Emotional Tributes as Māori All Stars Pay Respects to Fallen Teammate Before the Match

Emotion filled the air ahead of the women’s All Stars match in Sydney on Saturday afternoon, leaving few without a tear in their eyes.

The Māori honoured their late teammate Kath Wharton, who passed away last November at the age of 41, through a moving haka before the game.

Harata Butler, clearly overcome with emotion, placed a photograph of Wharton on the halfway line as the haka commenced.

Wharton earned 14 Test caps for the Ferns from 2008 to 2013 and made her return to the field with three appearances for the Warriors in NRLW in 2019.

A beloved mentor to Butler, Wharton had her name proudly displayed on the back of her No.15 Māori jersey.

“It was a special moment to celebrate the memory of her friend and mentor,” remarked Nine commentator Brenton Speed.

Wharton was a key player for the Kiwi Ferns until she stepped back to focus on her family post-2013 World Cup. When she returned to international competition six years later, she made an extraordinary comeback by scoring a remarkable 93m runaway try against Samoa.

Just a year later, she captained the Counties-Manukau side to victory in the inaugural NZRL National Women’s Premiership in 2020.

Ultimately, the Māori side fell short in the clash, conceding a late penalty right in front, which 20-year-old Lailani Montgomery calmly converted to secure a 20-18 win.