1470 days ago

Monday Sport Blast From The Past: Neroli Knight

Reporter Community News

Known as "Bart" Neroli Knight was a pioneer of women's rugby.
These days she is a primary school teacher and coaches juniors at the Waihi Athletic Rugby club.
In August, 1990 she set a record that will probably never be broken, when she became Black Fern no 28 at aged just 15 against the Netherlands at the RugbyFest in Christchurch.
Neroli attended the Rugby World Cup in Cardiff in 1991, appearing the play-off for third against France. She next played for New Zealand in 1999, playing a test against against Canada in Palmerston North. She played her last test in 2001 but continued playing club rugby with success and for Wellington at rep level.
Clubs she was associated with include Stokes Valley, Petone and Hutt Old Boys Marist. It was not only her youthful international debut that makes Neroli unique.
She began playing in a boys team in Blenheim in 1982 when she was eight years old. She continued playing in boys teams and did so again at Hutt Valley High School.
In 2009, she married Waihi church pastor Benhur Matautia.
And how did she get that nickname? She made her international debut in 1990, the same year that Bart Simpson first appeared and with her spiky hair, she had a passing resemblance to the famous cartoon character.

More messages from your neighbours
19 days ago

What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.

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10 days ago

Moe mai rā, Nicholas.

Justin Wong Reporter from The Post

We're sad to announce the passing of Nicholas Boyack, our Hutt Valley reporter who has long written for The Dominion Post, The Hutt News and Upper Hutt Leader.

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4 days ago

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