Bronwyn Laidlaw is to be inducted into the Queensland Rugby Union Hall of Fame as a significant pioneer for women’s rugby.
Laidlaw excelled across more than a decade when Queensland and the Wallaroos were taking their first formative steps in the women’s game.
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As a long-striding fullback, she featured at two World Cups (1998 and 2002) and played 29 times for Queensland between 1996 and 2006.
Her try-scoring (16) for Queensland was the most potent of her era which reflected her deceptive speed, long stride and sharp sense to find a gap.
Laidlaw, former Reds coach John Connolly and Brendan Moon, who put style into wing play in the late 1970s and ‘80s, will be ushered into the QRU Hall of Fame at the Season Launch Long Lunch on Friday, February 14 at the Brisbane City Hall.
It is a great opportunity to celebrate them, listen to what the honour means to each and launch the 2025 season in style at the same time.
Laidlaw came off the bench as a 21-year-old centre in the first game played by Queensland against Canadian province Alberta at Ballymore in 1994.
The spiritual home of Queensland rugby has great meaning to her because the ground is also where she played the first of her 10 Tests against the USA in 1997.
“This honour is a great surprise and one I will treasure,” Laidlaw said.
“I was a uni student in those initial seasons when I played and I can tell you my agricultural science degree has never been put to use.”
As a project officer within the Department of Health and Aged Care, she is still making a difference.
Laidlaw won three premierships with University of Queensland when they were the first dominant club when women’s rugby launched in Queensland in 1994.
“Bron was tall, strong and flowed with her speed. It was like trying to tackle a power pole,” 2022 Hall of Fame inductee Selena Worsley said of Laidlaw.
“She might have been laidback but the confidence she brought to teammates when they knew she was at fullback was significant.”
Laidlaw’s toughness played out most obviously at the 1998 World Cup in The Netherlands.
She dislocated her collarbone during the 30-13 quarter-final loss to England but played on as a gallant one-armed last line in defence.
“It was only ever a passing thought in my day that the World Cup might come to Australia. Now, here it is,” she said of Australia hosting the 2029 tournament.
“Having Reds games and Wallaroos Tests on TV means a lot. Young girls can see women play. We are in a real growth period for women’s rugby.”
That increaded connection flows into the Open Training Session being hosted by the Reds Women's team at Ballymore on Field No.2 on Wednesday (December 18) from 5:30-7pm.
An autograph session and free sausage sizzle will be staged.
It will be the first opportunity for fans to see the integration of sevens stars Maddi and Teagan Levi, Charlotte Caslick, Bella Nasser and Kahli Henwood into the 15-a-side program.
