we finished our principal sponsorship of the Taranaki Bulls last year, we wanted to continue in some way and were delighted to be able to put our name to the Port Taranaki Whio.

"I commend Taranaki Rugby for supporting and promoting women's rugby from girls' and secondary schools' rugby, to club and representative level. And it's great to hear that the standard of women's rugby in Taranaki is improving, which is encouraging for the future of the game.

"We wish the team all the best and look forward to supporting you, and watching you wear the jersey with pride," Mr Roper said.

Taranaki Rugby chief executive Jeremy Parkinson said women's rugby continued to improve and that was, in part, thanks to Port Taranaki's support.

"We would like to acknowledge Guy and the team at Port Taranaki for their continued support of Taranaki Rugby and the Whio – it is greatly appreciated.

"The standard of women's rugby has picked up this year. We're running a really progressive women's programme that is very inclusive, with the players operating in gym cycles with the Mitre 10 Cup men's team and gauging themselves against those players. We're the only province in New Zealand doing that," Mr Parkinson said.

"We want to commend the players for their dedication and wish the Port Taranaki Whio all the very best this season."

Co-captain Jalana Smith said the team was looking forward to its second season back in the competition.

Following a pre-season tournament and a match against Waikato development, the team kicks off their Farah Palmer Cup campaign against Otago in Dunedin, on September 8.

The team's first home game is against Tasman at Yarrow Stadium on Saturday, September 14. Whio also plays Northland at home at the TET Stadium in Inglewood, on Saturday, September 28. Their other regular season matches are away to Hawke's Bay (September 20) and North Harbour (October 4).