Farah Palmer

The former Black Fern and NZ Rugby director receives her Damehood for services to sport.

"But the people who mattered to me were Māori and women. He is the only New Zealand man to win gold medals at three successive Olympics. "I quickly folded it back up and stuck it back in the envelope and put it somewhere I thought nobody could find it. It's not just me I'm representing but many women and Māori in rugby who have done amazing things." I need to go back and have a good read of it." I was like 'why me?'" she said.

Dame Farah Palmer used to laugh when friends suggested she could become the second Dame to sit at the NZ Rugby board table. She can't do that now.

Farah Palmer accepted her damehood honour to acknowledge other trailblazers.

I won three World Cups as a player and then in 2018 when we bid to host the tournament it felt like playing in another. We know we’re going to get an influx of girls wanting to get involved whether that be playing, refereeing, volunteering or coaching and we’ve got to ensure we’ve got a system that’s ready for that. “Personally, rugby has been a great vehicle to do other things. We’ve got a women’s and girls’ strategy that is going to make sure we build a really strong base. I’m going to keep giving back.” Palmer has one more year on the NZ Rugby board but will remain on Sport New Zealand’s board. “All those people who have been trailblazers in women’s rugby who may or may not have been acknowledged in the past. From 2018 through to 2022 there was a massive effort to do it justice. As the tournament reached its climax with a record women’s rugby crowd at a sold-out Eden Park, she revelled in the team’s against-the-odds success. I’ve had issues with people that I thought I wouldn’t be able to overcome but I am resilient and get determined and keep going. “I’ve had big self-doubt; I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way. In accepting the title, she singled out Sue Garden-Bachop, Laurie O’Reilly, JJ Stewart and Darryl Suasua as pioneers in this field.

New Zealand Rugby Board Deputy Chair Farah Palmer has been made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM) for services to sport, ...

The New Zealand MÄori Rugby Board, on behalf of all the MÄori rugby whÄnau are proud and humbled that she has been recognised for her outstanding work in rugby and Te Ao MÄori generally. Professor Palmer was Professional Development Manager for the ManawatÅ« Rugby Union, an independent member of the MÄori Rugby Board, member of the Women's Advisory Committee of the International Rugby Board, and research consultant for New Zealand Rugby. She currently chairs the New Zealand MÄori Rugby Board and is President of the New Zealand Rugby Museum. Her acknowledgement today is a source of pride for everyone involved in rugby and I would like to personally congratulate Dame Farah and her whÄnau for this deserved honour. Her post career has been littered with achievements academically, as a senior lecturer and professor at Massey University, in governance roles at provincial and national level including with ManawatÅ«, as Chair of the New Zealand MÄori Rugby Board, and on the NZR Board. "We are fortunate to have individuals like Dame Farah on our Board, in our organisation and involved in our sport over a long period of time.