Black Fern, Emma Jensen for 12 Questions. Photo / Dean Purcell
1. What was the pressure like going into last year's Rugby World Cup?
We were going for our fifth RWC title in a row so there was a massive amount of pressure. I remember a reporter asking, "Who do you think you'll play in the semis?" and I said, "We'll have to get through our pool first". We did an England and got knocked out in the pool round. We made the mistake of taking our game against Ireland too lightly and by the time we turned the button on it was too late. Ireland's passion and will was way more than ours. You can never be complacent in a World Cup.
2. What do you think of the All Blacks' World Cup campaign so far?
Everyone's going on about how the All Blacks didn't smash teams like Argentina and Namibia but I think the days of seeing the minor teams annihilated are gone because they're getting closer to where the level needs to be. These are professional athletes and a lot of money is being poured into bringing them up to the right skill level. World Cup games mean everything to both teams so no one's going to lie down. Like when Japan beat South Africa. They'd prepared for that game for two years.
3. What do you think of our nation's behaviour at RWC time?
It's a bit extreme. The fact we're a rugby mad nation is never more evident than at RWC time. There's even more pressure this time round because we're champions. We all need to support the boys more because the criticism will be getting to them.
4. Any predictions?
I'm picking the All Blacks to win. At the start I was predicting New Zealand to play Ireland in the final but now I don't know because Australia's playing really well. Our hardest test will be the quarter-final. There will be a lot of nervous people if we get Wayne Barnes refereeing another quarter-final against France but we can't dwell on the past. I think Japan will beat USA to make the quarters which is massive for all the minor countries.
5. Are male rugby players supportive of women's rugby?
Most of the boys I know love it and can't believe we don't get more coverage. Piri Weepu's a friend. He's always been about women being treated the same. Adam Thomson raffled off some of his All Black jerseys to help Otago field a women's NPC team. There's been more interest since women's sevens got included in the Olympics. Spectator numbers for sevens are massive because they run the girls and boys at the same tournaments. There's going to be a lot of pressure on them to come home with an Olympic gold next year.
6. How did you get into rugby?
When I was 15, I asked Mum what she thought about me playing rugby and she was like, "no way". So I'd go to training at the Waipukurau Rugby Club and come home all muddy and tell her I'd just being playing touch. I think she found out from a neighbour. She turned up to a game and was like, "wow". Now she's my number one supporter.
7. Do we have enough role models in women's sport?
There could be more. I think that's why Epsom Girls Grammar has been so supportive of my rugby because I am a role model for the girls. I've been away for a good four weeks every winter for the last 10 years I've been in the Black Ferns.
8. Are many school girls taking up rugby?
It's growing. I coach our school's 10-a-side team. We play in a central Auckland competition with seven other teams and there are competitions in East and West Auckland as well. One of our players is a Muslim girl. She didn't do a whole lot of PE and then suddenly came up to me asking to play rugby. So I taught her how to tackle and now she's one of our most committed players. It's been amazing to see the difference in her schoolwork as well. That's what I love about rugby. Team sports breed confidence.
9. Do you have to spend much time reassuring parents?
Most of the parents just want their daughters to be active. I'm never going to put girls on the field if they're not safe. There is some concern when we come up against bigger girls from South Auckland schools. My girls are like, "um Miss, I don't want to play today". But at the end of the day they can't run if they don't have legs so it's about tackling technique. I'm [1.62m] and 63kg and I'm not the smallest Black Fern.
10. Do a lot of girls give up sport when they hit puberty?
Definitely. They're trying to find who they are. If their peer groups don't play sport, it's seen as not being cool. Our school has 42 sporting codes so theoretically there shouldn't be a girl who feels like she can't join a team. About 40 per cent of our girls belong to a sports team. That's been increasing since we opened our new $3.7 million Joyce Fisher Sports Centre.
11. Do some girls fear that sport makes them too masculine?
There used to be a perception that if you played rugby you were butch or macho but these days it's okay to have an athletic body. There's a YouTube clip with the mixed martial arts fighter Ronda Rousey saying every muscle in her body serves a purpose so why shouldn't it be there? I ask the girls what they're training for - a specific sport or just to get a bikini body, because that's two totally different things.
12. You're 37 now. Do you have any plans to retire?
That's a million-dollar question. I've had a few comments like that but I just brush them off. My goal is to reach 50 caps so I need to get selected to start with and then hopefully get a game. I got tackled by three people and fractured my fibula in our club final this season. But my recovery's been good and I actually played 30 minutes on the weekend. We tackle just as hard as the men so we get the same sort of injuries. It's not everyone's cup of tea.
The Joyce Fisher Sports Centre at Epsom Girls Grammar School is now open. Fundraising is under way for Stage 3. Find out more at www.eggs.school.nz
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