Full name | Farah Rangikoepa Palmer | ||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 27 November 1972 | ||||||||||||
Place of birth | Te Kuiti, New Zealand | ||||||||||||
Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||
Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) | ||||||||||||
School | Piopio College | ||||||||||||
University | Otago University | ||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | University academic | ||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||
Playing career | |||||||||||||
Position | Hooker | ||||||||||||
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Official website | |||||||||||||
Massey University |
Amateur clubs | |||
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Years | Club / team |
Provincial/State sides | |||
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Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
1992,1993–96,1998–2000 1997 2001–06 |
Otago Waitako Manawatu |
National team(s) | |||
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Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
1996–2006 | New Zealand | 35 | 25 |
Farah Rangikoepa Palmer, ONZM (born 27 November 1972 at Te Kuiti, New Zealand) is a lecturer in the Department of Management at Massey University and a former captain of New Zealand's women's national rugby union team, the Black Ferns.
Palmer was born in Te Kuiti and raised in Piopio. While at primary and secondary school, Palmer played netball competitively, and also participated in athletics, swimming, tennis, and cross-country. Although she had played rugby socially before, Palmer started playing regularly after she moved to Otago University to study physical education. She joined the University club in 1992 and that year played her first match for Otago. By 1994 she was playing regularly for Otago. Originally a prop, she changed to hooker. She first played for New Zealand on 31 August 1996 against Australia in Sydney—a match won 28–5. That year she was also appointed Otago captain, and became the captain of the Black Ferns in 1997 with a 67–0 win over England.
In 1997, Palmer moved temporarily to Hamilton and played for Waikato University club as well as presenting Waikato. She moved back to Dunedin in 1998 where she played for Alhambra Union. That year she captained the Black Ferns to victory in the 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup. That year she was awarded Women's Player of the Year by the New Zealand Rugby Union. She completed her PhD in 2000, and in 2001 moved to Palmerston North to take up a position in sports management at Massey University. There she joined the Kia Toa rugby club. Palmer continued to captain the Black Ferns and led them to a second World Championship in 2002.