Sisters who play rugby together, stay together

Over the years it hasn’t been unusual to find sisters playing alongside each other in the Canterbury Farah Palmer Cup team, but the two sets of sisters this year have fairly different origin stories when it comes to their rugby careers.

Winnie and Fia have only been involved in the code for two years, after being convinced to join a High School Old Boys training session by a friend. Fia admits she only started playing rugby to aid her fitness levels for netball, but things moved quickly when both proved their abilities and were picked up by separate Super Aupiki teams the following year. They have come back together for the 2024 season at Canterbury, notably pairing up to create Fia’s stunning try ten minutes into her Canterbury debut against Counties Manukau Heat.

“It’s special to be able to take the field with my sister in the red and black, I appreciate the stepping stones, high and lows and to be able to share milestones like this is valuable for me” says Fia, “we have been through a lot together and within our own journeys”.

Fia and Winnie have two older sisters, and their younger brother currently plays for Christs College.

We also have the Simpson sisters, who played rugby throughout their childhood. Oldest sister Tayla joined the Canterbury University team her second year in Christchurch and younger sister Keighley wasn’t far behind to join the Canterbury Academy. In 2023 the women played their first Canterbury FPC game together, beating Wellington Pride 58 – 29. “We’re so lucky” said Tayla, “to play all through club and school and now to represent Canterbury together is something we’re pretty grateful we get to do. It’s awesome”.

Their middle sister, Jorja, isn’t a stranger to the code either, having played club level with her sisters and for the Taranaki Whio side in 2022 with Keighley.

Despite running their individual paths to the Canterbury FPC side, there is a similarity between both families on the field – the ability to communicate with their sibling non verbally, a skill they say has been honed by living in close quarters whilst growing up together.

“There’s eye contact and we just know what’s going to happen” says Fia.

Tayla agreed, saying “During club season our coach pointed it out, the three of us do it. I would just know what she’s going to do, it's so strange!”

Family support is vital to Fia, Winnie, Tayla and Keighly. The Simpson girls rarely playing a game without their parents on the sideline, even travelling down from Taranaki for their daughters’ home games at Rugby Park.

“We’re really close” says Winnie, “family is so important to us”.

Fia adds “for us, wherever we are – we carry our aiga (families) with us”.