Ōamaru will play host to the Otago Spirit’s first home game in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup women’s rugby competition at the end of the month. 

Waitaki Wahine players Cheyenne Cunningham and Pesalini Hehau will feel particularly at home on the familiar Whitestone Contracting Stadium turf, while former East Otago High School pupils Paige and Jamie Church, together with head girl Abigail Paton, complete a strong Waitaki contingent, when the Spirit takes on Taranaki on July 29, at 2.05pm.

Cheyenne, 23, who has just started a new job calf-rearing near Duntroon, is in her seventh year with the Otago team.

She thought it was “pretty cool” the home games are not all based in Dunedin. 

As well as slightly less travel, it also means the competition will attract a wider crowd, she said.

“And hopefully that encourages the women’s rugby around the area.”

The midfielder, who has been part of the Spirit squad since 2017, as a 17-year-old, and the Waitaki Wahine since 2015, loves the “physicality” of the sport and “getting a bit rough out on the field”.

She also enjoyed the strong bond within the team.

“It’s such a great team sport.”

The former Waitaki Girls’ High School student said women’s rugby was growing in North Otago, which was awesome to see.

“Girls are really keen, and they’ve got good high school under-15 and under-18 teams, so hopefully they can keep growing, and they’re keen to play for the Waitaki Wahine whenever they’re at the age when they can and they want to.”

Cheyenne also played for competition-winning Matatū in this year’s Super Rugby Aupiki.

“So I got to experience the training structure and what it’s like to be at that next level, which is really cool. And I’ve had a couple of opportunities to play with Black Ferns XV and the Black Ferns 7s side, so that was a pretty cool opportunity.

“I’d love to represent New Zealand at some stage, wherever I can.”

Cheyenne grew up playing rugby with the boys until she hit high school, and she loved it. She encouraged other girls to give the sport a try.

“Go out there and have heaps of fun. At the end of the day you either love it or you don’t, and you don’t know if you don't try.” 

The Farah Palmer Cup kicks off this weekend, and the Spirit’s first game is against Tasman in Nelson.