2019 has been an awesome year for Lori Cramer. She helped lead the Queensland Womens XV team to the Super W grand final, then went on to represent Australia in all four Wallaroos fixtures. To top it off, she captained the team that won the Aon Sevens series (UQ).
The Queensland Reds are now hard at work doing pre-season training (both the mens and the womens teams). Right after her on-field training session at Ballymore, I caught with Lori to catch up on the year that’s been and ask about 2020!
This is my second interview with Lori, you can check out the first here.
I hope you’re just as excited aabout Super W coming up as I am!
Hey Lori,
Thanks for taking time to catch up! How’d training go tonight?
Training was pretty good tonight. The bigger squad just got cut, so we’re just getting down to the pointy end, so everyone’s obviously working hard and trying to get into the team. So yeah. Training was good, but people are still fighting for those last few positions.
What have you and the team been working on in particular?
Just the basics for now, because we’ve got a bit of a new group together. We’re just working on our shape, trying to get some structure. Nothing too specific, just general sort of stuff, skills, ball security, that sort of stuff.
It’s been a great year for you personally and also for women’s rugby in general. What’s been the main highlight of your playing career this year?
Probably my second [Wallaroos] test down in Sydney, when I had to take that first kick, the first penalty. I hadn’t scored any points yet, because I stuffed up all of my kicks in the game before. That was my one job... but the second game, I got the start, I had a bit of a pep-talk... so yeah probably making that first kick. I was so nervous, but I got it.
Where were you when you heard the news that you’d made the Wallaroos squad?
I’m pretty sure I was at home. At the time, my grandma was really sick in hospital, so I drove straight to the hospital and told her that I’d made the squad and that I was going to camp, so that was pretty cool.
What’s been the greatest thing about being a Wallaroo this year?
Probably having those moments when you see a lot of people wearing Wallaroos stuff, as opposed to like, the Wallabies, or just a random yellow shirt. So seeing a lot of young girls wearing our gear and you know, knowing your name, that was a bit of a highlight.
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| We may or may not be wearing kicking tees in this picture, and no it wasn't my idea |
Congrats to you and the Uni squad on the Aon Sevens series win in September! How did you feel after the competition was over?
Thank you! How did I feel? I was pretty tired to be honest. (Laughs). Nah it was unreal. That was my first Sevens series in Australia. I’ve always been in Japan playing Sevens, so that fact that we won it was crazy, the fact that I was captain was crazy, it was all really cool. I loved it and I can’t wait to be a part of it next year as well.
You know, going from 15s to 7s is always a bit of a shock at the first training... your looking at the ruck and you’re counting players and you realise you have to run again... but yeah...it’s good fun.
I’m already pretty excited that Super W is coming up next year! What would your message to Queensland rugby supporters be, ahead of the 2020 season?
Hmmm... my message. Get around us at our games! I know it actually makes a huge difference having a bit of a crowd around us at our games. We’re building and there’s some special things happening here. So yeah my message would be get around rugby. As a rugby community, at a grassroots level and a state level and an international level, when we have games at Ballymore, or elsewhere, or at Suncorp, just get around to the games. Yeah!
Awesome. I can’t wait until kick off. Thanks again for taking time to catch up!
Any time Tom! Thank you!
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