When ex-Wallaroo Shanice Parker runs out against Australia in a New Zealand jersey, she will be honouring a former Jillaroo in her mother and her Maori father.<\/p>\n
Parker will enter Sunday’s Pacific Cup final at Western Sydney Stadium as a key strike weapon for the Kiwi Ferns, who are desperate to upset Australia on home turf.<\/p>\n
But, despite previously representing Australia in rugby union and having her mother represent the Jillaroos in the first World Cup in 2000, Parker has no split loyalties.<\/p>\n
Instead, she sees the ability to play for New Zealand as a chance to represent something that was a “missing piece” in her life for a long time.<\/p>\n
It was only around age 11 that Parker learned of her biological father, Robin, back in New Zealand before making contact through a family friend a few years later.<\/p>\n
It was then he too learned of her existence before the pair spoke and Parker was welcomed with open arms and able to embrace her Maori heritage.<\/p>\n
“I always kind of had this sense that there was a missing piece,” Parker told AAP.<\/p>\n
“But I’ve got a dad in Perth who pretty much raised me and he’s awesome.<\/p>\n
Pitch invader stands with Kangaroos<\/a><\/p>\n A man is arrested by police after he lined up next to Cameron Munster before the Kangaroos’ victory over England in the second Ashes Test in England.<\/p>\n “So, I kind of didn’t really question it until I went into the high school phases of life and you’re forming your identity and different parts of my personality.<\/p>\n “I would kind of notice I’ve had different traits to my siblings and I would draw towards different areas.<\/p>\n “Finding that missing piece of the puzzle for me was forming who I was as a person. It was probably a big transition period for me and through high school.”<\/p>\n The Newcastle star’s journey to be able to meet her father was in part coincidence, with an aunty realising she knew a relative of his.<\/p>\n But upon meeting the other side of her “whanau” over the Tasman with Robin and his family, Parker has been able to embrace her Maori heritage.<\/p>\n That has come in the 27-year-old’s football through the black jersey, and in life with Parker and her son spending time in New Zealand with her biological father.<\/p>\n “It’s just crazy the role that your DNA and characteristics and stuff can play even with identity and sense of self,” Parker said.<\/p>\n Do you have a story idea about women in sport?<\/p>\n