This is home for Northland-born Black Fern Aleisha-Pearl Nelson - riding her horse Holy Moly and accompanied by her dog Jesse on her family farm in Kaihu. Photo / Michael Cunningham
This is home for Northland-born Black Fern Aleisha-Pearl Nelson - riding her horse Holy Moly and accompanied by her dog Jesse on her family farm in Kaihu. Photo / Michael Cunningham
For most, the prospect of a four-hour drive is met with a groan.
Not for Black Fern Aleisha-Pearl Nelson. When 29-year-old Nelson makes her near-weekly, four-hour trip from Auckland to her family farm in Kaihu, there's nothing but a smile on her face.
That's because every kilometre she travels awayfrom the big smoke, the sooner she'll be reunited with her dozen or so horses and three dogs - Jack, Jesse and Julie.
Surrounded by her animals is Aleisha-Pearl Nelson's version of paradise. Photo / Michael Cunningham
With what little time she has before she heads back down the line, the 35-cap Black Ferns prop takes her horses through the creek, shifts stock and plays with the puppies her duck-hunting, rabbit-chasing Jack Russell terrier, Julie, recently gave birth to.
However, Nelson's idyllic weekends away will soon become less frequent. With Auckland's club rugby competition's quickly approaching, Nelson will have to manage multiple trainings each day and games on Saturday, all around her fulltime work as a nurse in sexual health.
Nelson, who also worked as a registered nurse, had her mind set on making next year's women's Rugby World Cup hosted in New Zealand. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Even as her trips home dwindle, Nelson said reconnecting regularly with her family and animals was just as important to her game as any training or gym session.
"I need that for my mental health, to come home," she said.
"This is where I like being, this where I want to be, I need to be up here to be able to play at my best.
"I've got to feel well and happy to be able to play well, otherwise I'll be thinking about my animals back here and if my parents need help."
Aleisha-Pearl Nelson with her horses Holy Moly and Molly. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Nelson first left for Auckland at age 12, when she started boarding at Epsom Girls' Grammar and first learned the true struggle of living away from home.
"You feel like everything's against you, you can't do the things that you love and you can't play if you're not well."
However, with support from mother Kararaina (also a nurse) and fencing contractor father Peter, Nelson has become a cult figure in the black jersey, attending two World Cups in 2014 and 2017, winning the latter.
Nelson was one of several Northland-born players in the current Black Ferns squad, who made the decision to relocate to Auckland to pursue their dreams.
Aleisha-Pearl Nelson's animals play a big part in her mental health. Photo / Michael Cunningham
With Northland Rugby Union launching its maiden Farah Palmer Cup Northland women's rugby team last year, Nelson said she was glad to see more doors opening for young female players.
"Obviously we were cheering for [Northland] ... it was cool to see a Northland team finally get up and running because it's been a long time," she said.
Northland's focus on women's rugby has come at a perfect time with the 2021 women's Rugby World Cup to be hosted in New Zealand, with pool games set to be played in Whangārei.
After overcoming a long list of injuries, Nelson is determined to see herself play for the Black Ferns in another successful World Cup.
"For us to prove it at home in front of everyone, it would be a great statement that it's actually worth funding women to play rugby fulltime."
Despite suffering multiple serious injuries after riding horses, nothing would separate the Auckland-based rugby player from her horses. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Rugby dreams aside, Nelson's knew she belonged with her whānau in Northland, alongside her animals while she hoped to instil her Northland-born values into the next generation of players.
"One of my favourite quotes is, 'hard work beats talent, if talent doesn't work hard'.
"That's because I'm not necessarily the most talented players out there but I am willing to work hard, twice as hard as everyone else if I have to."
