Ashleigh Hewson
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| Date of birth | 18 December 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 64 kg (141 lb; 10 st 1 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ashleigh Hewson (born 18 December 1979) is a former Australian rugby union player and captain of the Australian national women's team, the Wallaroos. She was a member of the Wallaroos squad at three Rugby World Cups — 2010, 2014 and 2017.
Early career
[edit]Before representing Australia in rugby, Hewson had been named in the Australia women's national soccer team, she also excelled in touch, athletics and cricket internationally.[1]
Rugby career
[edit]International
[edit]Hewson made her international debut for Australia against Samoa in 2009.[2][1] She was a member of the Wallaroos squad at the 2010 Rugby World Cup that finished in their highest placing of third.[1]
She scored a try for the Wallaroos in their opening match of the 2014 Rugby World Cup against South Africa.[3][4] She was the 5th highest points scorer of the tournament with 39 points, her side finished in 7th place.[1]
She captained the Wallaroos for the first time in their three match tour of New Zealand in 2016.[1] Despite a record 67–3 loss to the Black Ferns in the first game of the Laurie O'Reilly Cup, she was a stand out for her side in the second test.[5]
In October 2016, She was named as Australia's women's XVs player of the year, taking out the prestigious John Eales medal.[6][2]
Hewson captained the Wallaroos side in their tests against Canada, England and New Zealand in June 2017.[2][7][8] She later led the Wallaroos at the 2017 Rugby World Cup in Ireland.[9][7]
Super W
[edit]In 2018, She kicked an extra-time goal to help the NSW Waratahs win the inaugural Super W Grand Final against the Queensland Reds.[10][11]
She returned for another season in 2019 and led the team unbeaten, into a second consecutive home Grand Final against Queensland at Leichhardt Oval.[10] They narrowly defeated Queensland 8–5 to win their second Super W title.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Hewson was a prison guard in Sydney for 10 years and worked as a Services and Program officer with offenders who have an intellectual disability.[13][9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Wallaroos to tour NZ with new captain". RNZ. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Phillips, Sam (8 June 2017). "Hewson ready to rip in for Wallaroos". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Wallaroos make strong start to World Cup". ABC News. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "WALLAROOS DEFEAT SOUTH AFRICA IN OPENING WORLD CUP MATCH". Melbourne Rugby. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Julian, Adam (24 May 2024). "A history of the prestigious Laurie O'Reilly Cup". allblacks.com. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ "Wallabies vice-captain Michael Hooper scores second prestigious John Eales medal". ABC News. Sydney. Australian Associated Press (AAP). 27 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ a b "Hamilton and Hewson for World Cup opener". Sydney Uni Football Club. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Wallaroos name 11 debutants to face England". australia.rugby. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ a b Roberts, Millie (1 August 2017). "USyd Women's rugby players on the world stage". Honi Soit. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ a b Payten, Iain (5 April 2019). "Life after a fairytale finish: why Ash Hewson came back for more". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Layt, Caroline (20 April 2018). "NSW win in extra time thriller". The Women's Game. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Layt, Caroline (7 April 2019). "Waratahs are Super W champions again". The Women's Game. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Jon Geddes (The Daily Telegraph) (5 August 2010). "Meet Wallaroos female prison guard Ashleigh Hewson". Retrieved 14 July 2014.