Black Ferns honoured with first capping ceremony

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Farah Palmer receives her cap from New Zealand Rugby president Maurice Trapp during the Black Ferns reunion dinner.

Former Black Ferns captain Farah Palmer is one of 46 players to finally receive their rugby cap.

Palmer, captain of the 1998 national women's rugby team, received her cap from New Zealand Rugby president Maurice Trapp at a ceremony at Eden Park on Friday night.

More than 300 former Black Ferns, coaches, management, rugby family and friends gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the team's inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup victory and to honour New Zealand's most successful women's sports team.

NZR chairman Brent Impey said the evening marked the starting point in recognising the Black Ferns and their decades of success, as well as celebrating those who played such a huge role in developing the women's game in New Zealand.

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"We are in the midst of an incredible time for women's rugby, including the establishment of semi-professional contracts on the back of a record breaking fifth World Cup title. Tonight was a fantastic opportunity to honour all the women who have contributed to the black jersey and inspired generations of young people to play our national game."

Palmer, who is an NZR board member, said the women who wore the black jersey carried the aspirations of whanau, friends, team mates, clubs, provinces and Aotearoa.

"It gave us a shared sense of pride and joy that will never leave us.  The mana and mauri I feel when watching the ongoing and extraordinary success of this team multiplies as each new generation of players adds to the legacy."

Her teammates from the 1998 team and players who represented New Zealand in 1989 and 1990 and went on to play official test matches also received their caps. In some cases families of Black Ferns who have died were presented with caps.

Over the next three years 161 women who have played in sanctioned test matches will be capped in ceremonies around New Zealand.

The caps are based on traditional rugby caps and feature the Black Ferns number, the silver fern and details of their test debut.