Rugby and Dad's Amazing Advice: A Conversation with Alana Elisaia

Alana Elisaia

Fresh off her experience playing in last weeks “classic Wallaroos” match, I had a good time chatting to Alana Elisaia during training this week. Of course, she didn’t play in the match because she’s an “old wallaroos” per-say, but was one of several “up-and-comers” selected to play alongside the greats.

She’s definitely proven that status as her own, during Queensland’s Super W season. She’s scored three tries against the Rebels in round one and has scored several more since then.

As Women’s rugby takes off, Alana is definitely a player to keep your eye on!

Hi Alana, how are you?

Good thank you!

First up, can you tell us about about the exciting classic Wallaroos match you took part in last weekend?

Yeah, that was pretty amazing for me. Because I got to play with all the ex-Wallaroo’s ladies. My hero in rugby, being Cheyenne Cambell, they didn’t really know her, because she was after their generation. But for me, she’s one of the “old” players! I was pretty blown away. They were telling me stories about when they were wearing this [points to her jersey] and when they had nothing. It was really eye-opening, and made me more grateful. It was good to get knowledge out of them. 

I’m glad you had a good time down there. I guess it worked out well that Queensland had a bye last week. Back to Super W... What have your personal highlights been, playing for Queensland this year?

My own highlights… I think just getting more game time and just being around a really good bunch of girls. This year it’s been really good with the culture… I don’t have any personal highlights! Just being involved!

Congrats to you and the team on making the finals.

Thank you. 

How much are you looking forward to the play-off match against the Brumbies this Sunday?

I’m actually really excited. I was really backing them against WA, just because they have so much heart and go right to the end.

That’s a good segue way… What do you think the Brumbies strengths are, that you’ll need to keep an eye on?

I must have read your mind! (Laughs) They’re definitely a strong side. A lot of heart. Yeah.

What inspired you to play the game of rugby?

My friend actually just asked me to come down and have a run and I sort of just fell in love with it. Out of all the other sports, everyone is just really welcoming. It’s hard to find a challenge in sport, so I really love that about it.

I came from a Touch and League background, but there’s nothing like this. These girls are some of my best friends, that’s what I love most about it.

Last week Cobie-Jane said it’s important not to get too “comfortable” in rugby. What advice do you have for young boys and girls wanting to play the game?

I think, the best advice my Dad actually gave me was just to play fun. You play your best rugby when you having fun. That took a long time for me to understand, because being so competitive, I forgot to actually have fun. And when I finally relaxed and had some fun, I was playing the best rugby I’ve played.

I started in 2016 and I was just finding my feet. I got too wrapped up in making teams and stuff and I was always really hard on myself. You know how you’re always your own worst critic. It got to me too much and my Dad just said to me one day, “just relax and have fun. You always play your best footy when you have fun”. That’s always stuck! Your can’t take it too serious, enjoy it while it’s there.

“Down-time” is important... what do you like to do outside of rugby?

I get asked this a lot, and I’d say I “nap” a lot. I put that in my player profile! (Laughs) It’s the only hobby I have. I like going on hikes and stuff! But rugby makes you tired… (laughs)

Thanks Alana for taking time to catch up! I’ll be cheering you on, on Sunday!

Thanks for having me! It’s been a pleasure.

Don’t miss Queensland’s game this Sunday, against the Brumbies at Ballymore stadium, kick off is at 3pm. The winner will get a chance to play New South Wales in the Super W final, the following week.

Sitting Down with Cecilia Smith

This week I had a wonderful chat with a player who’s made a huge impact for Queensland this year. In the lead up to the 2019 season, Cecilia Smith moved from Leeton, New South Wales, to Brisbane, with hopes of making the team. She instantly made a splash, scoring two tries against the Rebels in their first game.

She’s gone on to score tries in three out of four of Queensland's games this season, including another double against the Brumbies! (See the match highlights here.)

I spoke to her about her rugby journey and even her experience in the Commonwealth Games playing for Samoa! While she’s fierce on the field, she’s lovely to talk to in person. I hope you enjoy reading our chat!

Hi Cecilia, how are you and the team going this week?

Yeah really good.

How have you enjoyed the season with Queensland so far?

It’s been really fun. It’s been a big change since coming from the Brumbies. I played for them last year, but I didn’t get a chance to play in the Super W, because I was injured. Moving up here last year, it was a challenge for me to try to get into the Reds team, because you know there’s a lot of really good players here. I had to try to work really hard to get in here, so here I am.

What’s the teams mindset in the lead up to the playoff this weekend?

I guess we’ve been working on the mistakes that we made in the last game we played against them and making everything “sharp”.

I love hearing about people’s rugby journeys. What brought you from Samoa to Australia and then what led you to play rugby in Queensland?

I moved from New Zealand, in 2009. I lived in New South Wales for 9 years until I moved up here. I was in a little country town called Leeton. I played Sevens down there. Then I decided to try out fifteens. I didn’t know the rules and that, I just decided to try out for the Brumbies in 2017, leading up to the Nationals, that was my first time playing fifteens. And then got ready for 2018, Super W… then I got injured playing League, playing in the Commonwealth Champions. I injured my shoulder in a tournament for final selection, we didn’t know what was wrong with it. I was travelling 4 hours per week to train with the Brumbies. It was hard, because either I’d have to take my daughter with me, or I’d have to leave her with my Dad or my sisters. It was pretty intense. It was tiring driving that much, so I talked to my dad and decided to move up to Brisbane to try and crack the Reds team. And here I am!

What’s your favourite thing about Queensland and being based at Ballymore?

I love the environment with the girls. It’s so enjoyable being around them. When it’s game time, that’s when it’s serious. But I like having a laugh with the girls - it’s a really good vibe around here.

You’ve had the opportunity to play Rugby League for your home country of Samoa. Can you tell us about that experience?

That was an emotional one, especially for my family. My dad’s always wanted me to pull the Samoa jersey on. When I got the chance, I figured I’d travel to Sydney for the trials. It was a 6 hour drive out there and I guess, I did enough to make it. There were girls there from Melbourne, from New Zealand, some from Brisbane as well. Yeah, it was intense!

I was injured in the tournament before the Commonwealth Games… the last try-out. It was a nerve thing. It wasn’t a serious injury, I just needed time. It didn’t hurt, but I couldn’t control my arm. I tried to play in the grand final for that tournament, but I couldn’t. Then, it healed and the Commonwealth games happened later on.

It’s crazy. I don’t even know where to start to be honest with my rugby journey. (Laughs)

What’s your favourite thing to do outside of rugby?

Spend time with my family, because I have a three year old daughter now. With my partner as well, I just love going places, like the movies. And playing something fun - like touch… But family time is everything. You’ve got to make the most of it.

What would your message be to rugby fans in Queensland, ahead of the playoff match this weekend?

To come on down and support the girls. Womens rugby is growing and it’s just getting better. It’s going to be a really good game, the Brumbies are a good side as well, we don’t take them lightly. We need the crowd to pump us up!

Thanks very much for your time!

Thank you!

Catching up with Cobie

A Conversation with World-Cup Vet Cobie-Jane Morgan

This week, I was lucky to catch up with a Wallaroo veteran, who’s recently made the move to Brisbane. A seasoned and experienced player, I enjoyed hearing her perspective on where the women’s game is at, her own rugby journey and even a highlight from the 2010 World Cup.

The Queensland team is lucky to have her around and will no doubt enjoy having her on the field for the play-off game next Sunday afternoon (31st March) at Ballymore! (It’ll either be against Western Australia or the Brumbies, depending on the outcome of this weeks games.)

During Super W finals week, I’ll be interviewing a few more players, so stay tuned!

Hey Cobie, how are you?

Good, thank you!

How do you feel the seasons gone for you and the team?

Yeah, I’m pretty happy with where we’re at at the moment. We’ve won 3 from 4, so we’re sitting in at second, just behind New South Wales. I think the level that we’re playing at is a pretty good standard and I’d never sit “comfortable”, but generally I’m happy about the feeling amongst the team and we’re training pretty hard at the moment.

As a seasoned player in the rugby community, what are your thoughts on Super W, how it’s progressed and where it can go?

Hmmm well, before last year we had the nationals every year which was a 3-4 day tournament where you had to punch out 6 games in 4 days. So it was pretty ridiculous, trying to get the best quality out of all the States sides. So Super W [beginning last year] showcased a lot of good talent, you’d play and then have a week to recover. I think the level of knowledge of the game has increased a lot, so going forward for the national level, the girls that assemble in the national side will be one level up again, in “rugby smarts”. We’ve got a young side and so over the next 5 years it will become almost semi-professional. Then in 10 years time, if we have success in womens rugby globally, there’s a big bright future ahead for all the young girls.

You were born and raised on the Central Coast of New South Wales and now you’re here in Brisbane. Can you tell us about your rugby journey and what led you here to Queensland?

My rugby journey! I moved from the Central Coast to Sydney after school and started playing rugby then. I’d played a lot of touch footy growing up and represented Australia from when I was 14 onwards… then I moved down to the Northern beaches in Sydney, after school, for university. Then I travelled to the Darwin Sevens with a whole lot of girls who were playing for Australia at the time, (who I’d also played a lot of touch with as well). That’s how I got roped into things…. That was my first Sevens tournament and I absolutely loved it. I’ve been playing touch on a global scale for a while, then I found contact and I really enjoyed it… not sure about my Mum though! (Laughs). I came back from the Sevens tournament and had got to know women who were in the Australian team at the time, you know, the likes of Tui Ormsby, Cheryl Soon who was the captain, and Alex Hargreaves who was playing for the Reds last year, she was at Sydney Uni. So I had a lot of good influences around me, just from that one tournament. I came back and they roped me into playing fifteens. I went to my first Nationals, up here on the Gold Coast and then got picked up for the Australian side. I thought that was a bit of a G-Up (laughs) because it was my first tournament! From there on, touch was going out the back door, we had to pay for ourselves. But when I started playing for Australian Rugby, everything was getting paid for, you never had to get your wallet out, so you were supported really well. I had a lot of good, strong-minded people around me and I guess that helped me in my younger years to become mentally tough. I went across to Samoa for a world-cup qualifier and then I haven’t looked back. I played one more World Cup for touch and then that was it. It’s been just rugby from “09” since. I’m in my tenth year now.

And how I ended up in Queensland… after I did my degree, took up an apprenticeship with plumbing and I considered that I have a good solid three-four years left - I wanted to push myself and see where I can go… I have a really good mate from Marsden State High who’s been on my back for the last few years and saying “come up and teach - I want you to be involved”. They sort of needed a female role model, so I said I’d finish my apprenticeship, get that ticked off and come up. I needed a change of scenery as well for rugby. Speaking with the Wallaroo’s coach, he said you never want to get comfortable where you are. If you’re sitting in a really good squad, you could easily fall into that trap, leading us into the World Cup. He said I need you to get out, play against what’s the bench mark now and it will improve your rugby. So here I am!

What’s your favourite thing about the Sunshine State?

What’s my favourite thing… What am I… 4 months in. I love warm weather! Summer’s my favourite. The first couple of weeks, I struggled training with the humidity, I felt like I was the unfittest person on the team, but I got used to it.

I love my job, I’m really happy there and I love being a part of this team. So this team and my job are my favourite things.

What’s your favourite memory of representing Australia at a World Cup?

Probably my first World Cup, where I debuted in London in 2010. It’s funny, we got “capped” after our first game. At the time, my dad he’d just got his first brain tumour. He was alright, he’d lost his marbles a little and we used to joke about it a fair bit.  He was over there, because he didn’t know how long he’d have left, so he was like “stuff it, I’m coming over to watch you”. I got my cap after our first game… and when you get capped, it’s a pretty special thing. You’re meant to put the cap away safely… and a few days later, I turn up for my second game, his memories a bit funny, I’m running out, and he’s got my cap on. I was like “oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing.” (Laughs) He’s the only person in the stand, out of all the parents and he’s got my cap on. I’ll never forget running out to a packed stadium in London, and there he is standing there with my Wallaroos cap on. (He passed away two years after that, but it’s a good memory. A funny memory.)

You’re known for playing very well in a lot of positions. What’s your favourite position to play?

I started at number 12, probably the smallest number 12 going around in the world. I used to love (and still do) running around into space, I’ve played out on the wing and that was a bit of a strange one because I’m not the quickest person… but I enjoyed it… but I’ve finally found where it best suits me on the field… I love to talk, I love to distribute the ball, I’ve got vision around the field, so halfback, definitely. I don’t know why I didn’t go there years ago, being that little commander on the field suits me to a tee. So I love playing at halfback.

Some of my readers don’t know the game very well. Can you describe the role of the halfback, in your own words?

Halfback… I guess we’re the link between our forwards and our backs. We’re the little commanders on the field. So we’re bossing everyone around, especially our forwards who are doing a lot of the damage up front. You have to be barking in their ear constantly for 80 minutes or so. You’ve got to be precise when you’re passing and make sure you’re getting clean ball out for the backs to do their thing (or the forwards)… visually, you’ve always gotta be scanning your options. On defence, it’s similar… you’re that last man. You’ve gotta be scanning and if anyone breaks that line, you have to be that cover defender. Like I said, you’re that link, the middle-man - the “middle-woman”, I should say, between the forward and the backs. 

Thanks Cobie-Jane for your time, we are all behind you this coming weekend!

Thank you for having me! I loved it. Thanks for that!

A Catch-up with the Vice-Captain: Lori Cramer

Time flies when your having fun! Half way through the regular season and after two wins and one tough loss to NSW, the Queensland Women’s XV are training hard with their eyes firmly on the prize!

To share about the journey, I had the chance to catch up this week with the teams vice-captain Lori Cramer. It was great to hear about her love for the game (and her club UQ!) I'm sure you'll love reading our chat below.

Hi Lori, thanks for making time to catch up. How are you?

I’m good! It’s been a good day. I’m looking forward to training!

I’d like all my readers to be as excited about Super W as I am. What message do you have for Queensland rugby fans about Super W?

Super W is a very exciting comp, there’s a lot of untapped talent that people haven’t seen before. People are very excited to see the women’s game. We haven’t had a lot of media exposure before and there’s a lot of exciting players to watch!

What are your thoughts on Queensland’s season so far?

We’ve had a good season so far. There’s still a long way to go which is exciting and there’s room for growth… We have a great team and there’s a really good vibe around the girls this year.

I’d love to hear about your rugby journey - I read that you grew up playing soccer and touch rugby… Is it true your only started playing in 2015?

Yes! It is 3 years I’ve been playing. I grew up playing soccer and touch like you just said… my friend asked me if I wanted to play Sevens for the Kings and Queens Cup and that’s how it started. Then they invited me to go down to play at UQ. I grew up watching more Rugby League, but I enjoy watching and playing Rugby Union now.

There’s a lot more thinking involved and lot more tactics. With soccer, you kind of just kick the ball and wait for them to make a mistake and there’s more space. Rugby is a lot more like chess really, there’s more thinking involved.

At my first training, I didn’t really understand the rules… and someone would pick the ball up and run the ball a meter and I’d be like “what are you doing - pass it”… but it makes way more sense now.

What is it that you love most about rugby culture in Queensland?

Well, being at UQ, I like that with the Men and Women’s team, there’s a lot of club activities that everyone does together. I love the way everyone interacts as a rugby community.

Also, I love in general how all body shapes are celebrated in rugby. Whether your tall, short, big or small, everyone can play. There’s a spot for everybody.

What would you say to young girls and boys thinking of playing the game?

I’d say to young girls you definitely need a good hair tie. [Laughs] Just to give it a go! Lot’s of people think “I’ve got to be fit before I do this, or I’ve got to do that…” just give it a go! That’s the best way to find out if you like it or not. But definitely get a good hair tie, that’s by main advice.

Awesome. I’m sure there’s a lot of young people out there inspired by you. Thanks to you and your team for all you do for the game. Go Queensland!

Oh cheers! Thanks for chatting to me! It’s really good to see you here.

The QLD Women’s XV take on the Brumbies this Saturday, 5pm down at Ballymore, (in-between the two men’s interstate finals featuring UQ and GPS!) Check out info about the day here.