TACKLED PINK FOR WOMEN: From left, South Darwin women's rugby players, Gabrielle Wolfe, Courtney Maynard, Vikki Perfhouse, Angi Steele, Lisa Hewlett, Kasi Kalikazaros, Tilly Rogers



Cancer cause brings out rugby's pink hits
PETER TIFFEN
May 21st, 2009





DARWIN rugby union teams are tackled pink - and topless - to be taking on breast cancer.

Players from the South Darwin and Army women's sides will wear pink headgear when they play in a special 10-a-side match on Saturday.

Spectators at Austar Park will be asked for donations and all proceeds will go to the McGrath Foundation and breast cancer awareness.

The idea behind the game came from South Darwin hooker Lisa Hewlett.
"I wanted to do something to raise the profile of women's rugby in the NT and also for a charity," Hewlett said.

The women approached sporting good manufacturers Canterbury about making the headgear.

"I think it was difficult for them - particularly to get the colour. They don't get a lot of call for pink in their business," Hewlett said.

"But they found a beautiful shade of pink and did a wonderful job making the caps."
And for maximum exposure, the players had no hesitation about getting their gear off for a series of photographs.

"We wanted to find the best way to show off the headgear and we knew it was going to be tastefully done," Hewlett said.

"We just did it at one of the players' houses and I think they have turned out beautifully."

The 6.30pm match is a curtain-raiser to the NT Mosquitoes v Queensland Country game.

Both men's sides will also wear armbands on the field.

There were 2719 women who died from breast cancer in 2005.

"We hope spectators will come out and show their support also by wearing pink," Hewlett said.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/200...85_ntnews.html