Our adventures continued as the week progressed. James and I have finally settled into a
weekly routine that somehow manages to balance the gym, rugby practice, work, and, of
course, ending every night with Love Island (our favorite couple is definitely Bryce and Trinity).
It’s funny how quickly something that felt completely unfamiliar a few weeks ago has started to
feel normal.
After a few weeks of training, a lot of beef and rice, and plenty of hard work, James and I both
secured starting spots for our match against Northern United Colts. It was an awesome feeling
to see that work pay off, and even better when we came away with a 31–24 victory. The vibes
were definitely high after such a much-needed win following two tough losses. It felt like all the
effort the team had been putting in was finally starting to click. After the match, everyone came
together to enjoy a dinner prepared by the coaches of the Premier Women’s team. It was
another reminder of how welcoming the rugby community has been since we’ve arrived in New
Zealand.
The excitement didn’t stop there. Later that week, James and I headed to the Super Rugby
championship to watch the Hurricanes take on the Chiefs. The city was absolutely buzzing
before kickoff, with fans filling the streets and the atmosphere unlike anything we’d experienced
before. The Hurricanes put on an incredible performance, and it was awesome getting to
experience rugby at that level in New Zealand. By the time we made it home, though, the long
day had finally caught up with me—I don’t think I even made it to my pillow before I was
completely passed out.
To be honest, I still can’t decide what I love most about New Zealand. Some days it’s the
incredible scenery that seems to be around every corner. Other days, it’s the meat pies that
somehow never disappoint. Then there are our managers, Florence and Jamie, who make sure
we never head into practice without our weekly supply of lollies and Tim Tams to carb us up
beforehand. At this point, they’re all fighting for the top spot.
Our next match was scheduled against Paremata-Plimmerton, and once again, James and I
were named in the starting lineup. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans, and the match
was postponed due to poor weather conditions. While we were both disappointed not to play, it
gave us an extra week to recover, keep training, and hopefully come back even stronger.
That disappointment didn’t last long, though, because the club’s annual Red and Black Night
quickly became one of the highlights of our trip so far. Every team at Pōneke dresses up
according to a theme of their choosing, and our squad decided to fully commit to being
cowboys. Cowboy hats, boots, flannels—we went all in. Each team also had to perform, and we
chose to sing Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver. While the performance started
off confidently, somewhere around halfway through, almost all of us completely forgot the lyrics.
Instead of giving up, we laughed it off, sang whatever words we could remember at the top of
our lungs, and somehow made it to the end. To our surprise, we still managed to take home
third place in the competition. We finished the night singing, dancing, and celebrating with
players, coaches, and supporters from every team at Pōneke. It was one of those nights that reminded us rugby is about so much more than what happens on the field—it’s about the
friendships, the community, and the memories you make along the way.
Now we head into a bye week, and honestly, who knows what New Zealand has in store for us
next? If these past few weeks have taught us anything, it’s that every week brings something
new, whether it’s on the rugby field or somewhere completely unexpected. Whatever comes
next, James and I are excited to keep making the most of every opportunity and to see what the
rest of this adventure has to offer.
