Mud, Maul, Mascara by Catherine Spencer

Author:Catherine Spencer [Spencer, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783528141
Publisher: Unbound
Published: 2019-11-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The Captaincy

It was a conversation with the outgoing captain, Sue Day (Daisy), that really started my England captaincy journey. After the 2006 World Cup there were several retirees, including the captain Jo Yapp and our superstar winger Kim Shaylor; both were too young to need to retire, but were making life choices that were not compatible with international rugby. Sue Day was one of the players who carried on playing until the 2007 Six Nations and she took over the captaincy. I knew that Daisy was retiring from fifteen-a-side rugby at the end of the 2007 tournament, which would leave a big leadership gap. I had quietly been developing my confidence as a player and had become the first choice at number 8. I had very slowly also been developing as a leader of sorts. I captained my home club Folkestone before leaving after the 2006 World Cup and had also become a player rep for England. Looking back, it was a very ineffective role due to little support or communication or interest from the powers-that-be, but it felt important at the time and a step up for me. I had captained my university side and also the Welsh Universities team. But I only started to think about the England captaincy when I knew Daisy was retiring. Until I spoke to her I had not mentioned my building desire to be captain to anyone. Not my family, not even my twin brother.

Only twice before had the suggestion of England captaincy been mentioned; the first time I laughed it away; the second time I had no idea about until a recent conversation with my dad. The first time was during a slightly alcohol-fuelled conversation with one of my university team mates Speedy Sarah (she was a winger) in a bar in Manly, Sydney, in 2001. The Lions squad were in there and the two of us, along with my brother and another of our friends, found ourselves in the same place, a complete chance encounter as we had no idea that they would be there. I think it was Dai Young that we were talking to at the time when Speedy Sarah confidently announced that I would one day be England captain. I told her not to be silly. I may have had a couple of beers but I was still thinking straight. This was in 2001 before I even thought about attempting to play for England. I am sure Dai Young does not remember this, neither I am sure do Brian O’Driscoll, Matt Dawson or Dan Luger. Ronan O’Gara may possibly recall being annoyed at yet another rugby fan asking about those punches that he received in that infamous tour game against New South Wales Waratahs, but Jonny Wilkinson probably does not remember Gregory and I excitedly telling him that we shared his birthday; Jeremy Guscott undoubtedly does not recall the dismissive look that he gave me as I was invading their space. Scott Gibbs and Rob Henderson probably

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