- Friday 10 September 2010
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Club comes first for Black Fern
Selection in the Black Ferns women's rugby side to contest the 2010 World Cup tournament in Surrey, England, from August 20 to September 5 hasn't led to a change of priorities for Eketahuna first five-eighth Rebecca Mahoney.
First is the desire to be part of an Eketahuna club side which wins their first Wellington premier division title, a competition which will be finalised towards the end of next month.
''It would be huge for Eketahuna, we'll worry about anything else once we get that out of the way,'' Mahoney said. ''They're a great bunch of girls and right now I can't think of anything better than winning a title with them.''
Not that Mahoney isn't excited about the prospect of attending her second World Cup _ she was part of the winning Black Ferns combination in Canada in 2006 _ but she is a realist who knows that rugby is a physical contact sport where injuries are always likely to occur.
''You can't afford to think too far ahead, do that and everything could turn to custard,'' she said. 'The club stuff comes first so that's the number one priority at the moment.''
The Black Ferns squad for the 2010 World Cup was officially announced last night with Mahoney ''hopeful but not too hopeful'' about her chances of continuing an international career which has already seen her wear the silver fern in nine test matches.
''We don't actually get to play many tests so reaching 10 is similar to probably playing 50 tests for the All Blacks,'' Mahoney said.
In what position her next cap will come, however, is hard to predict.
First-five is her usual role, and she was there in the two internationals the Black Ferns played against England in England at the end of last season, but she has been advised she will also be covering the second-five and fullback berths this time.
Typically Mahoney isn't fazed about that situation, rather taking the view that having three strings to her bow might work in her favour. ''Quite honestly I don't care where they play me as long as they do!''
As the defending champions and having lost only one test in the last eight years, the Black Ferns will be warm favourites.
