Ruth McKay

Ruth McKay
Date of birth (1986-08-02) 2 August 1986 (age 38)
Height1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight83 kg (183 lb; 13 st 1 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2013 Manawatu 43 (5)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2014 New Zealand 26 (0)
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Women's rugby union
Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2010 England Team competition

Ruth McKay (born 2 August 1986) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays Prop for New Zealand and Manawatu. She was a member of the 2010 Rugby World Cup winning squad. She also competed in the 2014 Rugby World Cup in France.

Rugby career

McKay attended Taihape College where she began playing rugby as a third-former.[1] She first played for Manawatu in 2003, she was still a seventh-former student at Whanganui Girls' College.[2]

McKay made her international debut for New Zealand on 16 October 2007 against Australia at Wanganui.[3][4] She made her second appearance for the side in Porirua.[5] She faced the Wallaroos again a year later in the 2008 Laurie O'Reilly Cup at Canberra.[6] She played in both test matches.[7][8]

In 2009, she was named in the Black Ferns side that toured England in November.[9]

McKay was a member of the 2010 Rugby World Cup winning squad.[1][10] She started in their opening match of the World Cup against South Africa.[11][12] She also competed against Australia, Wales and France. She started in the World Cup final against England where the Black Ferns claimed their fourth title.[13][14]

In 2012, she was selected for the Black Ferns squad that toured England for a three-test series in November. She featured in every game which England eventually won to claim the series.[15][16]

In 2013, she was in the Black Ferns squad that took on England again in their July tour of New Zealand.[17] The first test took place in Auckland which her side won despite some defensive dominance from England.[18] She started in the second test in which they clinched the series with a narrow margin at Hamilton.[19][20] She came off the bench in the final game as her side secured the series 3–0 with an emphatic 29–8 win.[21]

She played in the Black Ferns side that competed in an international women's rugby series in Rotorua in June 2014.[22] The fixture included matches against Australia, Canada and Samoa.[22] She started in the final game of the series against Canada at Whakatāne.[23][24]

McKay made the selection for her final World Cup appearance at the 2014 tournament in France. She started in the opening match against Kazakhstan.[25] She then featured in the pool game where Ireland stunned the Black Ferns with their first defeat in a World Cup since their 1991 semi-final loss to the United States.[26][27] She played her last international game in her side's fifth place playoff against the Eagles.[28]

McKay is a shepherd in Hunterville, New Zealand.[1][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Millmow, Jonathan (11 August 2010). "From wop-wops to World Cup for Black Fern". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Farm work helps with fitness". www.stuff.co.nz. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b Richardson, Daniel (13 August 2010). "Black Ferns ready for battle". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Black Ferns side named". ESPN.com. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Black Ferns vs Australia". stats.allblacks.com. 20 October 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Rugby: Five new caps for Black Ferns". Otago Daily Times Online News. 6 October 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Black Ferns vs Australia". stats.allblacks.com. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Black Ferns vs Australia". stats.allblacks.com. 18 October 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Black Ferns squad named". Scrum Queens. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  10. ^ Smith, Jared (2 June 2023). "Whanganui club rugby: Women prepare for semifinals". NZ Herald. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Rugby: Black Ferns side named for opener". NZ Herald. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Black Ferns vs South Africa". stats.allblacks.com. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  13. ^ Jenkins, Graham (5 September 2010). "Black Ferns edge out England for World Cup glory". ESPN.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Black Ferns vs England". stats.allblacks.com. 5 October 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  15. ^ Young, Wendy (24 November 2012). "England shade first test". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  16. ^ Standley, James (1 December 2012). "England women 32-23 New Zealand". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  17. ^ Field, Katie (12 July 2013). "England Women's tour of New Zealand: The Clash of the Titans". Rugby World. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Black Ferns vs England". stats.allblacks.com. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  19. ^ "Black Ferns triumph in historic match". www.world.rugby. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Black Ferns clinch series victory". Planet Rugby. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  21. ^ "Black Ferns vs England". stats.allblacks.com. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  22. ^ a b "New Black Ferns face Australia". RNZ. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Black Ferns in action in Whakatane". www.sunlive.co.nz. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Black Ferns vs Canada". stats.allblacks.com. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  25. ^ Donnelly, Alison (31 July 2014). "World Cup: Round One Previews". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  26. ^ "Women's Rugby World Cup: Ireland stun New Zealand". BBC Sport. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Women's Rugby World Cup Preview: New Zealand v Ireland". Irish Rugby. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  28. ^ "Black Ferns vs USA". stats.allblacks.com. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.