Anna Richards
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Anna Richards
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=100%}}
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|12|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = Timaru, New Zealand
| height = 1.68 m
| weight = 67 kg
| position = First five-eighth
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 =
| provinceyears1 = 1989–2008
| provinceyears2 = 1986–1988
| province1 = Auckland
| province2 = Canterbury
| provinceapps1 = 13
| provincepoints1 = 22
| repyears1 = 1990–2010
| repteam1 = {{nwrut|New Zealand}}
| repcaps1 = 49
| reppoints1 = 64
| medals = {{MedalCountry|{{NZL}}}}
{{MedalSport|Women's rugby union}}
{{MedalCompetition|Rugby World Cup}}
{{MedalGold|1998 Netherlands|Team competition}}
{{MedalGold|2002 Spain|Team competition}}
{{MedalGold|2006 Canada|Team competition}}
{{MedalGold|2010 England|Team competition}}
| coachyears1 = 2013–17
| coachteams1 = {{ruw7|HKG}} Women's 7s
}}
Anna Mary Richards {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=85%}} (born 3 December 1964) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. She represented {{nwrut|New Zealand}} and won four Rugby World Cups — 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-05 |title=World Cup Windback: 2006 Black Ferns |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/world-cup-windback-2006-black-ferns/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2006-07-26 |title=Black Ferns World Cup squad named |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/black-ferns-world-cup-squad-named/LE6UXBHYQILKARDBWM3E35OPRE/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}
Rugby career
= XVs =
After being dropped from the Canterbury netball team an invitation from her family law lecturer, Laurie O’Reilly, who was married to then Canterbury netball coach, Kay O’Reilly, to come watch a game kickstarted her rugby career. She eventually played for the University of Canterbury side and toured America and Europe.
Richards debuted for the Black Ferns on 26 August 1990. Her test debut at the 1991 Rugby World Cup came against Canada on 6 April at Glamorgan.
In 1992, when the Black Ferns was formally recognised. She was a member of the squad that defeated Auckland 36–0 at Eden Park.{{Cite web |last=Julian |first=Adam |date=2024-05-24 |title=A history of the prestigious Laurie O'Reilly Cup |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/a-history-of-the-prestigious-laurie-oreilly-cup |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}} She scored a try in the game.{{Cite web |date=1992-08-30 |title=Black Ferns vs Auckland XV |url=http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/teamsheet_bf.asp?MT_ID=10014 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=stats.allblacks.com}}
She played 54 matches for the Black Ferns of which 49 were full internationals, she has won four Women’s Rugby World Cups before she retired in 2010.{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Brendon |date=2024-05-19 |title=Where are they now?: Black Ferns great Anna Richards |url=https://www.thepost.co.nz/sport/350280221/where-are-they-now-black-ferns-great-anna-richards |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=www.thepost.co.nz}}
= Sevens =
She was a member of the first official New Zealand women's sevens team, who took part in the 2000 Hong Kong Sevens.{{Cite web |date=17 April 2020 |title=2000 New Zealand Women's sevens team - Where Are They Now? |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/2000-new-zealand-womens-sevens-team-where-are-they-now/ |website=All Blacks}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-31 |title=Looking back: Black Ferns Sevens in Hong Kong (2000) |url=https://www.allblacks.com/news/looking-back-black-ferns-sevens-in-hong-kong-2000/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=allblacks.com |language=en-NZ}} She captained the side again at the 2001 tournament.{{Cite web |date=2001-03-06 |title=Richards to lead New Zealand women at Hong Kong sevens |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/35383.html |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=ESPN scrum}}
= Coaching career =
Richards was appointed as head coach of the Hong Kong women's sevens team in 2013.{{cite web |author=Jacqueline |first=Rachel |date=22 March 2014 |title=Black Ferns legend Anna Richards aims to instil winning mentality in Hong Kong women |url=http://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1454989/black-ferns-legend-anna-richards-aims-instil-winning-mentality-hong-kong |accessdate=6 July 2014 |website=South China Morning Post}}{{cite web |author=Johnstone |first=Duncan |date=5 November 2013 |title=Black Ferns legend Anna Richards gets new role |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/9362764/Black-Ferns-legend-Anna-Richards-gets-new-role |accessdate=6 July 2014 |website=Stuff.co.nz}} She completed her coaching role at the end of 2017.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-15 |title=Anna Richards announces end of Hong Kong Sevens Role |url=https://www.hkrugby.com/news/anna-richards-announces-end-of-hong-kong-sevens-role |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Hong Kong China Rugby |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Agars |first=Sam |date=2017-12-21 |title=Goodbye, Anna Richards, wherever it is you've gone and for whatever reason |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/2125102/goodbye-anna-richards-wherever-it-youve-gone-and-whatever |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}
As at January 2023 she is the women's player development manager at Auckland Rugby.{{Cite web |title=Black Ferns legend returns to join Auckland Rugby's High Performance team |url=https://www.aucklandrugby.co.nz/aru/newsarticle/74591 |access-date=2023-01-24 |website=www.aucklandrugby.co.nz}}
Personal life
Richards has a law degree and a BA. She played representative tennis and netball. In the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours, She was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to women's rugby.{{cite web |date=6 June 2005 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2005 |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2005 |accessdate=28 April 2020 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet}}
Hall of Fame
Richards was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on 17 November 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldrugby.org/news/36145 |title=2014 Inductee: Anna Richards |author=IRB.com |date=10 November 2014 |accessdate=6 January 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allblacks.com/News/26371/former-black-ferns-richards-and-palmer-inducted-into-hall-of-fame |title=Former Black Ferns Richards and Palmer inducted into Hall of Fame |author=allblacks.com |date=19 November 2014 |accessdate=19 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025190358/http://www.allblacks.com/News/26371/former-black-ferns-richards-and-palmer-inducted-into-hall-of-fame |archive-date=25 October 2018 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.allblacks.com/Player/Ferns?id=1157 Black Ferns profile]
- [https://www.world.rugby/halloffame/inductees/31428 World Rugby Hall of Fame profile]
- {{World Rugby Sevens Series profile|womens/31428}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Squads
| list1 =
{{New Zealand Squad 2010 Rugby World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 2006 Rugby World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 2002 Rugby World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 1998 Rugby World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad RugbyFest 1990}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Anna}}
Category:Rugby union players from Timaru
Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:New Zealand women's international rugby union players
Category:New Zealand women's international rugby sevens players
Category:New Zealand female rugby union players
Category:New Zealand rugby union coaches
Category:Rugby union fly-halves
Category:New Zealand female touch players
Category:20th-century New Zealand sportswomen
Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees
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