A Conversation with Alex Hargreaves

In less than 24 hours, Queensland and New South Wales will be battling it out in the first ever Buildcorp Super W grand-final - 4:45pm on Fox Sports.

Alexandra Hargreaves is one of the great players in our nation and luckily for us she has landed in Queensland in recent years! It was great to catch up and talk about her rugby journey and just what it means to her to be playing in the first Super W final. You'll love getting to know her, as you get ready for the big gane!

Enjoy!

Hey Alex, thanks for taking time. I hope training hasn't been too gruelling. How are you going this week?

I’m very excited. Mondays training - you didn’t make it did you. It was hard. We bashed each other, we had fitness, so that was really good. Tonight, we just polished off and now I just want to smash these Blues girls in two days and bring home the cup for you guys.

This is an exciting week, to say the least. What is your message to Queensland sports fans about this Friday?

The message to Queensland sports fans… basically, it’s on again. You know, we always have this New South Wales/Queensland “hatred” towards each other, it’s like going to war. I feel like we’re coming out of the trenches again and we’re battling the enemy… I feel like we’re going to get one over them, it’s our time. New South Wales has taken it home so many other times, you know, all the nationals. Finally, we have a squad that’s young, that’s really equipped to take on New South Wales. And they’ve got more heart, I feel. There’s something in the Reds Jersey that’s just got more heart to win, so hopefully we’ll be able to do that.

It's been a great year for Women's rugby. What's the highlight of the Super W season been for you?

I think the highlight for me personally has just actually been being brought into the squad. After getting the call up to be a part of this competition… I think I cried for about an hour. Just being a part of the inaugural Super Womens, it’s really exciting.

Hopefully I’ll be able to tell you a new exciting time, in about 48 hours.

You've been playing rugby since 2002, how do you feel Women's rugby has changed since then?

It’s changed a lot. I was a part of the women’s team, when we won the inaugural 2009 World Cup in Dubai. To see where Sevens has gone since then… I feel like I’m a part of history again since then. I’m so excited - if Sevens has gone there, the skies the limit for XVs. So women’s rugby is forging ahead - as all women’s sports are really. It’s fantastic to see the support from everyone and moving forward, this is only going to get bigger and better.

You've been working as an assistant coach in Sydney. How long have you been coaching for?

That’s a funny story actually. I tried to coach and every time, the coach kept playing me. I’d start as an assistant coach and then I’d get pulled out as a number 8 or a number 7. I think I tried coaching for three years and ended up playing the year out. I did one and a half years of actual coaching, but did more as a player/coach.

How did you end up playing in Queensland this year? You did retire in 2012 for a little while I read...

I did. So I retired from international Rugby in 2012. I kept playing club and then I moved up to Queensland last year in March, 2017. I was playing AFL and I felt like a piece of me was missing. I literally texted Shirley who’s the forwards coach here and said “I’m really interested if you have a spot”. Mike allowed me to come down and train and that’s how I fell back into the game that I love… and I guess the game that they play in heaven. I haven’t stopped smiling since.

I'd love to hear about the beginning of your rugby journey.

So my rugby journey actually started in 1999. I was a gap student over in England over in a school in Richmond, which is in Surrey, just outside of London. I was a touch football and hockey player looking for a team to join. I went to the bathroom in a rugby club and this little old Scottish lady came out and said “you look like you could play rugby, do you want to have a crack?” And the rest is history.

I pulled on the boots and moved back to Sydney in 2000 and continue to play and started playing for the Aussie team in 2002, for XVs. It was a fantastic journey. I met my best friends, all around the world now from this sport. That’s how I started.

What do you feel is your greatest achievement so far in your career?

Probably winning the 2009 World Cup over in Dubai, for the Sevens. I did that with some of my best friends still today. It was a surreal feeling. One that for now Facebook things are popping up… you know “9 years later”, the memories are popping up. 

You work so hard. We didn’t have financial support, at all. We had to train ourselves and do weight sessions by ourselves and come together as, you know, Sydney teams, Canberra teams and do ball skills. So for us to be able to overcome the New Zealand and the England team, who were paid at the time, that was a massive achievement. Because we were the underdogs and we really did have that Aussie fight. That’s probably my proudest moment in rugby.

You've played both Rugby Union and League. What made you stay with Rugby Union?

For me, Rugby Union, I think is more suited to my style of play. The pilfering is probably my strength and in Rugby League you don’t pilfer. And also, I prefer to not stand ten meters from someone I’m about to tackle, I like to stand a bit closer. So it’s less taxing on the body. I’m old now, so I’m definitely glad I went with Rugby Union over Rugby League, because I can still play - I’m not broken. (Laughs)

What's some advice that you would give to young girls and boys aspiring to play the game?

For me, play because you love something. Whatever you choose to do in life, do it because you enjoy it. Don’t do it for financial gain, don’t do it for anything but the love. If you love something and you want to be something, you can achieve it. Whether it’s in sport, schooling, uni, politics, to just be the best at whatever you do.

I think rugby is a good environment, because it’s for every shape and size. There’s a real camraderie when you’re putting your body on the line for people and it builds up self-esteem too. So for parents out there, putting kids into rugby is fantastic, because it builds your mate-ship and self-esteem.

And finally... can you tell us something about yourself that not many people may know?

I’m getting married next year! Not many people know that in the wider community. But also, I worked at the Royal Ballet school, in London, that feeds into the Royal Ballet school of England. I wasn’t a ballerina, but I worked there. A lot of my family and closest friends know that, but when people hear that they laugh, because they look at the size of me and try to figure out how I was working at a Royal Ballet school… but I was the PE teacher over there. 

Thanks Alex for your time. We are right behind you on Friday. See you in Sydney!

My pleasure. I can’t wait to see you and hopefully give you a sip out of the cup.